Small budget? No problem!

[stefpix]

That is the way I started . cheap plants on sale. I can see in the same conditions some thrived and some died some got by. A $5 mini Phal noID I got from the plant store in Chinatown is the one that is growing better than any other Phal I have. roots allover coming out from the side holes of the pot and covering the pot.Even nurseries can be hit and miss. Sometimes they sell you runts. Also what grows well in a green house may not grow well in some apt. Anyway at Home Depot / Lowes some plants are way too far gone. over watered then dried in the full sun. You can get lucky but if you want to learn about potting/ watering etc etc and learn by mistakes it is a way to learn. Even at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden store I saw nice plants in a terrible state after a couple of weeks on the sale shelves.

[grasshopper]

Originally Posted by orchidsamore

The big problem is that a distressed plant may take years to begin growing properly. I see many people say that the plants are growing well but have not flowered. You as a beginner will never understand why the problems exist. You are not learning.

A distressed plant that does not flower is worthless. It is not teaching you anything about orchids and discouraging good care. As long as you buy bad plants it only encourages the big box stores to continue ignoring their care.

If you only want to see roots and green leaves you can buy $2 tropical plants that are much prettier. You can buy healthy orchids for $5-7 that will bloom in a year if you frequent good nurseries. Why pay almost as much for damaged goods.

I should clarify that I've only had these rescue orchids for about 4 months, so they haven't really had time to rebloom. I do, however, look at the root and leaf growth as signs that I'm doing something right. When the temps drop in the fall and spikes don't form, then I know I've done something wrong - not enough light, improper nutrition, not cool enough, etc. - or the plant just needs more time to recover. If they don't bloom after another year, then I know I'm really doing something wrong. So I come here and ask for advice or read a book to get insight on the issue. That, to me, is learning.

I am probably not as much of a newbie as some - I know what a healthy root system looks like and I inspect the ones I rescue for rot and other sketchy issues. But, since I've only been at this hobby for 9 months, I would still call myself new to growing orchids, and am not ready to jump in and spend more than $10-15 on a plant I'm not confident I can properly care for. I'm also like Tropicgirl...I'm a rescuer by nature. I enjoy the challenge of bringing something back to good health.

Also, I have yet to find a local nursery that sells healthy orchids that are a year away from blooming for $5-7. If they exist in Dallas, someone please let me know!!

[WhiteRabbit]

If you can get a discount on plants that are simply finished blooming, but look healthy - I would go for it. I just got a 'monster' Neofinetia - 10 growths, roots all over the place - blooms were done, so I asked for, and got a discount

I have also got some inexpensive plants (in bloom, but no tags) at Farmers market

[Gin]

Would you buy a wrecked car just because it was cheap?

Why yes I would! if it was a 57 Chevy or others I can think of ..lolol
Yes you are learning even if it is a distressed plant granted you would be better off with one in better condition but sometimes that is all a person can afford or find ,that is all there is here unless they get a shipment of the Better Grow bagged Catts. which happens seldom.
.

[peeweelovesbooks]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm......this is a topic that I struggled with for a long time when I decided I wanted to grow orchids for the long-term.

I understand that some people don't have a large budget (who does??) to buy everything that is on their wishlist. But I decided a long time ago that I'm just not going to have every pretty orchid of every genera out there.

I have been growing for 3 years and I realized about 1 year ago that I am going to be happier if I specialize in certain types of orchids, and within those categories, I wanted to narrow my focus further, and asked, "can I focus some more?"

The answer was a surprising YES!!!

So, now you may ask yourself, "Why is Maria rambling about specializing when the topic is about cost?"

Well, to me, it makes perfect sense. Because I have narrowed my focus, and try to continue to do so, I don't feel the need or have the interest to buy lots of orchids, which in turn allows me to save and buy the orchids that I want. I'm sure a lot of people have seen my post about my L. autumnalis, and probably some of you cringe at the thought of spending so much money on ONE plant. But, what people don't see is the many number of orchids that I DIDN'T buy in order to buy this one.

So, I guess my perspective is: What will be a good investment in the long run? Is it the possibly sick/virused/ NOID from Home Depot, that will take up a lot of already limited space and resources, (even if it's dirt cheap), OR, can I save the 5 dollars and put it towards a healthier/ maybe more expensive but better grown specimen?

So, to me, cheaper isn't worth it.

[natasha]

well, i don't have that much budget either since i have 3 expensive hobbies : orchids, pet cats and making jewelleries. yes, the 3rd can make money, but i haven't go that way yet.

so for orchids, i try to find a good but cheap vendor, either specialise in orchids or just a general nursery... preferably with good knowledge of orchids. be very very nice to them! this is very very important!!! visit often even if u can't buy. then, be shameless and ask for discounts! better yet, lump your few months of budget and spend on one trip so you can buy more orchids and hopefully can entitle to bigger discount.

another good way is to find another enthusiasts in your area. also please be nice. you can find info about the above matter... maybe can barter trade. maybe get freebies as well! you know, cuttings, keikis, divisions? maybe extra plant?

[stefpix]

In NY I see people buying really expensive plants in bloom. Silva Orchids sells plants at the Farmers Market and they have amazing looking hybrids that average around 40$. They are in bloom but I would never spend that much especially for a hybrid.

I am happy of a Onc Twinkle I got at Trader Joes for 9.99. It was in bloom, decent sized and is growing well, no fuss.

If you are on a budget you can find deals and get smaller plants here and there. Shop around and you can find stuff for not too much.

[RosieC]

Hmm... interesting, because I perhaps read this initially as discount plants rather than sick plants and my first answer was therefore misleading on that.

I buy cheap 99p phals to experiment on but I STILL do three things...

1. Check the roots and leaves for health. If there is a choice pick the one with signs of growth.

2. Care for it normally for a while (several months) to make sure it is not about to get sick so if I experiment and it then dies I know I am more to blame.

3. If it dies in the first few months, put it down to the fact it had probably sat in the shop with people who didn't know how to care for it for a long time, so don't blame myself.

Even at 99p or less I wouldn't buy one that already looks sick, lost it's flowers then fine (which is why they are often discounted) but not sick.

[Triffid]

I'm going to pipe in, I may get my head bitten of for this but hey ho!

When it comes to Mass Production and the Big Stores, it's all about Turnover and Display.
Once that Noid Orchid (or indeed plant in general) starts to loose it's blooms as far as the store is concerned it can not be sold for it's full price, because they consider most of the GP (General Public) to be ignorant or the store themselves are ignorant.
So the plant, still reasonably healthy may be reduced, and that is why you can get a healthy Noid for such low prices.

The Grower may give the company a credit note, but will not necessarily take back the plants. Why? You ask. Think of Space! How much the grower has, they may already be producing new batches. It may also be economically non viable to return the plants to the original grower. So the plants, most of the time, get Chucked if they are not sold!

So yes, you can get very healthy Noids for ridiculously low prices. And if that helps someone get Interested in Orchids then eventually they will learn more and gain wisdom. As the newbie will gain experience and learn from their mistakes, and even find a forum like this one to help them along the way.

If you wanted to experiment on a plant type, would you spend a lump sum on One Plant, or the same amount on several?

If a cheap Noid, which even at full price can be cheaper than a bunch of cut flowers, can inspire someone to have more confidence and gain a true interest in Orchids where is the long term harm?
If they are truly interested then eventually they will move onto True Hybrids and even Species.

If you are just starting out, it can all be very daunting.
This goes for any Hobby, Interest and or Passion. And if you don't know the ins and outs (or find a forum like this one) you are likely to over spend and or get stung.

As for expense, Orchids are not the most expensive interest I can think of by a long run, but only if you do some research and find those reputable growers. And if you only want a few plants, well the cost gets even lower.

So for a true beginner, who's just starting out a cheap noid can be an invaluable and inexpensive way to start. If they decide they're not as interested as they thought they would be then they haven't lost too much. If they decide that they are truly interested then more often than not you will find they will become far more discerning in their future purchases.

If you want to get rid of the mass production side of Orchid Growing then the only true solution (that comes to my mind) is to spread the knowledge to the GP.

It's all about personal experience and spreading the knowledge at the end of the day.

I would not advise buying an unhealthy plant, no matter how cheap it is, unless you are made of money and know exactly how to bring it back from the brink.
But a Cheap Healthy Noid? Why not? If it sparks a keen and true interest in the long term!

... All just my at the end of the day! Please don't bite my head of for this general opinion (it's not very tasty anyway)

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Triffid

If they are truly interested then eventually they will move onto True Hybrids and even Species.

This is exactly how I got started. A few cheap NoIDs... well actually more than a few... now I like 'True Hybrids' and Species, but still get the 99p NoID's for experimenting.

Having said that...this one cost 99p with only one straggly flower left... and it's now one of my favourites starting to open on a new spike at this momment