I hit the free orchid jackpot! - Orchid Board

greenbean · #1 06-08-2009, 03:27 AM

I just absolutely LOVE working at a nursery!

We don't sell orchids, but that hasn't stopped me from getting free orchids at work! A couple years ago, I rescued a NOID Epidendrum from my boss, who didn't even know it was an orchid.

I hit the jackpot today when a lady came in to look around. She noticed our monstrously huge Epiphyllum (orchid cactus) and that led to orchid talk. She doesn't grow orchids, but she has a brother in Hawaii who takes pictures (or something like that) for an orchid vendor on the big island. He gets free orchids in his work, so he sends them to her. She enjoys them in bloom, but she's never taken the time to learn how to take care of them and rebloom them, so she usually tosses them. I said right away and quite shamelessly that I would take them off her hands. She agreed, and a little later today she returned with 3 dendrobiums, a brassia, and a degarmoara!

None of them are in bloom, but I'll work on getting pics up. All of them but one Dendrobium have tags. I looked them up online so I would at least know what the blooms should look like. They all have healthy new growth in various stages of development and most show healthy new root growth.

I really only want to keep the Degarmoara and the NOID Dendrobium, at least until I see what its blooms look like. I'm planning on selling/trading the others, but I'd like to make sure they're in a stable condition first. Do you think it's worth the effort, or should I post them anyways at dirt cheep for people who don't mind a rescue orchid? I'll probably clean them up, maybe repot a couple that need it, and post them when I know they'll be worth the trouble for other people.

The best part of this is that the lady said she wouldn't discourage her brother from sending her more orchids, because now she knew who to give them to after they're done blooming. So there's more where these came from!!! That means more FREE blooming size orchids that just need a little extra attention to bring them back to peak health, both for me to keep and to sell/trade to people here on the OB!

Well, that was my interesting experience this weekend!

Baz in Oz · #2 06-08-2009, 04:10 AM

Lucky duck! If you get too many, don't forget we poor Aussies.

Baz

cb977 · #3 06-08-2009, 10:58 AM

Very nice!

You must be walking on air!

camille1585 · #4 06-08-2009, 11:11 AM

Now that is a sweet deal! You 'll have a monster collection in no time, even if you just keep the ones you want and give away the rest! If I was state side I would be more than very interested in some of these. Especially the Brassia, I've been wanting one of those!
Can't wait to see photos of them.

flhiker · #5 06-08-2009, 02:12 PM

Awesome connection. Always interested in good deals Evan. Personally, the ones I didn't want (like that could happen) I would post as is, rather then spending time and money on re-potting. Plus the best way to ship is bare root (cost) since they need to be re-potted anyway.