Will Phytoextractum guarantee my plant?
We are willing to guarantee that your plant purchase will arrive alive and healthy. As we have no control over the customer's abilities as a grower, Phytoextractum warrants only the safe-delivery of your purchase and not its continued survival once in your possession. Should your plant arrive damaged or lifeless, we will replace or refund the price of the plant as long as the following conditions are met:
- Your package is shipped via USPS Express Mail.
- Your package is hand-delivered on the first attempt or provided a safe location for delivery.
- Your package is immediately opened upon arrival and the contents cared for as specified in the enclosed care instructions.
- Your package is not left exposed to the elements (or any other extremes) upon delivery.
- You report any damage to us within three (3) days of receipt of package.
Please take note that although we will ship our live plants during the winter months, Phytoextractum does not guarantee the safe arrival of live product shipped to or through freezing or near-freezing (35-45°F) temperatures. We'll do our absolute best to accommodate your request for a live plant shipped during these months, however in return we ask that you check local and national weather (www.weather.com) before ordering and agree to accept the risk of damage as your own. Phytoextractum requires that the customer agree to this upon checkout.
How will you package my plant?
Our packaging somewhat depends on the season in which we ship. Commonly, we will ship our plants in a humidity chamber which can be used in order to help the plant adjust to its new home after what can sometimes be a traumatic shipping experience. We ask that you leave your plant inside this chamber (abiding by the enclosed care sheet) for a period of at least 2-3 days after arrival, unless you're an experienced grower.
Does Phytoextractum offer rush-processing on Live Plants?
No, we do not. While we'll do our best to make sure that you get your order as quickly as possible, we also need to ensure that the time is right before sending your plant on to you. We do not ship our live plants on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday (unless you opt and pay for an overnight delivery.)
Why USPS Express and not UPS Next Day Air?
Traditionally, Phytoextractum has used both the United Parcel Service and the US Post Office to ship our products. While we still offer UPS as a means to ship the majority of what we carry, we've found that shipping our live plants using this courier is unnecessarily risky, as well as costly. Shipping live plants using USPS Express not only means that your plant will spend the majority of its travel inside a heated vehicle, but for usually about only half the cost. In light of this, Phytoextractum will continue shipping plants via UPS, however we no longer guarantee them when shipped using this courier.
Do you ship internationally?
Sorry, not at this time. With all the hassle, plus the likelihood that the plant won't make it alive, we've decided to supply our live plants domestically, only.
How should I care for my plant?
How you should care for your plant depends on, of course, which plant you purchase. Phytoextractum will always send on a care sheet with your order to help you keep your plant as happy as it can possibly be, however there are a few basic guidelines you should take note of in preparation and before placing your order:
- The plants we carry thrive in humidity. It may be wise to purchase an inexpensive humidifier for your plant if you happen to live in a dry climate.
- Be sure to have the necessary soil (a well-draining, non-moisture retaining, organic medium) ready for your plant.
- Purchase and plan on using a Nitrogen-rich fertilizer (at least 5-5-1) every 2-3 weeks.
- If you're a first-time grower, be sure to read up on your plant, where it likes to live, what it likes to eat, and what you can do to keep it healthy and happy.
Does Phytoextractum carry the supplies I'll need in order to care for my plant?
Yes and no. While we are working on stocking the recommended and necessary supplies in order to raise and care for your plant, at the moment the most we can do is to make sure your plant is shipped well-nourished and healthy. Phytoextractum will also send on a detailed care sheet that explains how to get the most from your plant, how to take care of it, and how to ensure that it lives a long, happy life.
How does Phytoextractum care for live plants before shipping?
Grown, harvested, and processed without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, GMO's, synthetic chemicals, growth agents, and free from irradiation and chemical sterilization, all Phytoextractum plants are organically raised and cared for. All of our live plants are raised in either Rockwool or Fox Farm organic soil and treated with Nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer until time of shipping.
What if my plant does arrive damaged or worse?
Please contact us immediately. Whether by email or phone, it's important that you reach us as soon as possible so we can either provide you with instructions on how to rescue your plant or make the necessary arrangements to have it replaced.
Basic Plant Care Information
Salvia Divinorum
While our live Salvia plants love humidity, they can handle temperatures as low as 35°F. If you decide on keeping your plant outdoors, water it only every few days and with regular water. Be sure to water enough to flood out the bottom of the pot; this washes out any unwanted salts. Add organic fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Preferably, you should use something high in Nitrogen (5-5-1) which promotes faster growth and bigger leaves. Later in the year, if you want your plant to flower, you should switch to a more balanced fertilizer (5-10-5.) Either of these can be found at any plant store.
If you keep your plant indoors, you won't need to water as much; humidity is lower and the plant just doesn't use it. We recommend only watering indoors when the leaves begin to droop. Fertilize indoors only every 4-5 weeks and use half of the recommended strength. (Use the same fertilizer as recommended above.)
If you ever seen your plant turning black or spongy, you're watering too much.
If your plant's leaves appear to blackening at the tips (but the rest of your plant seems healthy) use a balance fertilizer (5-10-5.)
If your plant shows slow or zero growth, this usually means that your humidity levels are too low.
Your plant's ideal living quarters are at around 80°F with about 80% humidity. In the very least, purchase or use a *clean* squirt bottle to spray your plant down and increase moisture levels. Purchasing a small humidifier (not a vaporizer) will also help increase both the temperature and the humidity in dryer climates.
Mitragyna Speciosa (Kratom) Rifat
Climate plays a major role in how your Kratom tree will grow and develop. Rifat's prefer tropical climates and temperatures of around 80-90°F with humidity somewhere near 75-85%. An organic, Nitrogen-rich fertilizer should also be used every 2-3 weeks and watering enough to flood out the pot (to wash out any extra salts) is always a good idea.
Water only when the soil is just about dry. Your plant will pull a greater nutrition from the medium at this stage.
Leaves may drop from your plant; the lower down on the tree, the better. If they're dropping from the top first, you might have problems.
Spray your plant down with a squirt bottle to simulate humidity where there is none.
