FAQ

1. I don’t have a green thumb. How do I care for succulents and cacti?

 

a. Watering:

  • In the wise words of my 80ish “years-young” Pilates classmate, Ms. Gloria: “Succulents and cacti like to be left alone.  Mine do better when I am on vacation!” She is right! Succulents are resilient and super easy to take care of.  Water your plants every 7-10 days or when their soil is fully dry.  Just water enough for the soil to get fully wet but always allow soil to get completely dry before watering again. 
  • Hidden inside your Garden will be a Bamboo Stick, or to put it elegantly, a "Natural Humidity Sensor"! When in doubt about watering, pull out the Sensor. If the bottom is dark and wet, no watering is needed. When the bottom is light and dry, it is time to give your plant some H2O love.
  • Do not overwater your plants or allow them to sit in water.  In the summer, the soil gets dry faster so water more frequently (every 3-4 days, as long as the soil has become fully dry). In the winter, the plants are dormant and need less frequent watering (every 7-10 days).
  • The general rule of thumb is that succulents prefer to be underwatered, rather than overwatered.  If your plant becomes mushy, has brown spots or is withering, reduce your watering pattern until the soil is fully dry, add some dry soil or re-plant in dry soil, give the plants lots of indirect light and your plant should recover within a few weeks.  If the roots are rotted in water beyond help, cut your plant at a level above the rotten root and replant. 

b. Light:

  • Indoors, succulents love bright indirect light, near a well-lit window and the same temperature level as humans.  Most succulents don’t like to be suddenly exposed to direct sunlight so protect them by grooming them in shade with indirect light.
  •  If you wish to move them to direct sunlight, try it gradually and observe how your plant likes it.  If the leaves turn brown or the plant begins to stretch and look naked, you will know your plant is scorching in the sun.
  • Every area is different so take baby steps when changing the condition of the new addition to your family. We will not replace sunburned plants, but you can prune them and place them in shade and chances are they will bloom again.

c. Feeding

  • Succulents are very self-reliant but who doesn’t enjoy a little TLC from time to time? Feed your succulents with a small amount of a gentle fertilizer every 3-6 months or add some cactus soil from time to time. We mostlyuse Miracle-Gro® Potting Soil for Cactus or Miracle-Gro® Cactus Fertilizer.
2. Cactus Disclaimer:
        • Cactus Plants, by definition, have sharp spines.  Some spines are tiny and invisible but are persistent like their parents and really hurt.  Be very careful and always use puncture resistant gardening gloves when handling Cacti or opening your box.  If you are sending any of our gifts containing cacti to someone else, please give them a warning not to use their bare hands or regular gloves when handling their gift. Succulents are safe so if you don't want to deal with spines, feel free to ask us to replace the Cacti in your arrangement with beautiful succulents.  
        3. Do I get the exact plants shown in the website photos?
          • Our plants are fresh and may change from season to season depending on weather, the condition of our Garden or from supplier to supplier so you may not always get the exact shades, colors or variety depicted in the website pictures. However, we try our best to provide you with the freshest and most beautiful succulents available at the time of the order, while keeping the spirit of the pictured arrangement you selected.  If you prefer certain colors in addition to greens, please mention to us in your order and we will try our best to incorporate your preference in your arrangement. 

          4. Shipping and Handling

          • We currently ship to 48 USA states. At this time, we do not ship internationally  by default, due to the number and variety of laws and regulations on the subject.If you live in another country, please contact us at hello@ilovetus.com and if shipping to your country is allowed, we will gladly process your order.  
          • Please open your box as soon as you receive it.  We use a lot of care packing your succulent gift. However, as you will find out, some packages are roughly handled during transit and occasionally, some Plants may look stressed despite our best efforts to protect them.  If so, please do not panic! Just gently place back the plant in the container, with Cactus soil or any good soil you have available. Be patient and give your plant some TLC, a little water and some indirect bright light, and chances are super high that your plant will recover in front of your eyes.
          • Some plants, especially hanging succulents and tall cacti must be packed separately.  Please wear puncture resistant gloves before handling cacti.  Place separately packed plants in the container as desired.

          5. Returns & Refunds:

          • Succulents and Cacti are fragile plants and we cannot guaranty they will get to you in the same condition we carefully packed it.  If you are unhappy for any reason, please take 3 pictures and email us within 48 hours of receipt.  We will do our best to remedy the situation but please know that due to the high cost of shipping, we cannot be responsible for displaced plants, soil or broken leaves. However, if your plant or container is damaged during transit due to no fault of your own and you report the problem to us via email within 48 hours of receipt, we will find the best way to make it right as we thrive you to be happy.

          6.  Is there a discount for first-time buyers?

          • Yes.  Please use the code ilovecac10 for an introductory 10% discount.

           7. Where is iLovetus located?

          • Our design studio is located in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles County, California. We do workshops, events, shows at all venues.  If you happen to be in our area and would like to pick up your gift or if you need delivery of multiple plants for your event or your business, please email us and we will be happy to make special arrangements for you.

          8. Is it true that planting succulents is addictive?

          • Well, we are not aware of any notable scientific research on the subject, but in our experience: YES!    Succulents and Cacti are elegant, beautiful, resilient and surprising at times.  Some of the species have beautiful flowers and surprise you with a spark of color on special occasions.  They are like cats: easy to take care of, independent and self-reliant.  Under the right conditions, they withstand the test of times and make you happy every time you look at them. Most importantly, over time, they give birth to new babies that you can easily prune and plant to expand your collection.  Taking care of them is so satisfying that it could become addictive. BEWARE :)