Home Depot throws all orchids away once flowers drop?

[moogiemama]

I'm with you. Such a waste!

[Oldguypops]

I asked at our local Meijer store here, and they toss theirs after blooming also. Some of them are very nice orchids too, not just NOID Phals.

I shop at an English Gardens nearby and they mark their orchids down when flowering is over. Some of them are as much as $60.00 when flowering, but they mark them down a little at a time until they hit $4.99. If they don't sell at $4.99, they toss them.
Almost half of my orchids are from English Gardens, and $4.99 is the usual price.

[moogiemama]

Yes! That's what I was referring to; mark them down and at least get something out of it, and the orchid lover can take over from there! All they'd have to do is post a sign that says all plants reduced for quick sale are not eligible for the 1 year guarantee! I'm sure there are people who would figure out a way to exploit it, though.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by Oldguypops

I asked at our local Meijer store here, and they toss theirs after blooming also. Some of them are very nice orchids too, not just NOID Phals.

I shop at an English Gardens nearby and they mark their orchids down when flowering is over. Some of them are as much as $60.00 when flowering, but they mark them down a little at a time until they hit $4.99. If they don't sell at $4.99, they toss them.
Almost half of my orchids are from English Gardens, and $4.99 is the usual price.

My local store is a Meijer also and it doesn't throw stuff away. It returns the plants to the supplier in SW Michigan (I am sure same supplier as for your store) so talk with your garden mgr ans see if this is correct and if they can change (if need be).

[j_nail]

Suppose they should be jumping on the "Go Green" movement by now, eh???

Sad...

[Singingirl96]

My local Lowe's sells them at a discounted price. I just bought one two months ago and now it has a spike! The regular price was $23.99. They sold it to me for $10. I also bought two violets for $1.50/each. For those of you who are unhappy with HD, give Lowe's a try. I like them much better anyway. Just make sure the roots look good. Some of the ones I saw looked like they could have root rot. But the one I bought looked really good. There were others... The only thing is that you don't know what color they are.... but that's kinda cool if you think about it... it adds a little suspense to our orchid adventure.

[Oldguypops]

Hey Ross, how's it going?
Meijer stores must have different policies, because I did talk to the garden manager at my local store. He said it is store policy to toss them after blooming.

[moogiemama]

It's the same here with HD & Lowe's. I think it depends on which way the wind is blowing and with whom they happen to have a contract to supply the orchids. I know HD used to use Grower Ron, but after the series of hurricanes a year and a half ago, much of their stock was destroyed. Most of the time, I don't know who the supplier is. And sometimes I don't think the people who care for the plants understand that different species have different needs! Even the best local nurseries don't always know what to do with the different orchids they carry, and treat them all the same. I'm talking about the northeast so can't speak about what happens in other parts of the country where the growing season is different.

[princessbydezine]

I got two little guys at English Gardens last week for 5 bucks, I can't wait till they bloom.


The problem with the HD, Lowes and other big chain stores is that they dont emply people who know about the flowers they sell. Most of the time they just water them. I know at HD we water them and I think once every two weeks someone from a "vendor" comes in and cleans the plants up ie. takes off brown leaves, dead flowers and gets rid of anything thats dead. Sometimes HD does get in orchids that are "ours" meaning that we get all credit for selling them, those ones they will mark down. Although as a customer you would not know what ones those happen to be. I don't know if down where the weather is nicer if they stock orchids all the time i know up here its only for special holidays. So the rules for stores in nicer climates might differ.

[BikerDoc5968]

The HD in Stuart, FL ALWAYS has tons of orchids. When I'm down there visiting family, I never fail to visit the store....good orchids at great prices.....Lowe's not as good...not even close....wonder why???