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nafex - [NAFEX] OIKOS Tree Crops

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  • From: "Dr. Lucky Pittman" <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>
  • To: <Unschooler@lrec.org>, "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] OIKOS Tree Crops
  • Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:02:56 -0500

I've ordered a number of things from OIKOS through the years - though none
recently.
Will be ordering some this fall/winter - I need some more tree-type
serviceberries, and even at $8-$12, they're more affordable, for my
purposes, than anywhere else that I'm familiar with. Even though most of
their stuff is open-pollenated seedling material, it can be useful - and
some is quite appealing for folks interested in out-of-the ordinary stuff,
especially native fruiting plants that most commercial outfits don't offer.

I'm not necessarily 'defending' them on any account, but they're upfront
that these are seedlings, grown in paper pots/plant bands, or in plant beds
- for the most part, they're essentially 'row-run' seedlings.
OIKOS' prices are higher than they were 10-12 years ago - but I didn't see,
back then, how they were even approaching break-even at the prices they used
to offer, much less turning a profit. I'm willing to pay more; some of my
favorite nurseries of the past are no longer in existence, largely because
they sold their stuff too cheap, and couldn't cash-flow!

Yes, some of the seedlings I got from OIKOS were small or leggy, and most
required potting up for a year or so before they were transplanted to their
final destination - not significantly different, in type or vigor, from some
of my own seedlings of the same genus/species and age. Most have performed
just fine, with minimal care after the first year.
But, for $.95 ea., or $3, or even $8 to $12 for a stated 6-12" or 2-3'
seedling, I'm not expecting a 3/4" caliper stout branched specimen that's
gonna make an immediate impact.

Did you contact Ken Asmus about your dissatisfaction?
>From the OIKOS FAQ page:
Q. What happens if my plants die?
A. We will cover losses due to shipping problems or just lack of plant
health from our side. But we do not cover losses due to frost, lack of rain,
animal damage, over fertilization, or other natural causes.

They've been very good with me, in the past, about replacing stuff -
sometimes even when I just contacted them with poor performance reports,
even when I told 'em I felt like it was more likely poor handling on my
part, or a result of 'pushing the envelope' - trying to grow a plant that is
not well-adapted to my growing conditions.
If you don't/didn't let them know that there was a problem, they can't fix
it.

My experience has been that they're nothing like outfits like TyTy Nursery,
who'll lie to you at the drop of a hat, or send you a similar dead
replacement for your dead rootless plant - provided you ship the dead one
back to them at your expense, and pay the shipping costs for the new dead
stick.

Lucky Pittman
Hopkinsville, KY




-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Leslie Moyer
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 3:35 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Prunus maritima & Oikos

On 8/23/10 9:48 AM, mIEKAL aND wrote:
> I purchased 50 of Oikos's Dunbar plums this spring since they were
> mentioned on the list here & it sounded interesting. When I received
> them they were tiny little twiggy starts with very little roots.
I ordered about 2 dozen things from Oikos this spring and that was my
experience with everything I received. I was extremely disappointed with
the size and quality of the plants (taking into consideration the prices
I paid). In addition, several of the tree stems were exceedingly curly
and misshapen. Nothing was large enough to plant out anywhere--I put
everything into nursery (tree) pots and expect to have to nurse them
along for at least a couple or three years before I'm able to plant them
in real soil anywhere. Despite TLC this year, I lost several plants
immediately and nothing else has put on much growth at all so I'm
skeptical that they will make it through the winter--even in my
hoophouse. I will never order anything from them again. I'm
disappointed because they have many interesting plants that I was
looking forward to trying.

--Leslie Moyer
Shady Grove Natural Farm (market farm)
near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, zone 6b

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