Miniature Phalaenopsis care?

[Syrinth]

Hello, I am here to get some help on a problem that has been bothering me for a while.

I work at a grocery store, and yes... we sell orchids. Especially Miniature Phals in clay pots with no drainage. I'm wondering what advice I can give to potential owners who are passing through my lane to help ensure that as many of these poor things live as long as they can?

From a little bit of poking around, I noted they seem to be potted in sphagnum and have some kind of plastic wrapped around it.

I've been keeping my advice to "repot the poor thing it has no drainage" but is there anything else I should be warning the customers about?

[Izzie]

Repotting is probably the best advice- but a lot of people that buy them won't be able to/want to.
So stress to people not to overwater- watering only when roots turn silvery instead of green, or when the moss is dry. *Suggest gently sticking a bbq bamboo skewer all the way down into the pot- if it's dry most of the way/halfway down- water.
See if there's any way to get the plant out of the pot? Is the "plastic thing" another pot, or some wrapping that would allow you to lift the plant out in order to flush with water.

eta: particularly not leaving water in the crown would be another big deal that not many newcomers know.

[Syrinth]

I haven't been able to do too much poking, but it appears to be wrapping which would allow them to remove it from the pot. I do not believe the plastic is itself a pot.

[Izzie]

Added some stuff to my post.

Being able to lift it out is better than nothing, so they can at least let it drain after watering, and make sure they aren't sitting in water.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Maybe display a Phal that only you take care of at the work place, idk.

Sometimes if you look like you know what you're doing (whether you actually do or not), you'll find that people will ask you how to grow them instead of you having to offer any advice.

There might be times when you're talking to a customer about how to grow the orchid, and another customer might overhear the conversation and join in.

The following situation is also a great "in":

When a customer asks you, "I'm looking for a gift for a friend of mine, could you help me find something that might be good for the occasion?"

This would be your cue to talk away.

IDK, just a few things I thought I'd share that's in my repertoire of customer service/sales. My .

Things to possibly warn customers about:

1. Check the roots.

2. Check for leaf damage.

3. Check the potting media to see if it's gone bad.

4. Remove moss and replace with bark instead. If your store carries "orchid bark", you're not only doing your customers and the orchids a favor, but it's also a great opportunity for a sales pitch. Your manager or boss, whoever, might love that.

5. Flowers are not the best indicators of an orchid's overall health. It is just one small part of the big picture. Leaves, stem, pseudobulbs (should you sell Oncs and Catts), and roots are much more important factors to check for and take into consideration when assessing an orchid's health and well being.

6. Show or describe what a healthy root looks like. Many customers won't know this. I guarantee it. I was one of those people.

7. Regarding Phals, tell them not to stand the Phal plant upright because that's not how they grow in the wild. Show them a picture of a wild Phalaenopsis, many, many people have never seen this.

8. Air circulation.

9. Don't keep them near an AC vent.

10. Light levels within the orchid's range of tolerance.

11. How to water a Phal!

12. Humidity.

13. Temperature.

14. Tell them where whatever orchids they buy originate from (and no, I don't mean a nursery, that's what most people will either jokingly say or unwittingly say).

For instance - "Evergreen" Phals: low to midland tropical Asian swamp forests on trees.

If you wanna be specific - Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand

15. Tell them whether the orchids they're buying grows in the ground, on rocks, or on trees. Try to refrain from using the technical terms we here on the OB know and understand (I think this should go without saying, but it's more of a reminder).

16. No sitting the pot in standing water. The orchids commonly sold to the general public are not the ones that should be watered in such a way.

There are very specialized hardcore hobbyist species and hybrids that can be watered in such a manner, but that's not within the scope of your sales merchandise so I'll save you the trouble.

[RosieC]

I've seen ones sold in plastic like that, with another pot on the outside. It's a sort of flexible polythene pot and the ones I saw had a hole in the bottom of that.

I'm afraid to say the 4 mini Phals I bought like that (also in tight packed moss inside the polythene) are the only 4 I've ever had die on me (although some of my others have come very close and have only suvived with advise from OB). I repotted as soon as I got them home but they all lost their roots or in one case rotted through the base of the leaves within just a couple of weeks.

I've vowed never to buy them like that however nice and tempting they look in the shop.

I agree with the things said as advice you can give above, but my experience of these is that they have little chance.

[Izzie]

King, you have some great advice that yes, beginners should know- but in grocery stores, very often a salesperson simply doesn't have to time to recite all that. 9 times out of 10, the average customer likes short, and succinct. Not to mention, a lot of info like this can be overwhelming and they're likely not to remember some/most of it.
I've been an awarded salesperson for several years, so I have some experience with this.

It might be a better idea to have a print-out of the more detailed beginners advice to give to customers. King of orchid growing presents a great outline.
Keep your introduction to a few key points- light, not sitting in water, consider a different medium/pot with better drainage. More than that, and you'll lose the customer's interest/attention.
Of course, if they ask more questions, you can tell them more. But generally, in your first exchange with them, keep it simple and offer the print out.

eta: When all this is said and done, try to impress on people that this isn't as complicated as it sounds, it can be easy if you pay attention to a few things.

[Izzie]

If the customer seems interested, a good way to give them more information while keeping them involved in the conversation is to ask questions like:
Do you have other flowers in your home?
Where are you thinking of growing your orchid?
-Do you have east/west/whatever windows?

It's a good way to keep their attention and help them apply the information you give them.

[Triffid]

Ask if the have access to the net (very rarely is the answer no these days)
And perhaps point them to a few key sites, especially this one as it has plenty of helpful people and links to all sorts of interesting Orchid affairs.

I know customers waiting in line can get annoyed, and passing over a good site link is quick.

Just a thought.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

A flier with color and pictures helps. Experiment with the colors. Study the psychology of color on people! This stuff is laboratory tested, it's not pseudo-science b.s.!

Recommend a book. This = sales.

Yes, like Trifid says offer up weblinks.

Maybe post a good picture of Phals in the wild near the display, idk.