When do you become "discriminating"

[fotofashion]

Discriminating in your purchases of new orchids that is.
It seems like I have gone through several phases in my orchid collecting.
At first it was "any and all" I could lay my hands on. Mail order, local vendors, HOS meetings, Lowe's or HD, you know the drill. And any size from seedlings to large, mature plants. I wound up, at last count, with around 250 plants.
I then discovered that not all plants sold here do well here (Texas Gulf Coast). I also came to realize that buying seedlings was not for me. They are too delicate and take too long to grow to blooming size.
The weather is taking care of some of the "don't do well here" problem. I am losing some of the more thin-leaved types.
Now I am thinking I need to be more discriminating in my purchases. Like, better, less common crosses or species. That probably will mean more expensive plants too. Rarity=expensive it seems. I have my eye on a Dend. from Kawamoto right now that is $79.00. I don't think I have ever paid that much for a plant but it is something I like and is different from and prettier than the common ones of that type.
Therein lies the condundrum. Rarity doesn't necessarily mean desirable and expensive doesn't either.
Just how and when did you decide to become more discriminating in your purchases. How do you decide if a "new" plant is really worth having. I'm trying to get past the "I see it, I like it, I buy it" phase. I know I will have to weed out some of my plants some day to have room for new purchases that I hope will bring me the maximum of satisfaction.
What say you.
Beverly A.

[Junebug]

I was making an effort to discriminate just before the recession hit. What timing, right? Unfortunately my dream list has been placed on indefinite hold.

[Becca]

When I had to start discriminating I did it by only buying orchids that had a tag or identification, although I fell off the band wagon a few times and still do...lol. I also had to tell my self I could only grow what my conditions would allow and just come to terms with the fact I can't grow cool and cool to intermediate orchids, only intermediate and intermediate to warm and warm growing orchids, and this last condition has really kept me from buying anymore Masdivallias. I also told myself I couldn't buy any more of a particular genus/species until I could bloom the other ones I have...lol, for example, no more L. anceps until I bloom the two I have!

[Connie Star]

I'm trying (and trying is the right word) to be more discriminating. Space is an issue, that and the time it takes to care for them. And, of course, the $$$. I've decided to concentrate on phals, paphs and masdies.
Catts take up too much space and the blooms don't last long enough. But then there are miniatures, and they are so pretty when in bloom.
Mounted orchids are too much hassle, but then they are so cute.
Phrags are too difficult, but then they are so beautiful and graceful.
Oncidiums are too big and the flowers are small, but they smell so nice.
Are you beginning to see my problem?

[ezil]

I can identify with Becca! I have the same situation. I now grow mostly miniatures, so I can have a wider variety. That doesn't mean cheaper - but there too I have to draw the line. My most expensive plant is a mexipedium xerophyticum, which I got from a local vendor for a song. I have so many minis now that I have to start to look at the time it takes me every week to look after them. And yet, my wish list keeps growing and growing....

[Shirley]

Connie, Your message makes me smile because it hits so close to home. I'm in the stage of cutting back now because care of my orchids is taking more time than I want to spend. This means I'm discarding ones that don't seem to like my conditions. To Beverly I would say that sometimes "expensive" can also mean difficult to grow.

[Eyebabe]

Loaded question!

I would say the first factor becomes "space".
Then, the overall ability of you to provide the proper culture....no one likes to see their beautiful new "babe" wither and die
After those two considerations, it's a process of what you find that may be better than what you have

....or a better option which I chose: making more space

[Paul]

I think most of us, when we first get bitten by the bug suffer from the "I want them all!" mentality. I had a bunch of NOIDs years back when I first really got into orchids. Just about all from Lowes.

Then I met someone from a nearby orchid society and was floored by all the different orchids (colors, shapes, etc) that I had been unaware of before. That pretty much ended my big box store days as I became "more discriminating".

As I learned more about orchids -- their culture, and even how many cultivars look similar if not out and out the same -- knowing their names led to a new degree of "more discriminating".

Then as my available space rapidly decreased (apartment dwelling is such a pain), and as I got rather blaise with regards to much of the common stuff out there I became even "more discriminating". I focus heavily on minis, and find myself looking more and more into species. In addition, I avoid having look-alikes -- I want variety.

[Otis226]

Being probably newer to keeping orchids than any previous poster, I know how it is to see it, want it, buy it. I have not run into a space issure yet. (Living in FL lots of orchids can be outdoors at least 9-10 months of the year...('course I don't know where they'll go to be happy when that 6-8weeks they need to be indoors comes!) I've gotten more discriminating since I don't order any plants online, ever. Just don't wanna pay shipping, so that helps to keep me in check pretty well, since places to buy orchids around me are so limited. I do have a ridiculously long wish list, but imagine it will mostly remain just that, a Wish List
I can't ever see me paying more than 40 bucks for a single plant no matter how much I might THINK I want it. Too many other demands on the finances. But I enjoy what I'm able to get and there's always that occasional splurge shopping event
Tony

[RJSquirrel]

The plants I buy show a lot about myself and my own personal condition. More than I care or feel comfortable about revealing. Its not just the plant anymore bec the plant is providing a need.

You upgrade the need when the plants aren't providing the interest you know you have in them.

Theres much more feeling of accomplishment knowing you grow things that are difficult and everyone else knows that too. When you get better at growing them its time to upgrade the need for better plants..Its the vicious cycle of an orchid addict...its not about the money or the plants its how we view ourselves in context with what our abilities or lack of them allow us to get away with in growing them ...or not.

When what Im doing aint cliking my ticket anymore I do sometin else