FAQS

Asked and answered

Frequently asked questions put to us by our online nursery customers. Questions about everything from plants and accessories to ordering and delivery.

Some plants are grafted to speed up growth, while others are grafted to make them more tolerant to a particular climate or environment.

We prefer to use The Courier Guy.

Most nurseries, hardware stores and some plastic shops should offer shade cloth. Generally, buying it from an agricultural store that supplies the farming industry will be a bit cheaper.

In our experience, the best time to repot a succulent is in the beginning of the growing season.

Shipping takes place on Monday-Wednesday only, to prevent packages getting stuck in an office over the weekend. You will receive your plants within 2-3 days for main centres, and 4-5 days for outlying areas.

Payments can be made using your credit card via PayFast, direct EFT (preferred), or SnapScan. We accept cash or cards at the nursery.

A chlorophyll deficiency which results in a lack of green pigment.

A single species we have selected to feature for the month.

It’s when an adult plant creates new growth in the form of a small plant from the base of its stem. Examples of succulents that do this are: Aloes, Agaves, Haworthia, Gasteria, etc.

A plant with thick, fleshy tissue, designed for storing water over long periods of time.

A hybrid is a cross between two different species or cultivars of plants to create a third plant. Generally, you can hybridize two plants within the same genus to create viable offspring, but occasionally some intergeneric (i.e. between separate genera) hybrids are also possible. For example, some Gasteria will hybridize with some Aloes to create a Gasteraloe hybrid.

It is a piece of branch or stem that has been removed from the mother plant with the intent to create another plant.

It's a plant that’s been grown in cultivation from selected breeding for its exceptional colour, shape, flowers, etc (best of the best).

A mutation in the growth point which results in the plant growing sideways rather than upwards.

A caudiciform is a plant that has a caudex which is a swollen stem or root stock. Eg. Baobab.

The plants will dehydrate, and to survive will begin utilizing the water stored in their leaves, stems and roots, which results in dead leaves, tips or branches and in some cases a wrinkled surface.

The plant continuously takes on water which ultimately results in the roots rotting.

Two plants are joined together by cutting the stem of both plants, and attaching the two cut ends together.

The only place in the world where that plant occurs. In other words, endemic to South Africa means it only grows naturally in South Africa.

If it's only one or two bugs, try to remove them by hand. Alternatively, spray with a pesticide or water with a systemic pesticide. We recommend RoseCare3 or RoseCarePlus, as both these are a combination pesticide and fungicide, which means they prevent insect pests and treat fungal infections.

Succulents do like fertiliser. The general rule of thumb is to fertilise in the growing season. Succulents are quite sensitive, so in our experience halving the recommended dose of general plant fertilizers works well. If it is a fertilizer formulated specifically for succulents and cacti, use the full recommended dose.

These are featured plants with limited stock, so it’s best to grab one sooner rather than later, as they tend to sell out quickly.

Make sure you have completed all the compulsory fields. If you are still struggling, please get in touch:

Unfortunately, not at this point in time. South African orders only.

In growing season every 1 - 2 weeks assuming the soil has dried out from the previous watering.

You should take your plants out of the box and unwrap them as soon as possible. Leaving them for too long may result in them starting to stretch in search of light.

Take a good potting soil or compost, sift thoroughly to remove any clumps or foreign material. Add 40% - 60% drainage material i.e. pumice, perlite, stones, etc. The soil mixes we offer are filled with components that give them strong drainage, and we highly recommend them as a good starting point to learn how soil mixes should work.

Succulents like heavy watering in the growing season, but do need to dry out between watering to avoid root rot.

Click on the following link and follow the instructions.

Add the plants that you want to order to your cart and go through the checkout process.

Please note all plants are shipped bare root (meaning no pot or soil is included).

We go the extra mile to package your plants carefully and securely. We take pride in providing only the best packaging for the best plants. The boxes we use are sturdy, double-layered cardboard which tend to resist even the roughest of couriers. Your plants will be shipped bare-root, and individually wrapped in toilet paper to prevent any damage in transit.

Yes, we do. The Courier Guy delivers nationally.

By creating an account you will be able to shop faster, be up to date on your order status, and keep track of the orders you have previously made.

Some caudiciform species prefer full sun, while others prefer shade. It depends on the environment in which they occur naturally.

Yes, just because they generally occur in deserts, does not mean they don’t need water. Water is typically increased in the growing season.

No, because they are made up of mostly water, they are prone to frostbite.

Contrary to popular belief, it is usually quite ineffective to mist succulents, because the water is unlikely to reach the plant’s roots. It is better to use a watering can.

Yes, you can. Ideally leave it in a container overnight for chlorine to dissipate.

Once a parcel is logged for collection, we share a waybill number which can be used to track your parcel on the following link: https://thecourierguy.pperfect.com/

If you want to hold an order for you until the end of the month, you can reserve any number of plants with a 20% deposit (20% of total order cost, deposit non-refundable).

It is best not to do so. This could stress the plant or burn it. Slowly introduce them by giving them a little bit more exposure each day.

Yes, you can insure a parcel prior to sending. Please chat to us if you are interested in doing this so we can make the necessary arrangements.

It depends on the amount of sun exposure the window receives. Some succulents will be happy, but the majority will not get enough sunlight to maintain the correct shape. Alternatively, if the window receives too much light, the plant will be burned, as the window will act like a magnifying glass.

Orders can also be collected directly from the nursery by prior arrangement.

Yes. Please inform us via email that you would like to add more plants to your order, then simply place another order and select ‘Combine with existing order’ as your shipping option.

Yes, some succulents are classified as Caudiciforms due to their swollen stems or root stock.

Yes, all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

- Brad P

Awesome plants, great communication. Highly recommend for anyone looking for good healthy plants.

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