Purchasing first orchid - Cheap Vs Quality

[Sylphire]

I'm about ready to purchase my first orchid and I'd like a little advise on what to purchase in regards to cost versus quality.

I have never kept orchids before but after having done some work on my mother-in-law's suffering phal I've fallen in love and decided to get into the hobby.

I'll likely begin with phals as they seem to grow well here in London and I've had a good read of what to look for when purchasing a plant but should I buy cheap and work with a potentially neglected plant from a commercial source or shell out for something better from a specialist?

I have noted that some say you can learn a lot from having to rescue a cheap plant. However, I've always been very particular about the health of my new plants and I hate bringing in disease but if I get things wrong and accidentally, well... kill it, ahem... it's a costly lesson.

What is everyone's thoughts and opinions on this?

[fooferdoggie]

well with a phal even a decent one does not cost a lot.

[estación seca]

fooferdoggie is correct, supermarket Phals don't cost a lot. Supermarket phals are in great shape when they arrive. Make friends with the produce manager and find out when they arrive. Then pick out a nice one. When you are experienced, and have rescued a few plants from your own mistakes, you can try rescuing the supermarket assaults.

It might be potted in sphagnum moss. That works well once you learn how to use it, but a lot of people grossly overwater in sphagnum. It may be in bark.

Whichever potting mix, it is likely to be 2-3 years old, broken down, and may have little aeration. Many here recommend all new plants be repotted on arrival. This doesn't affect the flowers if the roots are in pretty good shape, which they should be if you get a plant that just arrived.

The hardest part for you owill be waiting for a few days to a few weeks.

[fooferdoggie]

if you have a trader joes their orchids tend to be potted better.

[estación seca]

Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi, a German company. Perhaps Aldi has TJ or other named stores there that carry orchids. The orchids at TJ in the US probably originate in Taiwan and Hawaii, but I suspect supermarket orchids in the UK and Europe originate in the Netherlands.

[jcec1]

Depending on where in London you live - you should go along to Columbia Road market on a Sunday morning. There are always orchids for sale there at a reasonable price, the guys who sell them will usually give you some decent advice too.

The orchids will always be in bloom so you can pick exactly which one you want too.

I used to live about 15 min walk from there - still have many orchids that I bought from there years ago.

[estación seca]

jcec1 gave the best advice!

If you branch out from Phals, be certain to ask the seller how big the plant can get. Many people, understandably, are taken with Oncidium intergeneric hybrids. Some fit easily onto a windowsill, while others would outgrow large buckets in a few years.

[Sylphire]

Thank you all for the advice.

I happened to be in M&S on my break and saw a lovely colouration of phal but unfortunately it was packaged with premium chocolates and it was being sold for a silly price.

I'll definitely check out a few of our grocery stores and look into some markets. I've also been told Ikea have some lovely orchids if you can pick them up early.

[Dollythehun]

I have gotten some lovely phals from IKEA. A couple of which I didn't even need to repot. But, don't expect a name on them.

[Mountaineer370]

If you are just getting into orchids and you are growing them inside your home, I believe Phals are a safe and enjoyable way to get started. As others have mentioned, you can get some pretty nice Phal hybrids at your local stores and markets, without spending a lot of money. That is the route that I would suggest for someone in your situation. There will be plenty of time later to think about a more expensive Phalaenopsis species or other types of orchids. You already have one in rehabilitation, I believe, so I would suggest buying healthy orchids for the time being. Over the next year or so, you can see how everybody does and decide in which direction you would like your hobby to go.