I admit I buy from the HD, being that I am one of the horticultural specialist as well as ordering the plants
Personally I have not had much luck with SunBulb, not really sure as to what's up with them but being a corporate buy, it's hard to get what you want with those little bagged guys. So you get what you pay for and yes, some are the best but noting we do not get that particular inventory rotated "our buy" they will keep them around until one finds them fit to mark them down and/or throw them away.
As for the others, yeppers the best time is when they come into the store. I gave the guy who puts our plants away up the road last week due to him leaving 45 orchids of various types in closed box's until the last. I did get a huge credit back but this is beside the point. I am guessing from packaged/delivered...at least 24-36 hours in a closed box...talk about bud blast
, new rep came in and told him straight up...orchids first
. Each store has there own way of taking care of orchids, our store...it's myself an another specialist, who is well versed in plants and has her own greenhouse...so it really depends on the employees for the department as to how they will take care of them.
Faerygirl...sweet choice the bloom is gorgeous