Curt's 2018 intros are finally up and he has some nice ones. I am going to order but I can't seem to find the information I need on the website. Can anyone find the shipping costs for me? I have looked and looked. I wrote about my order and again about what name for the check and again about the shipping costs but he didn't reply to the last one so I guess I bothered him one time too many.

http://www.crintonic.com/

I looked and can't find any info about shipping either; in fact very little info besides plant names and price. So sorry, hopefully he will get back to you soon.

It's strange, because I really thought I saw $10 shipping somewhere and when I went back to double check I found nothing. Thanks for trying to help, Mary.

Hi! It looks to me like the shipping gets added in when you view the cart. I tested a plant and saw that $10 shipping you mentioned when I viewed the cart. Now, there are more than one "view cart" buttons, and the only one I could get to show me the cart was the one on the menu at the top. The one down the right side with a summary of what's in your cart didn't bring me to the correct screen, so you might have to use just that one at the top.

He is a bit pricey if you ask me!

@Deryll You must take into consideration the cost and time that goes into hybridizing daylilies. First you make the crosses, harvest the seeds, grow the seeds, make selections over a number of years very few are good enough to introduce. Then there is all the care, you need land to grow out large numbers of seedlings, soil amendments, water, weed control, moving and planting seedlings, lots of hours to put into all of the proceeding. Hybridizers earn every cent they make and as an hourly wage it would be low.

I do not hybridize but do know about all the work that goes into making a new introduction, a person does not realize until you find out what actually goes into producing a new introduction. As a longtime member of the AHS reading of different hybridizers and the work they put into bringing us new daylilies, well as I stated they no doubt earn their money.

When looking for a lower price you can always wait until they have been out for a number of years, then look if someone is selling them.

Betty,

I do hybridize, and have over 2000 seedlings expected this time, so I know perfectly well
how much work is involved. If I were doing it for the hourly wage, I would have gone
bankrupt years ago. I give away truckloads of plants every year- absolutely free!

As for his prices, I looked back several years and saw that most were still way above what
I would expect to pay even for a newer release, and the majority were not what I would
consider cutting edge. Average at best. I toss a good many that are far nicer.

Look like a website that is not complete to me. I would just wait till he get back to you. MHO

My observation is that Hanson's prices are consistent with most other hybridizers. I saw in another thread that you have some plants coming from Floyd Cove, so you must be aware that they have had several $250 & $300 daylilies in their lineup for the past few years, as well as a $500. I've purchased a couple of these "cutting edge" photographic wonders, and to be charitable, they're nowhere near as satisfying in the garden as Hanson's "substandard" offerings.

It takes major cojones to step up on a national gardening forum and proclaim that your unseen hybrids are superior to those of an established, well-respected hybridizer.

The AHS registration process is open to anyone. Why not register and release some of your work?

On his site, there were 13 selections from 2013 that are still priced over $100, and in 2014, there are
23 over $100. Several were still priced at $200. I would call that pricey. I didn't say that his are in
any way "substandard". I said they were just average. I have a few of his selections that I like very
much, but nothing that I would pay $100 for. I find it absurd that I would buy expensive plants that
are quite similar to a hundred others that are under $20.

As for having the "cajones" to say that my seedlings are just as nice as a lot of his releases, YES
I definitely do- any day of the week! I am however not a business and have no intentions of ever being so.
There is no real point in registering plants unless you intend to release them, which I don't. I was only
stating that on his site there are very few that were in any way superior to what I find in my seedlings
and at those prices, I would expect more, especially on plants that were released several years ago.
For an established well respected hybridizer, I just expect more, but if people buy into it, why not?
I don't think I could take peoples money like that, but that is just me.

I have been a business owner(not plant related) and I have a hobby of growing daylilies. Maybe the prices are too high, maybe not...I don't know. I just know that a lot of people seem to think that his daylilies are worth the price. There are so many things involved in a business operation that are not involved in a hobby. I once knew a man who did some painting on the side, he did so well he decided to turn it into a business. After a few years he told me he could not afford to be in business anymore, the expenses were killing him and he was losing money and not making profits like he was when doing it on the side.

They have one from 2012 called Laughing Dappled Shadows for $100 that is very similar
to Jerry Hyatt. If I can find Jerry Hyatt on the LA really cheap, there is no point in spending
so much for that one in my opinion. A new name on a similar plant is not reason enough to
command a higher price.

There is not enough time in the day for me to go in business. I have sent out banana boxes
of daylilies to people, some very expensive newer releases, and some were seedlings, all
free of charge. Some people sent me shipping, and some did not. There are those on this
forum who can back me up on that. I am in the bracket that is below poverty level, so it's
not like I couldn't use the money. I would never ever take advantage of people, but at the
same time I also realize that a certain amount of expense can be expected in a hobby like
this one. I have no problem paying the price when it advances my program, but don't play
me for a sucker because I am not experienced. It is not my intention to drop a load on
anyone, but in this game it is buyer beware. If you are willing to pay the price, I'm sure they
will take your money and never think anything about it. That is exactly why I produce my own.
I have also send seeds all over the country free of charge. If I am not planting them, others
have the same opportunity to have the same results. Come to my garden and I have no problem
sharing plants because I believe in the advancement of daylilies, not taking people for a ride.

I have seen some really amazing plants from novice backyard hybridizers that rival a good
many that have even won the Stout medal because those are so outdated by the time they get
there that advances have made them common and ordinary. I follow this forum for advice from
others who have experience, and I hope I am giving good advice as well. It is not my intention to
defame any of the people who do this as a business. Some of the people go above and beyond
what is expected, and they have my gratitude.

Catalog listings of former introductions are not an accurate yardstick to use to gauge "priciness".

A popular northern hybridizer might require 4 or more years to build up enough stock for introduction. If the daylily sells well, there may be only a few fans held back. What would be the point in lowering the price if the available stock doesn't support the demand? If anything, the asking price should be a bit higher until the variety hits the secondary market. (often this is actually the case)

Also, many growers don't care to continuously micromanage their websites, and a busy hybridizer might just be content to let the prices coast as they are until stock begins to overrun space. Most full-time hybridizers are plenty busy, and garden visitors will buy many of these plants, especially if point-of-sale concessions are negotiated. This keeps stock low.

When comparing ones own seedlings to plants in commerce, it's helpful to keep in mind that there is a 4+ year gap between first bloom and formal introduction. So, if my backyard daylily seedling still looks distinctive and superior 4 years later, then I might be able to say I've done something special. Otherwise, I've created a variety that may not be available on the market currently, (which is always advantageous in hybridizing) but is only "superior" in my little microcosm. I have a couple of these, which are similar to things introduced in the past 7 years or so, but their value to me lies in their early and cool morning opening and consistently symmetrical form, not because they'd be "amazing" to people in more favorable daylily climates who don't have these problems.

I'm sorry,

I told myself that I wasn't going to get involved. When will I listen to myself? LOL

I don't think this discussion has to do with the price of daylilies. I may be wrong, but it sounds more personal. Why on earth would you single out Curt for the high price of daylilies??? He doesn't do collection only sales or enhance his photos. He is innovative, creative and generous!

If I can get personal, I think Curt is one of the good things about daylilies. I have been buying from him for about twenty years. His daylilies are essential to my breeding program...tiny as it is. We are able to discuss but also disagree on a variety of topics.....amicably. A rare thing these days!

I miss his catalogs and his website hates me, but his plants continue to impress and inspire.

Worth every penny,

Steve

I'm in zone 9a and have had good luck with Curt Hanson daylilies.
I like his plants. They settle in and recover nicely.

I don't know how many thousands of times over the years of talking and emailing with Curt we've had discussions about hybridizers and their programs. Curt would be the first to tell you that you should be proud of your hybridizing program... just as he is of his. We all follow our own vision when hybridizing, no one vision is more correct than another. Curt has been chasing his vision for 35+ years and built one of the most successful and forward thinking daylily programs in the world. His cultivars are always pushing what the daylily is capable of showing us whether it is in form, color or plant habit. He is always willing to talk and share information with daylily lovers, hybridizers and growers. A trip to visit during bloom season will never be forgotten, thousands of daylilies and many other rare plants all call Crintonic Gardens their home and the opportunity to talk with him in person.....once he's done hybridizing for the day and gets the anthers out of his mouth ....is priceless.

I can agree that some of the prices on the older introductions may be a bit high, but as the seller he has his reasons for that. As with any sellers offerings... you have the option to purchase or not. Personally, I can not imagine my garden without Hanson cultivars, a wild guess would put at least 200 of them here. It is the combination of beautiful distinctive flowers and the plant underneath that make them Hanson introductions and as Steve said, worth every penny.

Back before ATP became NGA we had plant weeks with related articles, tips and podcasts, I miss those days. In 2014 Curt Hanson was interviewed during Daylily Week by Dave. Here is a link to that podcast interview if you would like to hear it....
https://garden.org/ideas/view/...

Anyone using Curt's website needs to click on "Previous Introductions," which is a price list, to get Curt's current prices. Not all of the prices associated with the photos on his website are correct. For example, if you look at the photos of Curt's 2012 introductions, Tina's Siren Song is listed at $150. But, if you check his price list (the "Previous Introductions" tab), the actual current price is $40.

But note that the previous introductions list is from last year. It is not a current list. Unclear when it will be updated.

It isn't easy to purchase from him. His site is beautiful but glitchy and not Mac friendly. I can't put anything into a cart because it requires registration but there isn't a link to register. The email option doesn't work, so I emailed him from my provider. He never confirmed availability so I never wrote him a check. If you can get him on the telephone he may be nice, unless he's too busy to be bothered. I wound up buying seeds with his genetics as it was the only way I could get anything.

Many hybridizers keep their prices at intro level for at least a few years to allow the first purchasers to recoup some of the investment. I believe it was John Peat who said this.