Hi, my name is Jesi, and I am an orchid hoarder... - Orchid Board

Jesi · #1 02-18-2016, 10:53 PM

I have a problem. I cannot say no to an orchid on clearance. I just can't do it. I already have over 10 orchids. A couple days ago Walmart had Orchids on clearance for like $7. My husband was with me so I bought only one. For the past 2 days I wanted to go buy the rest. I wasn't feeling good at all so I didn't go yesterday. Today I had no choice but to go out, he was working late and the kids needed dinner. Stopped in there to grab milk and meandered to the lawn and garden section. One got bought, but...5 left. And at $3.69 a piece, they all came home with me. I got a lady slipper orchid for Valentine's Day and also ordered 3 expensive and rare ones on eBay the other night. That's 10 orchids in a matter of a few days. Whoops. I'm running out of places to put them all!

estación seca · #2 02-19-2016, 02:51 AM

One way to deal with this is to only let yourself buy a tiny category of plants. If the plant isn't in that category, you don't want it. I don't buy Cattleyas or rose bushes that don't have a substantial fragrance.

Years ago I decided to only eat desserts that were handmade by trained chefs, or only eat really high-quality chocolate. Now it's easy to skip birthday cakes and ice cream at work, awful Cadbury's and Hershey's "chocolate" and other kinds of garbage.

nikkik · #3 02-19-2016, 08:59 AM

Welcome to the world of orchids, they are like potato chips, you can't have just one... I started with plants from Trader Joe's, as time went on and I researched more I figured out the plants that really interested me.

The good news is that you can get those Walmart noids to rebloom and wrap the pots based on the season to give as fantastic gifts. You can look at it as saving your family money. As you get more space, you can replace those "gift orchids" with ones from your must have list.

You can also use them as teaching tools for the kiddos. My two oldest have had their own orchids since before the age of 2. They enjoy helping me water my plants and learning about them. They know more about how plants grow and thrive then I did at their ages (5 and 3).

WhiteRabbit · #4 02-19-2016, 09:34 PM

Hi Jesi!

Leafmite · #5 02-19-2016, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estación seca

One way to deal with this is to only let yourself buy a tiny category of plants. If the plant isn't in that category, you don't want it. I don't buy Cattleyas or rose bushes that don't have a substantial fragrance.

Years ago I decided to only eat desserts that were handmade by trained chefs, or only eat really high-quality chocolate. Now it's easy to skip birthday cakes and ice cream at work, awful Cadbury's and Hershey's "chocolate" and other kinds of garbage.

That might work unless you have a World Market that sells the good chocolate or you can make your own best desserts.

---------- Post added at 09:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:37 PM ----------

I did that about ten years ago. I found a bunch of Phal orchids on sale at a big box store after Mother's Day for a dollar each. I brought home about ten of them. I did eventually give them all away but that is because when they bloomed, I didn't like the flowers. I understood why no one had bought them!

estación seca · #6 02-19-2016, 11:40 PM

I know how to make an incredible chocolate mousse with candied orange bits and Grand Marnier, and eggnog from eggs, cream, sugar and brandy, but I don't do it. And I stay out of Cost Plus.

PaphLover · #7 02-20-2016, 12:27 AM

Welcome, Jesi! Good luck tempering your addiction, estación seca-style. It hasn't worked for me yet…with either chocolate or orchids. :{

Optimist · #8 02-20-2016, 10:51 AM

A collecting strategy is useful. Like focus on types of plants, or sizes. Always pay attention to the care you can give them. In my collecting, I have gotten hold of a few plants that I have pretty much immediatly killed. (Well, it took half a year or so, but they ended up dead). That is a serious indication that you cannot care for the plants in a way that they need. I always buy a cheap "test" plant first. Sort of the NO ID phal or dendrobium. If I can keep it alive for a year and re-bloom it, then I can get some more. I also always buy a few hybrids before I try a species. Hybrids are often more for the "beginner," since they are "mutts" in a sense, they are a lot easier to take care of. If I am happy with how I cared for the hybrids, then I will get a few species. I have also had my fair share of heartbreak with salvaged phals, and really started only having good luck when I bought them newer in good shape, not rootless and dying. I also want the plant to be big enough to get a bloom soon. Little seedlings are much more fragile, and I want a well established plant because it will be stronger, and less likely to die. This is one reason I go to ebay, and not necessarily to a seller who sells seedlings, or off the truck plants. I research the sellers as well.

RosieC · #9 02-20-2016, 11:43 AM

Welcome to Orchid Board

It's taken me years to control my buying of orchids, and then only because I already have more than I can handle. Good luck

u bada · #10 02-20-2016, 12:37 PM

yeah, it's addictive. it's funny what becomes addictive in ones life and why. I mean, i'm just happy it's not crack!

I've always grown orchids, but have always lived in apartments, so space became an issue... and when your tastes change beyond the clearance ones (i got so sick of saving phals, it happens) all of a sudden you're at a different cost bracket! nonetheless I ended up at 1000+ at some point in my life! Mostly mini's but still... they had taken over my life really, it really became a problem...

Then life changes happened and I had to let go of most of those and just started back up again fresh just a few years ago and this time around keeping things in check. Although still very very challenging...