The future of orchid growing

[desertanimal]

I surely would never have just bought plants from Hawaii if I hadn't first tried out a $12.99 phal from TJ's and managed to keep it alive. So I think it's quite true that the mass-produced stuff brings some people (and their business) to the specialty growers just as it probably takes some sales away.

But I don't like white phals and I have all two of the orchids I like that I see available to me at my TJ's/Lowe's/HD (I have a much poorer local selection at my TJ's than other people seem to have at theirs), so all the rest I've had to order.

For both photography and orchids, having a cheaper entry point with more bang for the buck (digital and mass produced plants) has gotten me over a threshhold with both hobbies that I never would have gotten over before, when things were more expensive or space-consuming. I just never would have entered the hobbies in the first place.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

Depending on where in the bay area (most), property value trumps orchid profits.

Think of other hobbies. What was done to past the time 75-100 years ago has disappeared. There has been some resurgence of needlework (crosstitich, quilting, etc) but not widespread. These hobbyists have similar supply issues (specialty stores are few and far between).

Enter the 21st century and e-commerce. I think smaller greenhouse operations have to develop business plans based on E-bay, Amazon and their own online shops. Species and named orchids were NEVER for the common person. Doesn't mean you are/were rich, just different from the masses.

I don't think Rod McLellan (local orchid legend) ever got rich from orchids (he might have from Supersoil) but his descendants did from selling the business property.

Land values in the bay area make it profitable for growers (all types - fruit, vegetables, flowers) to sell, and either move their operation, or retire.

Growing up in San Jose and even into the 80s, there were a lot of orchards, vineyards - they of course have now been replaced by housing developments and strip malls as well as tech companies. (Hello, Ebay!) I can't say regarding the fruit growers, but I do know many of the wineries ARE still in business, but have moved a bit aways from the area.

[ALToronto]

I can see orchid growing business going two ways: mass produced disposable noids with paper-thin profit margins, and specialty hybrids that by necessity have to be shipped worldwide because there aren't enough local customers to keep a specialty grower in business.

I can also see growers doing value added work - low maintenance growing setups that make it easier for people to keep these plants alive.

Like it or not, forums like this have also contributed to the demise of inefficient growers. We share information about growers, the quality of their plants and their prices. And with Internet and easy shipping, it's no longer necessary to visit a local grower. So those operating in high-priced areas cannot compete. One of many, many businesses that are changing.

[peeweelovesbooks]

FWIW, I'll give you my 2 or 3 cents:

I think a lot of orchid growers shoot themselves in the foot by being so "exclusive" as to be unavailable. Let me explain. I've always been interested in heirloom Catt and Laelia divisions. There is one grower in Florida who sells heirloom divisions--and not cheaply, I may add. I tried contacting that seller for AT LEAST one year. Their "catalog" was accessible online, but in order to place an order, you had to either leave a message or send an email. I never received a response. Guess what, they absolutely lost me as a customer.

Some nurseries are available only by phone. I can think of one who, although has a limited online presence, requires a customer to call and inquire as to the availability of a plant. There is no extensive catalog. Although the plants are beautiful, I'm not going to go through all the trouble of "I'll get back to you in a couple of days. . . maybe."

Contrast this to several boutique sellers on ebay, whose orchids regularly sell anywhere from 25 to 2k plus dollars. This specific guy is out in California. He's accessible online. I can't tell you how many Laelias I've purchased from him. Ruben in Orchids is not only a drive away, but he also sells on ebay. He's in my backyard, but I'd rather purchase a plant with one or two clicks of my mouse than to drive for 1/2 hour to his nursery.

Kawamoto Orchids has a HUGE e-bay presence, and I get my plants from Hawaii at my doorstep in less than a week.

I don't necessarily think it's the 5 or 10 dollar Trader Joe's orchid that's going to kill the industry. I see those plants as the "gateway drugs," so to speak. I mean, how many new members sign up, and their first question is, "Ummmmm..I bought this orchid at (insert big box store) and I want to learn how to grow it?" Rather, I see that orchid growers aren't growing with the times. It's all about being accessible to customers and selling yourself to a worldwide audience... and unfortunately, many of the best orchid nurseries out there just aren't.

[Andrew]

I'll say the following as a young (mid 30's) orchid grower looking to where my hobby and where I get my plants will go, rather than an old dinosaur who objects to change. I posed a similar question on Orchidsource about a year ago and my position hasn't changed much since. I'll suggest that there will continue to be an increasing division in the hybrid market between hobby breeding and pot plant breeding with pot plant breeding dominating the market. The pot plant market will continue to grow with many small local nurseries jumping on board, failing to compete with the larger, cheaper and/or more efficient (and mostly overseas) nurseries and closing shop. I suspect the variety of commercial breeding available will decrease with everyone selling the same old clones, as they already do, and both the nurseries and the market preferring proven performers rather than new and risky seedlings. There will continue to be a lot of interest in orchids via the pot plant industry and as you'll see on most orchid forums, lots of new people will be attracted to growing orchids. However, I think that the pot plant market will need to and probably will be self-supporting, as there will be fewer avenues to buy hobby-style breeding.

Commercial hobby breeding will probably be left to the few small 'ma & pa' nurseries. I suspect judging bodies will probably have to concede that they need to appreciate traits outside of the 'classical standard' in order stop awards fading into irrelevance. On the bright side this could result in a greater scope for what makes a good orchid for hobby breeders. Without a thriving commercial hobby breeding industry, I suspect hobby-style breeding will increasingly depend on the hobbiests themselves to produce their own breeding lines in the same way that the more obscure genera are bred at the moment. I suspect the species market will go on largely unchanged, as a small market with a devout hobby following. They may even pick up some new customers as people want something different from the mass produced hybrids.

Orchid societies have already lost their position as the place to go to for good info with free info readily available to new growers on the internet. They'll still exist in some form or another but I suspect those that succeed and attract members will be those able to successfully marry an online presence with face to face contact, the latter being where current online forums fall short. What is really up in the air for me is whether or not the knowledge base you'll easily find amongst the old members in most orchid societies, particularly with regards to things like breeding and choosing the best seedlings to buy, will establish itself to the same level on online communities and, if not, how long it will take for the new generations of home breeders to catch up.

[AnonYMouse]

Andrew, it took me a few sentences to realize you were not talking about marijuana. I couldn't figure out why you were comparing hobby growers and "primo stuff" growers.

Maybe its because I'm a Californian?

[ALToronto]

The importance of customer service and responding to inquiries has always been important and will continue to be so. We're not talking about growers so clueless about the basics that they won't return phone calls.

However, while the businesses are going through this transition from a traditional business model to a globalized, internet-based one, we're going to see casualties and disappointments on both sides of the credit card transaction.

There are plenty of stories on this forum about vendors shipping substandard plants. When it's so easy to leave an online review, such vendors will either clean up their act or disappear. Mega-growers like Just Add Ice, who don't deal with individuals, will continue to mass-produce $10 orchids, and these companies have the funds to breed faster-growing orchids with a high tolerance for fertilizers. Pretty soon we'll see genetic modifications in these plants.

I'm concerned that the market for mid-range, intermediate orchids will become more scarce. That would be one way that orchid societies could make themselves relevant - by offering affordable 'second-tier' plants for those who have become comfortable growing NOID phals.

[james mickelso]

Big box stores are the very reason orchids have soared in popularity. They brought orchids out of obscurity and into the households of not only America but the world. Those who can meet the demand for orchids prosper. Those who's business model isn't up to the demands of the market perish. The law of supply and demand. And advertising. Specialty growers have been around since methusala and always will be. The are many hobbyists who buy from them but for most of us, it is the box store which enticed us to get one and a certain % of us stay in it and learn and enjoy. But....look at the average age of the orchid hobbyist. Youth has never been involved in much as hobbyists. But youth send their kids off and then have time for hobbys. Been like this forever. Always will be. Their are 8 billion people in the world.

[palm521]

my 2 cents.

1. orchid growers tend to specialize in what they like the most once they are hooked, some people have a wide range of tastes (like me)

2. market laws apply here, the cheaper something gets the more people will be attracted, at some point back in history orchid growing was for rich people, and some people still believes that growing orchids is expensive (specializing and looking for top of the line orchids is expensive, but the same applies to other hobbies.) and it is expensive if you compare the cost of growing an orchid plant Vs a bean or corn plant.

3. those 10dollars (15 in my country) usually will bring more people into this world, my first orchid 20+ years ago was a commercial phalaenopsis.

4. general media is actually doing a good job promoting orchids, yes they are more within the decorative value than anything else, but that is how most people are attracted to this world and ends up hooked. sometimes expending thousands in a year.

5. i can see more and more people with orchids at their homes, some will keep buying them for the decorative value and toss it out of the window once bloom is finish, (just need the information of when and where to catch them) some others (minority) will start getting interested in growing them , and eventually specialize like some people in here like..mys... i mean others.

About orchid societies.

1. most people in societies likes to go there for trade opportunities, and to share some knowledge and/or experiences. and to have face to face interaction with other orchid fans.

2. they aRE NO LONGER interested in the cultural education since some or most of the cultural information will never apply to a wide variety of growing environment.

3. most of the information can be found in the web.

4. there is a lot of people that are in the orchid world because of their big Ego ,

5 some other people likes to go there to see what others are bringing, there is a big difference between looking an orchid in the web, and looking at it in front of you.
and as long as number 1 and number 4 and 5 are happening societies will continue to be there.

Antonio.

---------- Post added at 01:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:41 AM ----------

forgot to add , i believe the big numbers or growers are not affiliated to orchid societies or forums.

the business is big, and i think it wont change any time soon

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

Andrew, it took me a few sentences to realize you were not talking about marijuana. I couldn't figure out why you were comparing hobby growers and "primo stuff" growers.

Maybe its because I'm a Californian?

Now that's were you can make some money!