Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I submit an order?

Ordering is simple. First, find the product you are looking for by browsing by a genus or category, or by searching for your items in the search bar.  Click on the product you are interested in for more information or to add it to your cart.

Add items to your cart by selecting the purchase option (packet size/price) and the quantity you wish to order, then clicking the “Add to cart” button.

Once you have found and added all the items you want in your cart, you can go to the checkout page by clicking the red shopping card and selecting “Checkout”.

During checkout, you can create an account with us to save and access information like past orders and shipping information, or just check out as a guest. If you already have an account, you can easily login.

We accept PayPal or Credit Card payments through the website.

For Chinese customers, and other customers who do not use the Latin alphabet in their postal service, please fill in the “Shipping address in native language (optional)” with your shipping address written in your native alphabet. This will give your package a better chance of reaching you in China.

How do I pay with a credit card?

To pay with credit card you can use the Stripe payment option on the checkout screen, or you can use your credit card through PayPal.  If you want to use PayPal credit card processing press the “Submit Order” button. Make sure your information and shipping selection are correct (going back to the checkout screen after proceeding may cause issues with your order), then click “Proceed to Payment”. You will be taken to a PayPal screen – on the PayPal screen there is a gray button that reads “Pay with debit or credit card”. Enter and submit your information and you are good to go!

How long will it take to receive my order once I have checked out?

All our seeds are selected and packed by hand and we do our best to fill orders as quickly as we can, however the actual time it takes to received your order may vary based on the time of year.

Our busiest season is typically from January to April and due to the increased demand, it may take up to 2 months for your order to be processed. You can check the status of your order on your account page for updates, or contact us if you have any questions.

Why Can't I Select First-Class Shipping for Orders with Plants?

To help ensure that live plants get to our customers in a timely manner, only priority and express mail shipping are available for orders with plants. 
 
If your shipping method must be first-class, let us know. In some special cases, plants may be shipped first-class. If your order qualifies, we will refund you the difference. 

How long does it take for First Class Mail to reach Asian countries?

Express mail is tracked all the way to its destination and is the safest option when shipping to China. 

First class mail can be risky and take anywhere from 6-8 and sometimes 10 weeks to arrive in Asian countries. Once the package has left the US it is no longer tracked by the USPS. We will not refund/replace packages lost by shipping first class mail. We encourage our Chinese customers to use EMS (Express Mail) or Priority shipping to ensure delivery. 

What cacti seeds are good for beginners?

Some of the easiest cactus plants to grow are: Notocactus (Parodia)TrichocereusNeoporteriaOpuntiaEchinopsis, and Rebutia. These plants germinate well, grow fast, do not rot very easily and, best of all, have amazing flowers!

What if I want more packets than what you allow on the website?

We only allow one packet per catalog number of certain genera (plural of genus) so that more collectors have a chance to get at least one packet. We don’t want one person to buy all the inventory of the rare Conophytum achabense; that just doesn’t seem fair to us. We want to spread the love!

What size are the plants?

Most plants are suitable for a 3 to 4-inch pot. The vast majority of plants offered are grown from seed. Some miniature species, like TurbinicarpusConophytum, etc., stay small and are suitable for even a 2 to 2 ½ inch pot. Conophytum and Lithops plants will have 1-2 heads depending on their size. Species like bilobum, flavum, and wettsteinii would be examples of single headed Conophytum, all other plants would be shipped with two or more heads.

Why are Latin names used for the plants?

Using Latin plant names is a more specific and accurate way to identify plants. Common names can cause confusion because many different plants can have the same common name. For example, “Barrel Cactus” can refer to EchinocactusFerocactus, or even Thelocactus; likewise, “Fish Hook Cactus”, can refer to AncistrocactusMammillaria or Sclerocactus.

So, we stick to the scientific names so we can be more specific and our customers can get exactly what they want.

Shipping Costs

United States

  • First class ($4.50), Free shipping with purchase over $100.00
  • Priority ($10.00), Free shipping with purchase over $200.00
  • Express mail ($32.00)

Canada

  • First class ($11.00), Free shipping with purchase over $130.00
  • Priority ($30.00), Free shipping with purchase over $300.00
  • Express mail ($50.00) Free shipping with the purchase over $500

International

  • First class ($14.00), Free shipping with purchase over $150
  • Priority ($33.00) Free shipping with purchase over $350.00
  • Express mail ($60.00) Free shipping with the purchase over $500

China

  • Priority ($33.00) Free shipping with purchase over $350.00
  • Express mail ($60.00) Free shipping with the purchase over $500
  • Please see our FAQ below about Combining Orders and Shipping Costs

Germany, Australia, New Zealand (Declared price shown on label)

  • First class ($14.00), Free shipping with purchase of $300
  • Priority ($33.00) Free shipping with purchase over $350.00
  • Express mail ($60.00) Free shipping with the purchase over $500

Japan

  • First class ONLY ($14.00) (no Priority or Express mail) Free shipping with purchase over $150

Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Malta, Uruguay

  • Priority ($30.00, and $55.00 with purchase over $300.00)

 North Korea, Pakistan, Iran

  • We don’t ship to these countries directly, but you can technically order through a family member in a different country. Please contact us through our contact page for your special instructions.

Combining and Shipping Costs

We have within our system the ability to combine orders when they come into our database system from the website. There is a specific point they must be combined and after that combining is more tedious.

For us to combine orders the following must be in place:

    -The customer information on each order must be 100% identical on every order. Every single character must match for the system to allow us to combine. We do not have the capability to override this process. We cannot combine different addresses with this combination process.

       -Orders combined in this process will qualify for free shipping if all of the orders combined meet the free shipping criteria.

       -There is a point of no return. Once the orders are confirmed in the database, we cannot combine orders simply.

Can we combine after the orders have been confirmed?

    – We can combine orders with the same address after we have passed the combination point, however we will charge for postage for one order. This means that if your 2 or 3 orders together qualify for free shipping, we will still charge shipping for one order.

      -If you want the highest level of shipping, even if all orders combined qualify for the highest level of free shipping, you will still have to pay for the level of shipping you want or the difference, if you are upgrading your shipping. Once we pass the combination point, it becomes more difficult. We have to charge for one package.

Can we combine orders with different names and addresses?

-We can combine orders with different addresses. However we will charge postage for one. If you want the highest level of shipping, we will not give free shipping if all orders combined qualify for free shipping. You will have to pay for the level of shipping you want. Combining orders with different names and addresses is a complicated process, we have to charge shipping for one of the packages.

It is at our discretion to decline combining orders at any time.  Your order is most likely going to be disqualified for combining when multiple accounts have been used to buy up all the stock of a specific item. These orders will be subject to review or be declined and refunded at our discretion. 

Can we come to the nursery and shop for plants?

Sorry, customers cannot come to Mesa Garden to shop for and select plants. Our facilities are not currently designed for on-site customers.

If you would like to tour our greenhouses, you must make an appointment well in advance of your intended visit. Setting appointments weeks in advance helps us to better meet your expectations for a tour and the expectations of other customers waiting for their orders to be filled.