Canadians ordering hostas from the USA

9 years ago

Hi all,
Instead of taking over the Rhino Hide thread, I thought I'd start a new one.

From what I am aware, Naylor Creek, Green Hill, & Plant Delights will ship to Canada. I also heard Q&Z will deliver to non-businesses if you order a certain quantity - I think it was 18 minimum. Q&Z drives a truck across the border and hand delivers so it is not hard for them to add another stop especially if you live in Ontario. Naylor Creek offers a discount for ordering early (usually from October - December for the following spring).

I have been quoted between $50-75 for the phytosanitary certificate which is mandatory to get. You will have to pay shipping when you order and possibly duty when you receive it. Duty is hit or miss so just expect to pay it and be happy if you don't have to.

I do my research and know pricing and which plants are best to get from the USA and which I can get in Canada for less. I make my orders worthwhile. I would not make a $100 order because that wouldn't be cost effective.

Also note that it will be in the mail for a few days and will stop in customs. I tend to get my orders within 2 weeks.
If you can accommodate, it's best to receive your order as early as possible in the spring and get dormant plants.

I hope that helps those of you that have questions about it.
Please let me know if any of you have successfully ordered from other retailers in the USA.

Vanessa

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Comments (9)

josephines167 z5 ON Canada
9 years ago
Vanessa, thank you for the thread and the information, you've laid it out nicely! :-)

I agree that ordering for spring is the best way to go, when the plants are still dormant.

What different times during the growing season have you received hostas via mail order and have you always been satisfied?
hostacats
9 years ago
Interesting to know. Something I do not know though is about the phytosanitary certificate. If we make an order with these companies do we all pay that amount??? Then if so it wouldn't be worth it for me, nor getting stuck with duty charges either. Yikes. I don't make enough money for that, so I guess for now I'll just order from places in Ontario or any other place in Canada if I can find. Seems to me though they are all in Ontario.

michelle
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A further comment on this mail order issue. I ordered from Naylor Creek too and they were shipped on the 12th also. They are not here yet - (in central BC). I could drive there in 7 hours. I've been in regular contact with Jack and Gary who are as frustrated as I am. They are sitting in customs while all the other foreign orders shipped on the same day have arrived - eastern Canada, Japan.... The first year I ordered mail order from Naylor they shipped on a Monday and were here on Wed. That was faster than to the eastern US. Last year and this year they were wollowing in customs. It's very agravating because the certificate which inspects the plants costs both the nursery and the buyer money. I would think it would speed things along. They wrap the plants well so I am just hoping that they arrive without irreversible damage. As far as how I keep the plants until they are ready to put outside, I do it the hard way (of course!). I came back from my vacation with 27 plants which are all in individual pots. I carry the pots in and out every day. They are in a mud room porch during the night and out in the paved courtyard during the day. That is unless it's snowing as it is now. It never occured to me to pot them and put them in the garage with all the other potted plants I have there. These new ones are actually up and some are open so I'm not sure how that would work. I've done it this way for the last couple years but it gets old after a while. I take the clue from my own plants and start to leave them outside when mine are opening up which is the last week of April or first week of May. I don't think I get late frosts in this area because it is paved and keeps the daytime heat. McT
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Here's my experience: Flying in - declare your plants (because you have to, and make sure you tell the truth on your customs declaration, unless you're feeling lucky, that is), make sure they're soil-free, and make sure you're ready to tell the Ag inspection team that these plants are no danger to becoming invasive to the native flora. Of course, with so few being cold-hardy, relatively speaking, this has the added bonus of being true. Driving across - make sure the plants are soil-free, and be ready to explain to the border officer about them not being invasive IF THEY ASK YOU about plants. Usually they do not. Most of my collection has been brought in thus. I would guess I have brought in CITES-restricted plants, but since I get them usually from reputable nurseries, and never buy field-collected / illegally-harvested plants, TTBOMK, but I usually don't worry about that. If that would be a problem in the future, I'd guess I'd resort to more seed-growing. Valley Succulents is a nice place to deal with - my one experience with Jamie was overall postive. If I ever get to Comox I'd like to visit his nursery. Of course, you can develop trades on this side of the border, but again, if you are just starting a collection, it can be difficult. But we're usually a very generous lot. Of course (#2, and the more important of them) the best place to meet people, talk/get/peruse plants is a C&S Society. Fortunately, Vancouver has one. Their show isn't too far away. There's also a Society in Victoria. CactusVan
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TheHostaCottage
Original Author
9 years ago
Jo - I tend to get my order shipped to me from Naylor Creek in the middle of March and I have been successful potting them up when they arrive, keeping inside and hardening them off outside when the weather gets warmer.

I have also done mail order within Ontario...most recently at the beginning of July from Budd Gardens. The plants arrived within 2 business days using regular Canada Post mail.
The plants always arrive in great condition if packaged properly.

Michelle - yes, if you place an order you would have to pay for the phytosanitary certificate unless you have friends that would join in on your order...in which case you can split the phyto and shipping costs with them. It's cost effective for larger orders and collector's looking for rare plants. If you are only getting a few plants then it's not financially worthwhile unless you are getting rare hostas on your wish list that you can't get anywhere else.

Vanessa
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
9 years ago
Thanks for the information Vanessa. I am also interested in knowing about purchasing from the U.S.

In your opinion, what is the minimum amount of plants one would have to purchase in order to make the purchase cost effective?

Do you know what the duty is if one has to pay it?

I assume there is tax?
TheHostaCottage
Original Author
9 years ago
newhostalady - the duty is basically the taxes (in Ontario it is 13%).

I tend to order between 20-30 hostas because I want to make the order worthwhile and also because I am addicted and there are a lot of new/rare hostas that I want! LOL! There is not a specific number that you should order...it really depends what you are ordering, how the prices compare to those in Canada, and if the hostas are even available here. If you have a friend that could go in on your order with you it will keep the costs lower for you.

Vanessa
kathrynann776
9 years ago
Hi
I always place an order from Q & Z in the spring. I looked back at this years order. Total of the plants was $1000 and shipping/taxes/certificate etc was about $100. They charged me the GST (5%) as well as the Certificate. Shipping is free and this year they left the boxes on my front porch! The thing with Q & Z is to order the retail ready plants. The liners tend to be really small. I have to wait sometimes 2 years before they are ready to sell.
Hope this helps

Kathy
maggiepie_gw
9 years ago
Vanessa, thanks for the information.
Sounds like people who live fairly close to each other could do joint orders and save all around.

One other question, do you have to get an import certificate from Agri Canada?
hostacats
9 years ago
Kathy, my first impression when I was starting to read your post was OMG!! $1,000 plus another $100 for the certificate. But as I continued reading I realized you buy, grow and sell your hostas. Didn't know that. Do you do it as a nursery or just on the side for fun??

michelle
hostatakeover swMO
9 years ago
This is interesting information. Anyone know if there is a similar method to get Canadian Hostas sent to the US?

Canadians ordering hostas from the USA

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josephines167 z5 ON Canada

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Canadians ordering hostas from the USA

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josephines167 z5 ON Canada

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