Buying online...Orchids.com?

[lexusnexus]

Originally Posted by kindrag23

@LexusNexus check the vendor page as well its a great page to see who all of us have had great or horrid experiance with.

Thanks, kindrag...

[lotis146]

Thanks everybody for all the recommendations! I'm in the Chicagoland area so going to Hausermann's would be the way to go for me. Sadly I wasn't able to attend their show (really bummed :-( ) but first chance I get I'm going to visit their greenhouse.

There's not any particular plant at this point that I'm looking for to be honest. Really I just want to add a new species/hybrid to my collection, something other than Phal. or Paph. as that's what I currently have. Well I take half that back, I wouldn't be opposed to another Paph. From what I've been looking into I'm interested for sure in Miltionopsis, Cat., Cymbidium, and/or Dendrobium. I'm also not opposed to minis, at present I have a mini Phal.

Thanks again for all your recommendations, I'm sure myself and other newbies will really appreciate this. No one wants to buy products that could be questionable especially when it comes to fairly expensive plants that are the start to a hobby. As a new Orchidist getting some crappy plants could possibly turn you off to building a collection.

Cheers! (Whenever I do get some new chids I'll post some pics. :-) )

[bethmarie]

I bought two times from Odom's. A first and a last.

The first person I ordered with seemed relatively patient with questions and my request for great roots over blooms or spikes. I received a plant with a piteous root system and a dubious future. I searched far and wide and couldn't find this one anywhere else so....I doubled down. I reordered the same plant.

I did this after a sales person hung up on me when I asked if they could offer any discount on the second orchid, given the condition of the first. ("No ma'am, we can't. Ma'am, it's Valentine's day, our busiest time. I'm hanging up now." )

Don't judge me. Picasso had his blue phase. I am having an orange one. Anyone can see that Potinara Young Min Orange "Golden Satisfaction" is essential for a well rounded collection of orange orchids.

The second plant has a slightly less piteous root system than the first. It may even live.

I am the one with an orchid virus.

And if one of you happens to have a thriving Pot. Young Min Orange that you're tired of and would have sold in a hot minute, I will pretend I didn't hear that.

Probably.

[weederwoman]

I want to second the idea of going to local nurseries whenever possible. Nothing like picking out your plant in person, and not having to pay shipping or putting the plant through the shipping process. Same advantage with shows. Also I have gotten a lot of good plants for great prices or for free through my local orchid society. As I learn and mature my wants, I find I am returning the favor and adding my less loved plants to the raffle table (to make room for new plants, of course). Once you get to the point where you have to have an X, then mail order is inevitable. I try to time shipping for not-too-hot, not-too-cold months.

Laurel

[catherinecarney]

Yes, local shops and shows are the way to go if you live within a reasonable distance (and for me that's a couple of hours, YMMV). But there are times when you're looking for something specific and then you have to order....

My advice would be to check out the vendor feedback section of this forum--lots of info there. Also, if you are a member of your local orchid society the members can probably give you feedback as well.

If you are looking for species, Andy's Orchids is the way to go.

Good luck and let us know what you buy!

Catherine

[Optimist]

Husky? Don't know. Big is all I can think of. Like "burley," kind of like a Lumberjack, if an orchid were a person.

[quiltergal]

No one has mentioned Oak Hill yet. They are in Wisconsin so probably not within driving distance for you but certainly a good mail order option. They used to have very nice plants. I have not ordered from them since the business was sold several years ago so can't vouch for the current owners.

Oak Hill Gardens

[MrsH530]

Originally Posted by quiltergal

No one has mentioned Oak Hill yet. They are in Wisconsin so probably not within driving distance for you but certainly a good mail order option. They used to have very nice plants. I have not ordered from them since the business was sold several years ago so can't vouch for the current owners.

Oak Hill Gardens

I ordered from them last summer. Plants came in great condition and I was very happy with the service I received.

[Leafmite]

The new owners of Oak Hill Gardens are just fabulous, judging on the orchids I received late last summer. I was quite nervous about ordering from them but very, very pleasantly surprised. I am already making a list to order from them again.
Online vendors that have made me very happy so far:
Andy's
Oak Hill Gardens Orchids
Hausermann's
Al's Orchid Greenhouse

I have also met some great vendors at shows but haven't yet ordered from them. So....

I always check out the reviews on Dave's Gardens before ordering from a new vendor. I find the comments very helpful. I often also ask around at my orchid society.

[lexusnexus]

I can see this hobby is going to be similar to one of my other passions, model railroading. A nice locomotive loaded with sound is a few hundred dollars, or more.