FAQ

I am an end consumer: Where can I buy products from Schuster-Floristenbedarf?
Please ask a well-stocked floristic dealer about our products.


Who can buy from you?
As specialist wholesalers we sell our products only to branch-related retails, flower shops, garden centers, market gardens, decorators, gift and applied arts shops.


How can I pay?
You can pay in cash or with an EC card(with PIN request).


Do you send the ordered goods?
We send goods at our own risk. Our policy is “cash before delivery”, the package is being sent with Deutsche Post and the shipping cost is included in the price our customers have to pay.


Who can take part in seminars?
To take part you have to have previous knowledge in floristics.


Where are the seminars?
In a room in our superstore set up specifically for this purpose: 04158 Leipzig, Steinbachweg.


How much are the material costs for the seminars?
The material cost vary between 39,- € and 59,-€. Depending on the seminar theme are also the charges, for instance in wedding seminars high-quality materials are being used and thus the sum tends to be bigger. Spring seminars: here are much natural products used which have less initial prices.


Are pots made from terracotta frost-resistant?
One of the most common questions when It comes to clay pots is if they are frost-resistant.
Every year in autumn plants who could have overwinter outdoors are often brought inside the house. Yet the suspicion as soon as next spring to face a pile of shattered remains forces some people to involve in this most troublesome task.
More factors must be present so that frost can have a destructive influence:
- The most important is moisture. A dry pot can not be cracked by frost.
- When a pot is wet or moisturised and the freezing water in the pores can not expand without causing harm a strong crystallization pressure is being build up. When the straight limits are crossed the pot brakes to parts.
- Frequent freeze/thaw cycles are not favourable for the durability of the pot. In a case with preliminary damage like small cracks or other weak spots there is a danger that the pot may be ruined.

Follow these steps to ensure your pots overwintering:
1. Take a good care for the drainage system of the pot so that the waterlogging caused freezing of the vessel wont break it.
2. The bottom hole should be free and if necessary with from above vaulted crock covered. So that the water can drain off better.
3. Put the pot on feet (available as an accessory); On the one hand the pot can not freeze up on the ground and water can drain off from all sides.
4. If possible the pot must be placed in a protected position where there is no rainfall and draught. This is how you avoid moisture, ice and the danger of cracking. You can always hear the claim that industrial manufactured clay vessels are, as opposed to by those who are made from craftsmen, don´t freeze; which may not be the fact in many cases. We suggest however that you should not leave your balcony boxes as well as garland pots outside exposed to the winter. These items, due to the manufacturing processes, cannot fully recover from this kind of damage. The same goes for glazed saucers. Pots and planting bowls have proven over years of practical use to be exceptionally frost-resistant. This is the result of their material qualities, the careful processing and the high structural strength due to the ceramic baking. No one can guarantee you a real frost-resistance when it comes to clay or terracotta pots. But when you follow the above mentioned tips you can be sure you´ve made the right choice for winter.


Why are clay pots efflorescenting?
Efflorescence on clay pots are mainly salt deposits with different origin and chemical composition. The clay plant pot is a product from natural raw materials. It can contain among others calcium and magnesium salts. The geographical origin and chemical and mineral composition of the clay plays a leading role. For instance some south-european terracotta commonly contain soluble calcium and thus tend to effloresce more. Potting soil also can be mixes with fertilizers and additional substances to cultivate the plant, to protect from fungal attacks and other such. All these substances must be soluble in water so that they can be taken up by the roots of the plants. Our own investigation has shown that the chemical composition of the efflorescence is almost identical with the main ingredients of the potting soil. These essentially are sulphates, nitrates, phosphates and ammonium salts. This can also explain why pots are being relative fast covered with algae or moss, apparently the efflorescence salts are a source for food. The watering water, depending on the region, also contains different desolated minerals like calcium and magnesium carbonate, sulphate and chloride containing salts. Efflorescence can be treated when watering a pre fertilized substrate with hard watter which takes the desolated salts from the porous wall of the clay pot and when the capillary effect is being transported to the outer surface. There the liquid evaporates in the surrounding air; well-known stains develop. The pot works like a filter, on its surface the solids precipitate. The clay pot is subject to many influences during its long period of use. After a while moss and lichen formations grow. The clay pot is more and more included in the surrounding nature. This is not a sign of defect, on the contrary it is one of the most desired optical effects which makes it look like an old tiled roof. Such a clay pot is in any case more fascinating than for instance a clean, sterile plastic pot. The in general desired high porosity favors normally the process of watering to take place faster.

Can efflorescence be avoid?

A new pot is normally immaculate. In order to remain so you can seal the inner sides. The specialized dealers offer a wide range of sealants or rock impregnation that will help you to avoid efflorescence. Beeswax can also be used for sealing. The pot loses ist porosity and will never efflorescent again. Fertilisers should be used really careful. Don‘t fertilise often. For the plant too much fertilising is the same as too little fertilising.

Can efflorescence be removed?

Unfortunately once the salts show up you can’t remove them with reasonable efforts from the pores. This surface is, when possible, really hard to remove. When the pot efflorescence's you can try to clean it with a common vinegar-based cleaner and a hard sponge. Afterwards the vessel should be washed up with a lot of water.

To sum up:

Efflorescence on a porous clay pot is something naturally for this kind of products. When you don’t want to accept this effect out of aesthetic reasons you have opportunity to seal the pot, like we already mentioned above. It’s all in your hands when it comes to the water-soluble salts in the chosen from you plant soil and whether or not to soft water(rain water). The clay pot is subject to many influences during its long period of use. After a while moss and lichen formations grow. The clay pot is more and more included in the surrounding nature. This is not a sign of defect, on the contrary it is one of the most desired optical effects which makes it look like an old tiled roof. Such a clay pot is in any case more fascinating than for instance a clean, sterile plastic pot.

Legal regulations for the sale of plant protection chemicals
Whoever sells plant protection chemicals must look out for different legal regulations. Most of the rules are to be found in the plant protection act. The competent authority shall carry out inspections.

Those who violate these laws, act disorderly and must be sanctioned with a fine up to 50.000 Eu.
Some key laws are outlined below.

The notification requirement
Whoever uses for commercial purposes or in the scope of other business undertakings plant protection chemicals must inform the competent authorities. The notification requirement is to be found at www.smul.sachsen.de/Ifulq.
There are the forms in „Datenservice --> Formulare und Anträge -> Pflanzenschutz” to be found and downloaded as a Word file.
The sales staff must be competent and professional when it comes to plant protection. Whoever keeps and delivers plant protection chemicals in a retail or an internet-retail must be competent and professional. It is not sufficient that merely the manager competent is, but not the seller.

Certificates: A testimony for a completed professional training as a gardener, for landscape gardening or for a horticulture education, a professional training as a florist under the regulation from 28th February 1997 or a DDR-education as a flower binder. A list with more recognized trainings is to be found on page nr. 3 in the above mentioned notification requirement. It is possible to pass a expert knowledge examination.
Saxony’s regional office for environment and geology(LfUG) offers courses and exams for expert knowledge of plant protection chemicals. You can apoint an arrangement in the office.

Self-service is not allowed!
Plant protection chemicals must not be brought into circulation by automates or any other way of self-service. Safety must be the overriding consideration and therefore is the possibility of self-service to be excluded. Plant protection chemicals should be locked or placed somewhere where only the staff can access it.

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