Hi, I posted this in the vegetable forum and was referred to this forum for this post :)

Just in case anyone is interested in trying to grow cucumbers in molds that will make heart or star shaped cucumber slices (can also do zucchini), I bought some from Japan that seem nice and sturdy. My only problem is I haven't been able to use them because I can't seem to grow cucumber plants.

My plants germinated just fine but then got infested with flea beatles (the plant wasn't even 5 inches tall yet) and even though I kept picking them off the leaves, I guess I either damaged the leaves or the babies destroyed the plants at root level?

I just re-planted seeds in hopes to try it again.

I bought a total of 12 molds (6 packs--there are two in each pack), including shipping (and this was without the current shipping special they have, I paid the full shipping cost), for $145

On Ebay, this seller is selling 3 molds for $115:

Ebay 1

Also on Ebay, this seller is selling each pack for $87 (then you have to pay $18 for international shipping)!!

Ebay 2

I bought these exact same ones Here --and including using the buyer service from Tenso (explained later) the total cost of 6 packs was $92.50 (this is without the shipping cost)---and that seller is selling 1 pack for $87, that is crazy!

I hope I can explain this all without confusion... Note, you must have Paypal

You sign up with Tenso:

Tenso

Then use their buyer service to purchase the items-

Tenso buying service application:

Tenso Buying Service

the url you will need to enter for the item is:

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/gardening/item/365749-2/

note: if you buy at least 3,150yen the domestic shipping will be free (from the seller to the Tenso address)

Tenso will then email you an invoice which you pay via Paypal.

Once the item arrives to Tenso, they will send an invoice the the shipping/handling.

They mail the items EMS so it is express shipping.

Here was the breakdown of what my order was:

6 2-pack molds 5,880yen ($73.24)


Tenso buying service fee: 1,500yen ($18.68)


EMS shipping fee: 3,200yen ($39.85)


Tenso service fee: 980yen ($12.20)

Total: 11,560yen ($143.97)

Right now, Tenso is having a 1,000yen international shipping special (for shipping costs up to 5,000yen)

If I knew they did this shipping special from time to time I would have waited... my total would have been 9,360yen ($116.52) instead!

I hope that all made sense because its going to get a bit more complicated LOL

ok, so my package weight was 1,340g

If you want to stay within the 5,000yen limit for the 1,000yen shipping special, you can buy 2,500g worth of the molds--approximately 5 more orders than I did (total of 11, maybe 10 to be safe)

if you don't mind paying a bit extra for shipping (anything over 5,000yen) you can get 2 more on top of all that with the same service fee of 980yen (up to 3,000g, with shipping becoming 5,400yen (400yen above the special offer limit) so with the special you will end up paying 1,400yen total for the shipping) --but if you want to buy more you will go above 3,000g and the service fee jumps to 1,580yen, and the shipping goes up too)

so sorry if that all didn't make any sense. This took me forever to write and I am too tired to try to rewrite anymore LOL

{{gwi:24130}}