Hi I'm new here, as well as new to orchids!

[Gabor]

Originally Posted by Daethen

Minis are great. Orchids in general are very addicting. Welcome to the board. I have bought many from online vendors and ebay vendors. Some have some really great plants. Good luck with the new hobby!

I was wondering about ebay vendors, do they provide all the necessary paperwork to be able to get them in the country?

[FairyInTheFlowers]

I am from Saskatoon, Sask and I order from Paramount Orchids in Calgary, Ab. If you are looking for minis, the Lc. Jeweller's Gem is VERY compact with the first flowering p'bulb being only five inches high with the leaves. There is two, one inch flowers on it that are in perfect condition since mid-Nov. It is also very vigorous, it currently has three new p'bulbs growing, so it should now flower in the late spring again! I also have a C. Loddiaca, it's about 8 inches tall, and a Slc. Mahalo Jack, which is only 2 1/2 inches tall which had a first time bloom in the fall that was 1 1/2 inches! Paramount definitely has a LOT of orchids and will be buying a HUGE haul come spring. It is super to see another member from Canada!

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Gabor

I was wondering about ebay vendors, do they provide all the necessary paperwork to be able to get them in the country?

You have to be careful. Some of them will and will be great vendors, but others won't and some of our members have ended up with either empty packages (contents confiscated by customs), or worse with the customs officials on their door step.

It's best to get a recomendation of each different ebay seller, find out if others have bought from them successfully (Use our Vendor Feedback area to ask). Also check with the seller if they will provide all the paperwork.

Gabor is an unusual name in the UK, but I know someone by that name who is Hungarian, so it's interesting to know that you originally come from the same part of the world.

[Gabor]

Originally Posted by RosieC

You have to be careful. Some of them will and will be great vendors, but others won't and some of our members have ended up with either empty packages (contents confiscated by customs), or worse with the customs officials on their door step.

That is what I am afraid of. I am also involved in reef aquariums and it is pretty much the same thing with corals!

Originally Posted by RosieC

It's best to get a recomendation of each different ebay seller, find out if others have bought from them successfully (Use our Vendor Feedback area to ask). Also check with the seller if they will provide all the paperwork.

I was not even thinking of checking there! Thank you for that piece of useful info!

Originally Posted by RosieC

Gabor is an unusual name in the UK, but I know someone by that name who is Hungarian, so it's interesting to know that you originally come from the same part of the world.

I thought so too that the name is unique in this parts of the wold too! However my sister in law just married a guy whose last name is Gabor, , and I found out that there is a guy in the city I live in who has the same name and birth date as me , with the difference that he has a middle name!

[Gabor]

Originally Posted by TheBlazingAugust

I am from Saskatoon, Sask and I order from Paramount Orchids in Calgary, Ab. If you are looking for minis, the Lc. Jeweller's Gem is VERY compact with the first flowering p'bulb being only five inches high with the leaves. There is two, one inch flowers on it that are in perfect condition since mid-Nov. It is also very vigorous, it currently has three new p'bulbs growing, so it should now flower in the late spring again! I also have a C. Loddiaca, it's about 8 inches tall, and a Slc. Mahalo Jack, which is only 2 1/2 inches tall which had a first time bloom in the fall that was 1 1/2 inches! Paramount definitely has a LOT of orchids and will be buying a HUGE haul come spring. It is super to see another member from Canada!

Thanks for the info, I will check out Paramount Orchids.
When is a good time to start ordering orchids? I mean they are going to get very cold in the winter right?

[FairyInTheFlowers]

First off Gabor, I need to correct myself. I meant to say that I would be buying a huge haul from Paramount come spring. And that is the best time to order orchids. They start shipping in May, but it is all weather permitting. I am sure that they will ship earlier if there is a consistent temperature above 15C, the owner told me that they will delay shipping if the weather is uncooperative!

[WhiteRabbit]

glad you are here!