An Orchid Buyer's Guide for Beginners

[Corsetière]

Yeah, Philip, Catasetinae are interesting. The "problem child" I bought at the show is definitely improving. It has 2 beautiful new pbulbs and the roots are now coming. It has just been super hard to restrain myself from watering! lol!

But boy, that plant was a horrible mess when I got it. I have never smelled anything like that rot in an orchid I have purchased! I was lured in by the $60 price tag for a plant that is usually $100. Ha!

[Leafmite]

Or, if you can't have a certain orchid shipped to you during dormancy (some of us live in cold places), make certain that the vendor doesn't mind having it all potted up for you in fresh medium and ready to go for the season. I couldn't pick up my Pleiones before they needed re-potted so the vendor had them all potted up in fresh medium for me when I picked them up.

[mimigirl]

This article has shown up at a great time for me. The orchid show locally, that i wait for every year, is 4 days away. I have 15 orchids right now. I plant to buy several more at the show. I have done lots of homework the past few weeks, but these points were not touched upon. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Did i mention only 4 more days?

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Leafmite can you tell me what questions to ask a vendor to determine if it is his area of expertise or his specialty?

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RandomGemini which insecticides do you consider safe? I usually stick with soap insecticide because i thought this is safest.

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RandomGemini which insecticides do you consider safe? I usually stick with soap insecticide because i thought this is safest.

[RandomGemini]

I don't think any of them are "safe." I spoke with my vet and chose one that was deemed safe by her. I didn't like doing it, but I didn't want to deal with an infestation at all. I never use them inside. I sprayed the plants outside and left them outside to air dry, then brought them back in before dark. After I was done with the treatment, I repotted the plants again with fresh medium and they rewarded me with some new growth.

The one I went with was Bayer Rose and Flower which has imidacloprid.

[mimigirl]

Oh you mean safe to use around animals RandomGemini? I thought i was supposed to look for safe to use on orchids. So i can move on to the Bayer.

[RandomGemini]

It was safe for the plants, but yeah, safe around my dogs was my first priority. I love my orchids, but if it weren't safe to have them around my dogs, I'd donate my collection to charity.

Yeah, the Bayer rose and flower is safe on orchids. Here's my mini Phal post treatment with it:

[kindrag23]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

Oh you mean safe to use around animals RandomGemini? I thought i was supposed to look for safe to use on orchids. So i can move on to the Bayer.

Bayer works fine w orchids. I use either the 3 in 1 for roses or the natural one Neem oil (note the neem oil smells worse then a teenagers gym shoes ha! So you may want to spray outside.) No issues, though I do put my chemicals up high out of reach from my dog because he has quite a plastic fetish.

[mimigirl]

Thanks RandomGemini cause my dogs come first too. And Kindrag23 i spray away from pets and pets dont come in contact with plants. I sometimes have a problem with scale. But only on certain plants and only occasionally. Weird.....

[kindrag23]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

Thanks RandomGemini cause my dogs come first too. And Kindrag23 i spray away from pets and pets dont come in contact with plants. I sometimes have a problem with scale. But only on certain plants and only occasionally. Weird.....

Im sure the little buggers have a preference much like the grasshoppers here on my althea and rose of sharon bushes.... I understand that 2. My dog and tortoise come before my plants even if my tortoise think they are for him!!

[Leafmite]

Here are some ways to identify a vendor's specialty:
1) Before you go to the show, look at the Orchid Society's website or google the name of the orchid show (with '2014” to get a list of vendors). Then, check out each vendor's website and see what you can glean from it. Usually, it is rather clear just from what the vendor sells. Further hints? If the site advertises flasks and talks of possible characteristics the seedlings might have, the vendor probably made the cross and is rather fond of that type of orchid. Same if the vendor has a bunch of unnamed crosses of a certain type of orchid.
2) You can also start a thread about the show here on Orchid board and ask if anyone knows what each specializes in growing. That might be the easiest way.
3) Look at the vendor's display. When I was working at our show this year, I easily knew which display belonged to which vendor simply by what they had placed in the displays. The vendors were showing off their favorites.
4) Chit chat with one of the Orchid Society members at the show (Membership table). Tell them what type of orchid you like and ask which vendor/vendors raises that type of orchid. Or, if they don't know (they might be new), ask them who could tell you.
5) Join an Orchid Society. You will quickly learn where everyone finds their orchids!

If anyone else has any other ideas.....

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When buying an orchid not in bloom, ask whether it is blooming size and how large the orchid will become.