Peter in Whitchurch

[Peter]

UPDATE: It is just over two months since I started the dispersal of my collection and I've sold over 700 plants. This through a variety of methods including Ebay, this forum, the Mesemb show, word of mouth, etc. It does take a lot of work to dispose of a large greenhouse full of plants.

Many folk have visited here and parcels have been despatched all throughout the UK also to France and Belgium. I have learned that Parcelforce can be erratic, e.g. the consignment numbers changing for whatever reason when parcels enter France, but DPD have been excellent each time to date.

The greenhouse interior looks like a bomb's gone off but it does at least give me some space to sort the plants that are left in order that I can renew the sales effort after the Christmas break. Perhaps around March, wallets and purses will recover and I will again be searching for boxes to use to despatch plants.

This is how it looks now, all for sale.

[topsy]

Hi Peter,

Finding suitable boxes is always a problem. We have to find them for sending books in bulk to the USA and Europe and double box using a strong cardboard box initially with the books wrapped in bubble wrap inside that and then the cardboard box is put into a polystyrene box which we get for nothing from a local pet food store which they have frozen pet food delivered in, they are glad to get rid of them and its recycling. They ought to be good for the larger cacti.

Good luck, Suzanne

[DWDogwood]

That is an amazing collection. You are deserving of admiration for tending to it and making those plants available to collectors to enjoy.
Reminds me of the adage, the best time to start growing cacti is 30 years ago.
Also reminds me of another, “All cacti are succulents, therefore not all succulents are weeds”.
Respectfully,
Dennis

[AnTTun]

Peter, I guess you are having problems with PM again? Seems like few of mine didn't make it...

[Peter]

Thanks for the tip Suzanne. I would never had dreamt of asking for boxes in a pet food shop. At present I raid Tesco for their McCains French Fried potato boxes which are a useful size and strength, and yes, I have sent cacti to France in them. I found a roll of insulating wallpaper in my shed. This is a polystyrene sheet in a roll, about 3mm thick and I line the boxes with it before wrapping the plants in newspaper.

Dennis, really nice to hear from you again and I remain in awe of your collection. It would have been good if you could have checked out my Copiapoas before the clearance began. I have reached the stage that most people do - time to stop. But I'm still incredibly attractive to women at 73. Let me rephrase, not 73 years old women, it's me that's 73. Brad Pitt? Get thee behind me!

AnTTun: I received your pms and responded, saying that when I'm ready I'll send you some plants. I shall qualify that by stating : if I have decent ones left. Patience!

[AnTTun]

Thanks for info Peter, I thought so, but your PM never made it my way Thats why I was 'impatient', better safe than sorry
And just a reminder, I've offered help like: I'd buy indecent plants

[Ross M]

Following an e-mail enquiry, four of Peter's lovely Oreocereus have very quickly made their way up to me. I'd thought that my message would likely be a dead-end, given the size of the plants and likely packing problems but Peter was very quick to get back to me with positive news and photos of what he had available. Who could resist such nice plants and reasonable prices! Nothing was too much trouble to Peter and before I knew it, they'd been boxed up and posted off. I'm really pleased to have the opportunity to grow them - thanks Peter and I hope your fingers recover from the prickly packaging exercise soon

[Peter]

Thanks Ross. I'll be alright when the bandages come off.......