Bagged orchids at lowe's

[Leafmite]

I have only seen the bag babies once and I thought they looked pretty healthy and nice. I did not buy any as they did not have anything I wanted at the time. Still, I was elated that they had them. What a great way to introduce people to a new type of orchid!
That is one great thing about where I live. Out of four orchid shows in a two hour radius, two are completely free (West Shore Orchid Show, Strongsville Ohio, Greater Akron Orchid Show, Akron Ohio), even the parking, and for the one, you just need to pay parking (OSWP--Pittsburgh PA, show). Unfortunately, they all happen in the spring so if you are craving an orchid at other times of the year, you need to find another source. :|

[mimigirl]

Our orchid show/sale for the area is free to the public since it is held in a large shopping center. It will take place at the end of May. I have already checked out who the vendors will be. And i am checking their websites to begin my homework. In fact i have already requested one to bring a specific plant. Thanks you all for taking the time to respond!

[Cym Ladye]

My experience of a "bagged orchid" is one that is bare root in a plastic bag with sphagnum on the roots but with no pot. You pot it up when you get it home. You can see the danger of this for a novice grower. If pots are included, then the "bagged" description describes sleeves solely used to protect the flowers and plant during shipping and sale. That is the commercial way of doing things. Terminology is important.

---------- Post added at 09:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 AM ----------

Originally Posted by reliablefool

The admittance fee to society shows is a turnoff. I understand it's necessary but sometimes I just want to browse. Heh. I do still attend many of the shows and cannot wait for POE (don't get to the nurseries much because so many seem to be appointment only), but the bag babies provide a free browsing opportunity without any hassle.

Only three in the SF Bay area charge an admittance or a parking fee and if $3-5 is too much to spend it is your option not to attend. POE is has become way out there on admittance and has become far too much of a hassle, plus parking fee extra, for many people to attend, but they have a HUGE overhead to deal with!

The next show in your area is January 24 – 25, 2015. - Peninsula Orchid Society Show & Sale. Community Activities Bldg., 1400 Roosevelt Ave., Redwood City, CA. 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days. $5 adult entry, $3 senior (55) and young adult (12-16), $1 extra for a two day pass. Presentations, vendor sales, member sales. For more information go to the POS Facebook page or Peninsula Orchid Society

Some of the same vendors attend this show and it is far more "user friendly" in the ability to meet other growers and chat on a one-on-one basis. The presentations on different genera in most of the shows now-a-days as well as the ability to ask specific questions of knowledgeable growers, are worth the admission alone.

Perhaps if visitors to orchid shows looked more at what they can learn rather than at what they can buy, they might enjoy the experience more and not resent a modest entry fee.

Other shows you might look into are Santa Clara Valley OS, Malinini OS, Golden Gate Cym Society, and Gold Coast Cym. Growers.

[snowflake311]

If you don't care about ID then Check out Trader Joes. I swear I find a plant I want online and just keep checking Traders Joes. With in a month I find a mature healthy plant that I want. I have been luck 4 times now.

I did some research on the Sherry Baby Oncid. Decided I must have one. I found a BIG one with 6 Bulbs for $14 at TJ after a week of waiting.

Then I thought I wanted a Zygo. Guess what magical 2 showed up at traders joes not to long after I wanted one.

I was so close to buying a Beallara off Ebay. I said to myself NO just wait. Sure enough one showed up at Trader joes and for less then the ones on Ebay are selling at this size.

Oh and I found my Paph with name tag at TJ. That was just luck. I had been playing with the idea of getting one and sure enough I found one. It's so fun.

So for me I can't see buying a seedling/baby orchid for $10-$13 when you can find awesome mature blooming plants at Trader Joes. Going to an Orchid show would be cool too and I would agree it would be the best way to buy an orchid. But not everyone has orchid shows close to them I know i don't.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

My experience of a "bagged orchid" is one that is bare root in a plastic bag with sphagnum on the roots but with no pot. You pot it up when you get it home. You can see the danger of this for a novice grower. If pots are included, then the "bagged" description describes sleeves solely used to protect the flowers and plant during shipping and sale. That is the commercial way of doing things. Terminology is important.[COLOR="Silver"]

Perhaps there is no Lowes store in your area? In any case, over many, many years of seeing these plants in Lowes stores (and the OP was asking about bagged orchid at Lowes), I have never seen the bagged orchids packaged as you describe. Maybe the bagged orchids you see in you area are produced by a different nursery company? If so, I would be interested in finding out the name of the nursery, and seeing the packaging, as this is very different from what I have seen throughout the southeast USA.

I agree terminology is important; the orchids I see at Lowes are indeed bagged, pot and all. Everything in a clear plastic bag, which conserves a little moisture but also is ventilated with holes punched through the plastic.

Even if the plants were sold as you describe, I really don't see a clear and present danger for novice growers. The bagged orchids that Lowes sells in this region are produced by Sun Bulb Co. (same company as Better Gro, which sells orchid potting medium, fertilizers, etc.). Better Gro provides simplified care instructions on the label attached to the bag. The plants are usually sold within arms reach of bags of Better Gro orchid bark, which have nice simple re-potting instructions (with photos) on the back of the bags of potting medium. Easy-peasy! Most novice growers can figure this out, if they care to, and IMO the bagged plants probably appeal to growers that are more willing to invest time and effort into growing the plant on to blooming size.

The orchids sold this way are a good bargain for the beginning grower, or even an experienced grower, when the right plant becomes available.

Regarding the TJs orchids, those are fine too, but at my local TJs, they are always unlabeled. I don't know why, and I am jealous of others that can get a good variety of labeled plants at their local TJs!. I have one TJs phal, but it is a NOID. I now prefer to have a label on what I buy; just my personal preference. The bagged orchids I see at Lowes have always been labeled, IME, and the selection is different from what I can get at TJs.

[mimigirl]

We dont have a TJ. I wonder if Whole Foods has decent selection and prices? BTW what does OP mean when referring to the person who posted?

[dendro king]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

We dont have a TJ. I wonder if Whole Foods has decent selection and prices? BTW what does OP mean when referring to the person who posted?

Original poster

[Joseia]

I've never seen orchids in the Whole Foods around me. And I've never seen anything but noids in the two TJs closest to home.

[pipsxlch]

I have to agree with Orchid Whisperer- I've never seen anything like the bagged plants as Cym Ladye describes. The only ones I've seen, at Lowes and Home Depot, are the Sun Bulb/ Better-Gro young plants, always potted in a bark mix, the youngest (plug sizes, around $7 here) in a mesh bag, and the larger a year or two from blooming usually (I've seen them blooming in the bags, had them bloom within a couple months, and had some of the larger growers take 3 years) are in a plastic bag with holes punched in it, and around $13 here. They have always been healthy little plants that take off without missing a beat when you get them within a week or two of arrival. The longer you wait, the worse they are- the stores don't take care of them. Some stores will give you a discount on them once they get rough, some refuse- and it varies within the chains more than between them. The plants are mostly catts, both species and hybrids, often awarded clones, quite a variety. There are also quite a few vandaceous, a smattering of oncidium alliance species and hybrids, some encyclia species and hybrids, and occasionally dendrobium species. I've heard of (never seen in my stores) schomburgkias. The staff probably knows nothing about orchids and cares less, but may be able to direct newbies to local clubs or experienced hobbyists, and Better-Gro offers some novice information. The stores do offer a money back guarantee on their plants, even if it was healthy at sale and the purchaser killed it. (it has been my experience that, except for the better nurseries, it's too bad so sad for you if the plant dies through any of the other options given)

Not every area has a nursery in driving distance, let alone one that's open to the public- or that carries the genera of interest for all of an area's hobbyists. This can be the best option for many newbies true, IF they can get to one and IF the vendor has the patience and people skills to deal with and educate them.

Shows are only a few a year, and frankly sometimes don't seem to offer the selection, as well as finding and driving to them when they're open- this can be an issue for some people. It always surprises me how many vendors have the same $5 NOID phals and den-phals you can buy on half the street corners around here for the same price. And things aren't always better- I went to a local AOS sponsored show last fall, saw a den species I was interested in, should have known better since ALL the specimens were 3 pbulbs in spag which antelope dens HATE, but got it anyhow. This was from a pretty big grower in the area. Got it home, and it's 3 INDIVIDUAL pbulbs no wonder they hid it all in spag. And it cost me $15, if I'd bought a larger 'bag baby' I'd of had change from that $15 as well as a healthier plant.
Come to think of it, the 'no pot in spag' kind of describes that show bought den.
Almost all I've been to (plenty) DO have educational seminars and clubs with educational booths. They can be a great place for newbies to get answers and meet mentors.

Clubs vary. Some are welcoming to all levels of expertise, some are very cliquish and look down on people outside their friends circle. It can be hard finding information on them, not all advertise in different places, and not all keep their info up to date or appealing. They aren't always easy to get to- in time or place. Not all have anything much to sell at their meetings- or even anything at all. A good club is a Godsend and a wonderful thing especially for newbies; a bad one will turn people off to orchids and orchid fanciers quicker than anything.

So I really don't think it's right to say the packaged big box store plants are garbage, and you have to go to a show or nursery to get something decent. All venues have their pluses and minuses. The 'bag babies' can be an excellent introduction to the hobby for novices willing to learn and patient enough to give them the time to grow to blooming size, especially if said novice finds and joins a local club or finds a mentor (who is ideally in many ways a nursery owner). Even for the more advanced hobbyist, the 'bag babies' can be an economical way of finding good plants that they can inspect before they buy- and easily return if they do later find an issue.

[Cym Ladye]

Terminology is everything. What we are all discussing here are mericloned orchids, ie orchids that have been meristemmed (cloned) in the millions and distributed around the world. This assures the buyer of getting exactly what the picture shows if they are looking for a specific clone.

I do not generally buy mericlones, and never buy from box stores due to the prevalence of virus in many genera. That does not mean they do not have their place for all the reasons stated in earlier posts, but it also is the reason why so many US hybridizers have gone out of business. They simply cannot compete with the cheap prices of blooming plants originating in huge nurseries outside the US for mass sale around the world.

The bagged orchids I refer to can be found from the small foreign growers coming in for large orchid shows. These most often are divisions of species orchids and one of a kind seedlings, but mericlones are also treated this way. This is done to reduce import costs and for import inspection.

The comment of "seeing the same orchids from vendor to vendor" at a show is unfortunately true because the term here is "VENDOR", not nursery or hybridizer. Vendors are simply middle men for plants and they often buy from the same wholesale nurseries that the big box stores do. This is true in California and I am sure it is also true in Florida. They just add their cost to the plant but since they cannot buy at the lower wholesale price TJs or Costco can, you do the math.

The advantage of going to shows is education and the opportunity to meet the real hybridizers and quality nurseries. Most hybridizers are more than willing to talk with customers if they feel they are serious about the hobby and really want to learn. And yes, they will turn off if they feel you are a novice only shopping for a bargain. Most orchid nurseries will ship plants so connecting with these people at the shows is only the first step. It is all about communication but the buyer has to take the first step.