show quality specimen - Orchid Board

skyheaven · #1 03-24-2010, 03:05 PM

if any one could help out there i am looking for someone to sell me some show quality orchid specimens. i would realy like to get into orchid showing but i cant find any realy nice show peices. all my orchids are pretty small. i dont know realy what judges look for so any info would realy help thanks for reading fellow orchid lovers

OrchidSue · #2 03-24-2010, 04:17 PM

Are you talking about AOS quality award plants, or just large specimen plants for ribbon/trophy judging? The two are separate and not necessarily related. If you want to go for AOS awards, your best bet is to buy a lot of high potential seedlings and grow out the best for showing. There is a relatively low percentage of a given cross that will be AOS award quality. Purchasing award potential mature plants can be quite expensive.

Are you an experienced grower? If not, I would suggest taking the time and getting good at growing plants and learning about judging before jumping in to buying a lot of really expensive plants. The best way to learn is to hang out at shows, go to your regional judging center, and talk to the experts. It is a wonderful learning experience, but it's just not as easy as going out and buying a plant and expecting to win.

Susan

isurus79 · #3 03-24-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrchidSue

Are you talking about AOS quality award plants, or just large specimen plants for ribbon/trophy judging? The two are separate and not necessarily related. If you want to go for AOS awards, your best bet is to buy a lot of high potential seedlings and grow out the best for showing. There is a relatively low percentage of a given cross that will be AOS award quality. Purchasing award potential mature plants can be quite expensive.

Are you an experienced grower? If not, I would suggest taking the time and getting good at growing plants and learning about judging before jumping in to buying a lot of really expensive plants. The best way to learn is to hang out at shows, go to your regional judging center, and talk to the experts. It is a wonderful learning experience, but it's just not as easy as going out and buying a plant and expecting to win.

Susan

Excellent advice!

skyheaven · #4 03-24-2010, 05:34 PM

i would like to say that i am an experienced grower but i am sure i am very far from that. i have been growing orchids for about two years and i love it i have about 60 or so and buy about one a week. out of my two years as a grower i have only killed 7 or so. so i think i am doing pretty good. i am a stay at home mom 26 years old and i just love my orchids it is turning into quit a hobby so i though i would take my hobby a little ferther and start showing. i just have no clue on how to start. i dont want to spend to much mony the most iv spent is 100.00$ but as for aos orchids sure i would love to have a few but i am kinda impatiant on buying seddling and waiting 5 to 10 years to grow and show what can i do in the meen time? thank so much for your reply

OrchidSue · #5 03-24-2010, 10:25 PM

Do you have any blooming size plants now? Any blooming plant can be sent to a show. If I were you I would join a local society if you haven't already. Most societies have a show and/or send displays to other shows. Attending shows and sending plants to shows is a lot of fun and sometimes you win ribbons or trophies. If you have a really great plant, you might get an AOS award

.

Buying really great plants that are known to be great can be quite expensive

:

Orchid Web: Phrag. besseae 'Robs Choice' AM/AOS 4N

Susan

WhiteRabbit · #6 03-24-2010, 10:31 PM

I don't know whether they are 'show quality' or not - but I have gotten some nice sized plants from OB classifieds for the same amount of money than much smaller plants elsewhere ...

skyheaven · #7 03-24-2010, 10:42 PM

thanks for all your advice. and omg that link that was sent 20,000.00$ i can't even belive. i have never seen such and high priced orchid. i never relized!.. and i thought my orchid addiction was bad.

skyheaven · #8 03-24-2010, 10:48 PM

and one more thing i live in florida and was wondering about the ghost orchid. dose anyone know if one has ever been shown at and orchid show? or has won an aos award? i know they are very hard to grow and most growers tend to kill them. since they are so rare to see i was hoping some one would show one. one day. thanks for your helpful info

got ants · #9 03-25-2010, 12:38 AM

Sky, I have two ghosts. They were thriving, but this past winter put them in decline. Hopefully they will get more vigor when it starts warming up.

For perspective, the larger of the two is just a bit larger than a quarter. It cost $50 a year ago. The smaller came from a club auction, about dime size, $25.

These plants are 5-10 years away from blooming respectively. If they make it.

If I ever got a bloom, I would not move the plant for judging.

Now, I can offer some advice on how to get a speciman plant in short order... and what plant to get...

Buy 4 or more Dendrobium Aggregatums. Plants them on one mount. When they bloom, it will be spetacular.

Like this...

(not my plant/borrowed pic from the intrawebs)

Masdyman · #10 03-26-2010, 10:53 AM

I would say your best bet would be to buy only flowering sized plants ,you must if not already get involved/join a society -this is your link into the shows & to meet like minded people /judges etc
You will then learn what is a show plant ,this doesn't mean a massive specimen but can mean a flowering sized quality plant that is a small peice to your society display.If we didn't show our plants then there would be no point in a society .If you then have a plant that is worthy of AOS award i am sure you will be told then you can take it to the AOS meeting to be judged !
Good Luck with it!