buying from Seattle Orchid

[TOMMYMIAMI]

They do offer winter shipping insurance, and ship right now with heat pack and special foam box, so even with cold temps most shipping should arrive in good condition. There is of course always that RISK that package gets stack for longer than 3 days, however as I read on the page, with the extra pre paid winter insurance they will replace the plants if damaged due to the weather.

[Scoy]

I was thinking about ordering from them, but was wondering why there were availability dates next to certain plants. Thats when I found out there just selling ecuagenera's plants for double plus the price.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Scoy

I was thinking about ordering from them, but was wondering why there were availability dates next to certain plants. Thats when I found out there just selling ecuagenera's plants for double plus the price.

Scoy, it is true, however, in comparison with some other sellers that try to make fast buck, they do not only resell from Ecuagenera. The available dates for shipping are there because once they do get the plants from Ecuagenera, they do keep them at least for weeks or even month to make sure plants are healthy and established. On the top, not everyone has a chance to go to the US show and pick up from Ecuagenera. And even I do, and pretty often, there are some times I do order from them anyways. When you calculate the price from Ecuagenera plus pick up fee $4 or shipping within the US if you would decide to have the plants shipped instead of pick up at the show, than the price is not so bad. Yes, you can get it cheaper direct, but as I wrote, at least Seattle makes sure the plants are healthy before they resell them, there are many sellers who buy and immediately sell the imports, without any quality control or making sure plants are healthy and will make it! This cost them money, so of course the price is higher. I have ordered directly from Ecuagenera many times, picked up many times, many times I did come to show to see my plants dead! I didn't have to pay for them, however I still did not have them, and had to wait another 2 months for the next show and another pick up. If you want your plant and you want it immediately, than Seattle is safe place to buy in my opinion.

[RandomGemini]

I've seen their greenhouse. Seattle Orchids is not some kind of a scam set up to drive up the price to you. They are VERY caring orchid growers who want to make sure that when you purchase a plant online from them, you get a healthy plant.

When I went to their greenhouse, I was interested in a couple of plants that were actually reserved for people who had purchased plants online. He wasn't planning to send them out for a few weeks, because they had just been shipped to them and they wanted to make sure that the plants adapted to the conditions in their greenhouse before sending them on to someone else. They don't want to ship you a plant that's just going to die as soon as you get it home. They also reserve their nicest specimens for their online buyers.

IMO, that kind of thing is worth paying a premium for, especially after having seen their greenhouse and the kind of care they put into their plants.

Also, not ALL of their plants come from a single source. They do grow some of their own plants from seed.

[My Green Pets]

Also just to throw this out there, you have a very nice grower near minneapolis...did they not have what you wanted?

[naoki]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

I've seen their greenhouse.

Also, not ALL of their plants come from a single source. They do grow some of their own plants from seed.

I agree that there are some benefits to buy from "broker" type dealers.

RandomGemini, I'm curious about their greenhouse. Is it open to public? When I looked at the goole map of their retail location last year, it looked like a warehouse, and didn't see a greenhouse. So I'm assuming that there is a separate greenhouse.

I've been wondering where they are getting the Brazilian species. Do you happen to know if they are from Bela Vista or Floralia?

[RandomGemini]

I don't. Their greenhouse is in a converted warehouse. It is open to the public. The Northwest doesn't get a ton of natural daylight in the winter, even less in Seattle, which has been overcast nearly every time I have visited, even in June. So they grow under artificial lights. I honestly can't see how they would grow orchids without them!