Phal Mini Mark Arrived

[Ranchnanny]

Well my Mini Mark finally arrived from Oak Hill Gardens. I have been waiting for some kind of e-mail notification that it had been shipped. They don't send any notification they just send it. Well, they shipped on the 7th and that poor thing sat in a mailbox for 2 days with below freezing temps for 2 nights. Our mailbox is quite a distance from our home and we only go down eary few days. Had I know it was there I would have picked it up. When I opened the box the leaves were kind of soft mushy and cold. The roots look alright green and healty looking but my concern are the leaves and the new growth showing. I placed it in the Orchidarium once I got it home. Do you think the leaves will come back. They have blotches on them I am sure from the cold. they feel strange.

Sheridan

[caseydoll]

Hi Sheridan! I'm so sorry to hear about your Mini Mark! Maybe you should e-mail them and tell them what happened just in case it doesn't recover. I'm not sure what to tell you about the leaves. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will respond. A similar thing happened to me with Oakhill this week too. I also ordered a Mini Mark and a few others ( ) on the 31st. The e-mail they sent said they ship on Monday and Tuesday if they get your order by noon that Tuesday. Mine never arrived (no biggie) but I e-mailed them just to make sure they were sent out and I just never received them. They kindly e-mailed me back and told me it was going out UPS on Monday. On Wednesday I thought I would be getting them UPS at my work (the UPS driver delivers my home packages there cuz he knows me). Instead it was delivered USPS to my house and sat out in the cold all day until I got home. So far they all look great so I'm happy. I would definately buy from Oakhill again, no question about that, but maybe only in warmer weather.

I hope everything turns out okay with your new little cutie!

[Ranchnanny]

Sarah
Thanks for the reply. I did call them and talked to Liese and she told me they don't send out e-mails to notify shipping of orchids. They have to many and I understand that. She told me that if it doesn't recover in a few days to call her and they would send out another. She also said that USPS is less expensive so that's why they use it. I prefer FedEX cause it comes right to the door. The leaves on my Mini Mark are transparent when you place you hand underneath them. It does have some new nubbiies at the bottom of the plant so it may recover. I guess ordering orchids during the winter months is way to risky. If they had placed a Hot Pack in the box that may have helped. That's how Carter and Holmes sends their orchids and they come FedEx.
Thanks again.

TTFN - Sheridan

[caseydoll]

Sheridan, I'm so glad that Oak Hill offered to replace your orchid in case it doesn't make it! I know everyone speaks very highly of them on here so I was sure they are a great company. It will be nice to have someone on OB that received a Mini Mark from the same place at the same time. We can compare notes! Mine half fell out of the pot as I was unpacking it so I am getting some media ready so I can repot it. Keep us updated on how yours is doing. I hope someone else responds that has some experience on cold damage. I'm curious on if it detroys the whole leaf eventually or if they will just leave spots and everything else will be fine.

p.s. i know what you mean about fedex or Ups. I just received an orchid from First Rays that was sent out Thurs. and it was waiting on my doorstep when I got up this morning.

[cowboy51278]

my postal carrier knows when i get a package just to leave it at the post office and drop a note in my mail to come get it. they're really good about it. the only time i ever have a problem is fed ex or ups because they just fling the package on the porch if im home or not and they never come by at the same time of day so i can never plan for it. that was really cool of oak hill to offer to replace the phal. they're good people.