Local Greenhouse Rant

[MuscleGirl'sHobby]

I closed a bank account today (looooong story), so I had some cash burning in my pocket. On the way home I stopped off at a greenhouse here in town that sells orchids. They don't grow them, but order them in from somewhere. I've bought quite a few of mine there over the last couple of years. Usually they are healthy, have proper tags, and are pretty reasonably priced.

Well... they not only decided to raise their prices (hey, I fully understand this, times are tough) but they plants are smaller than before and they are also re-potting all of them into larger pots so they can say it's now a 6" or even 8" instead of a 4".

To make matters worse, they don't do a proper re-pot, they just yank it out of the pot it's in, media and all, and toss it in a larger pot, then fill in with this extremely fine "stuff." At first look I thought it was soil because it really looks like it is, but I think it's some sort of soil-less potting-mix.

Still... I could just buy the orchid , come home and yank it out of there and back into a 4" pot, and call it good. But, today I noticed mealy bugs too! There were a couple beautiful paphs, but all mealies. I noticed spots on most of the phal and den flowers as well. They've always had the healthiest stuff! I'm so sad, and disapointed... and a bit frustrated too.

I'm not sure if they just don't know the mix they are using will suffocate those poor roots, or if they just don't care. They sell regular orchid bark, but aren't using it. I hemmed and hawed on whether to say anything.... or how I'd even approach it if I did. Anyhow, just had to vent. Guess it's back to buying my instant gratification 'chids from Lowe's the the HD.

[quiltergal]

I think I would have asked if they were charging extra for the mealy bugs and if that's why the prices were higher.... Silly people must think you are blind!

[MuscleGirl'sHobby]

yeah, the mealies weren't exactly hiding, they were all over the spike of one pahp!

I've bought a plant or two since they upped the price and started repotting. I just repotted as soon as I got home. But now the plants are smaller too. Sorry, I'm just not going to pay $21 for a 3-4 pseudobulb intergeneric when I can buy the exact same thing at Lowe's and the HD for $12.95, and $14.95 respectively. Part of the reason I went there is that they had intergenerics with 7-8+ pbs.

[littlefrog]

I think you answered your own question... If they are cutting corners like that, you shouldn't buy from them. Raising prices is understandable. The rest is unforgivable...

I don't know how many people realize this, but the price of orchids hasn't really changed in the last 20 years or so... It is quite remarkable. Somehow orchid growers are managing to charge the same $25 bucks for a nice phal that they charged in the 80's. Actually they probably cost more back then, and that doesn't even count inflation. We have it pretty good.

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Nicole

I can sympathize. Since I grow in the house I can't use systemic insecticides and when I see mealibugs crawling out of an orchid with a tight leaf structure I simply can't keep it and risk my entire collection. Catts are easier to inspect and clean off.

Now I don't even buy an orchid unless I inspect it with a Jeweler's loop magnifier. They are cheap and easy to carry.

[AboutOrchids]

I can forgive an imperfect plant or higher prices because sometimes those things are beyond the store's control. But bugs are a deal-breaker for me. I'd tell them that I'll stop shopping there until they get their act together.

[Zozzl]

You are a very sweet person. I would have just blurted out "Gee, are they actually growing in that stuff?" LOL!

[MuscleGirl'sHobby]

Originally Posted by littlefrog

I think you answered your own question... If they are cutting corners like that, you shouldn't buy from them. Raising prices is understandable. The rest is unforgivable...

Yup. I have no problem paying a bit more if I'm still getting the same quality. I'm all about supporting local businesses too. I noticed they've significantly raised prices on just about everything else too. It's only been about 2 months tops since I was there last. I kind of wondered if this is the sign that they're on the brink of going under.

Originally Posted by Sun rm.N.E.

Now I don't even buy an orchid unless I inspect it with a Jeweler's loop magnifier. They are cheap and easy to carry.

That is a really good idea! Scale can be so hard to detect when they're not out in mass numbers.

Originally Posted by AboutOrchids

But bugs are a deal-breaker for me.

Yes, for me too. Bugs on one plants means I buy no plants. Their plants are all in real close proximity to one another. No issue at all for a buggie to jump ship from one to another.

Originally Posted by Zozzl

You are a very sweet person. I would have just blurted out "Gee, are they actually growing in that stuff?" LOL!

I guess I felt weird bringing it to their attention because I feel like when I'm in a nursery or greenhouse, they are the "experts."

[cowboy51278]

There was a local shop doing the same thing here a couple years ago. So when they got a new shipment in I would buy 2 or 3 of the good ones and repot them when I got home. Over the next few weeks I would stop back in and ask if they had any that needed to be rescued. As the plants started to 'fail' they got put at the back door and went out with the trash on weds mornings. So I essentially went dumpster diving for freebies but ended up with some wonderful plants that just needed some tlc. The most extreme case involved me cutting back several growths on an Oncidium, which came back wonderfully. However they never had the buggies. Amazingly enough the shop is now out of business.

[Paul]

I don't hesitate to point out bug infestations in greenhouses. In part I figure if they've been busy or have new employees, they might not be aware of the problem. Then too, I would hope that when a possible customer walks up and points such things out they'd be thinking "Ohy #$%#@! Better take care of that before word of mouth gets around."