Are you too cheap? - Orchid Board

Ray · #1 09-28-2011, 11:30 AM

Having been through this myself - and fortunately managed to graduate out of it (with the occasional fall-back) - I want to provoke some discussion on this subject.

Orchids are relatively expensive, as plants go. Not nearly as expensive as they were when I started growing in the mid-'70's - a typical, blooming-size cattleya hybrid was around $40 then (about $160 in current dollars, using the CPI inflator) - but still more than another houseplant.

So why do we see so many posts about folks wanting cheap ways to grow them?

Sure, there are ways to be conservative in your expenditures so you have more cash for plants, but some of the discussion we see are actually detrimental to the well-being of the plants. It's sort-of like getting a puppy, then only feeding it table scraps, and wondering why it's not very healthy.

Orchids are generally not frail, but they have definite needs, and if you want to be a good grower, you have to be serious about satisfying them.

$6/pound for a good fertilizer sounds expensive, but properly diluted, it's $0.02 per gallon.

Buying a $2 misting bottle because your humidity is too low doesn't accomplish "squat" - except maybe setting the wet plants up for fungal attacks. Go ahead and invest in a really good humidifier. The plants will be much happier, and I dare say you will too - not only because of the improvement in the plants, but the increased RH is good for you, too!

I am a proponent of home remedies for minor ailments, but there is nothing you can make at home that is as effective as a good commercial insecticide, for example. (Don't bother with insecticidal soaps though - D-I-Y is just as good, if you mix it right.)

We need to face the fact that orchid-growing is not the "poor man's hobby" (although it can sure make you poor!). I'll bet that if we all refocused our spending on improving our overall environment and culture, rather than on "just one more plant" (I never said it would be easy), we'd all be much happier in the long run.

I suppose you could say we're "penny wise and pound foolish" when it comes to orchids. I wonder how many replacement plants I could have avoided if I had primarily focused on getting the conditions right...

littlefrog · #2 09-28-2011, 12:10 PM

I've been thinking about it myself, Ray. Since I'm building the new facility, I'm trying to fix all of the 'cheap' solutions I came up with in the last build. It is totally different ('indoors' vs greenhouse). But, here are a few things I did that cost more but are just plain better.

1) 2" foamboard on the walls, even though I already had insulation. 2 more inches is R-10, it cost a few hundred dollars more to put it in, but should save me a ton in heat.

2) Same with the ceiling, although the roof was insulated I added in a ceiling with 1" foamboard and R-13 fiberglass above it. The fiberglass was recycled, saved a few pennies there but it is just as good. I think that was good case of being able to save money without compromising on quality.

3) 2x6 partition walls, with pressure treated lumber. Probably twice as much cost as building with untreated 2x4s. And about 100% heavier (just got the last wall up this morning). But I don't have to worry about it rotting, and I can get more insulation in the cavity.

3) LEDs and T5 lighting for the plants - could have gone with cheap shoplights, but would have cost me more in the long run for electricity and bulb replacement. This is my biggest investment for the project (at least 2K so far). When I consider what I was paying to heat the greenhouse, I'm pretty sure I can make back that rather large investment in one heating season. At most two.

4) I agree on the pesticides. Although I find isopropyl alcohol is pretty useful, and that is 'cheap'. A good pesticide with minimal unwanted side effects (insect growth regulators for example) is worth its weight in gold. And they are often priced accordingly.

5) I think people should consider investing in water as a high priority. Even more than fertilizer, good water is essential. A few hundred dollars for an RO system, or some sort of rainwater collection system, is easily the best 'expensive' thing you can do for your plants.

tucker85 · #3 09-28-2011, 12:45 PM

I agree with you, Ray. After being in the hobby for a few years I tend to buy more desirable, awarded or hard to find orchids. That means I usually have to pay more. Also some of the older favorites in my collection aren’t even available any more. So I wouldn’t be able to replace them if they should perish. So I definitely want to give my plants the best chance of survival.

I’ve never worried about spending more for a quality fertilizer. When mixed at the weak concentration that orchids prefer, fertilizer can last for a long time. It's definitely worth the slightly higher price even when you may have to pay shipping. I certainly wouldn’t buy an expensive sports car and put the cheapest oil in it.

Some growers hesitate to use chemicals because of the perceived high cost or the fear of using some artificial, man-made substance on their plants. Orchid experts who talk to our orchid society often say that acceptance of the notion that you will sometimes have to use an insecticide or fungicide is a step every successful grower eventually has to take. Growing orchids outdoors in south Florida, I have definitely learned that lesson.

It's worth it to me to spend a little money to prevent a problem rather than spending a lot of money to replace an orchid.

camille1585 · #4 09-28-2011, 02:23 PM

Having been a cash strapped student up until a year ago, I definitely understand people who want to grow them on the cheap. I was happy to be able to even afford some orchids, and I was more than happy to see them do quite well in suboptimal conditions. Growing them like that is far better than growing none at all.

And now that I have a job and money coming in every month, my priorites have changed. I'm still buying orchids, but bought some shelves since the windowsill sucks in the winter. I'm now shopping around for the best light fixtures I can afford, ordering a heat mat to place under my warmth loving orchids, and when my current fertilizer runs out I'll order some MSU from Belgium (shipping costs were the put-off before).

I personally don't see an RO system as being a 'must have'. The water quality is great here, althought not as nice as the one at home (in france) which was nearly pure water.

Since the orchids have to share the same room as me, they have to make due with the temperature and humidity as it is. The 60-70% RH we have most of the time isn't the ideal, but it could be worse.

Bud · #5 09-28-2011, 03:38 PM

some orchid growers are the filthy rich and have too much time on their hands...they have to grow the hard to get and hard to take care hybrids...as opposed to us mortals who just love to collect the orchids that is pleasing to our eyes and orchids that look like it wants to go home with us...its the wealthy who are stingy with money. They dont want to break a hundred because its a hundred less in their account. Whereas; I dont care about how much money is left in my bank account...I just go out there and make more money the next day!

RosieC · #6 09-28-2011, 03:43 PM

Good point Ray and I think you are right.

I think I'm like Camille, but for me it was more 'as my collection expands' rather than being based on changing from being a student to having a job.

For me I started with orchids that had to cope with the conditions I could provide. But when I realised my Masdie veitchianna wasn't going to do well in my house (soon after I bought it) I started hinting to hubby I needed to buy a greenhouse, and within 8 months he had built one for me and we had bought heating and tables, and rain water barrels and...

Hubby often laughs that he's glad Masdie veitchianna likes the greenhouse (it loves it) because we built this 6'x6' greenhouse for one small orchid. But I built it because not only would it help grow that orchid, but it would take me on to be able to grow others outside those that liked my house environment.

I still don't have a humidifier, but for my orchids in the greenhouse the UK humidity is usually sufficient, but if I decided I needed more I would spend money to further provide what my orchids need. If I couldn't afford to do that I would buy only orchids that are happy in my existing environments.

Ray · #7 09-28-2011, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlefrog

I think people should consider investing in water as a high priority. Even more than fertilizer, good water is essential. A few hundred dollars for an RO system, or some sort of rainwater collection system, is easily the best 'expensive' thing you can do for your plants.

Agreed, especially when it ends up being a couple of cents per gallon for RO.

I have sold a lot of RO systems (vast majority under $200), and recently some inexpensive DI systems for smaller growers, and I consistently get emails commenting on "How much better my plants look", "No more burnt leaf tips", etc.

Junebug · #8 09-28-2011, 08:42 PM

During a recession what's more important, buying pricey orchid supplies or keeping the lights on and putting food on the table? I find this topic offensive considering our country's current financial crisis. One becomes extremely frugal, not cheap, when they're out of work and barely getting by.

Olivia · #9 09-28-2011, 09:48 PM

I can't speak for the other posters but the idea I got from this thread wasn't bashing people for wanting to save money but to instead think about your orchid spending priorities.

For instance, right now I'm at the point in my collection where I'm starting to need a proper light system. So I'm holding off on purchasing more orchids while I save up for that light system. That's not to say I won't break down and buy a small orchid while I'm waiting... but I've set a goal to help protect the orchid investment I've already made and protect future investments.

ezil · #10 09-29-2011, 12:26 AM

Thanks for the many points of view, from so many different places. Hopefully there's place for 1 more testimony. I too try to get the most for my $, and that means trying to look after what I have, the best I can. This means that I have kept an eye out for promotions on terrariums (our local pet shop had them periodically and that's when I bought them. The same practice for the other items to grow minis successfully in a very dry apartment. I collect rain water, or melt snow as much as I can, and only buy distilled water when there's nothing left (it hasn't rained here in 5 weeks). It takes a lot of planning and looking out for items that will need replaced (such as bulbs etc. ), but the plants grow better. There's also a degree of peace of mind that comes with this approach: I will have the set up that will allow me to continue growing plants, even in hard economic times.