New Orchid Arrvied with Brown Scale - Should I Ask to Replace Plant?

[Joseia]

the question: What should I do and what do you think the vendor should do?

The problem: Yesterday, I received a new orchid from a very long-established and reputable vendor that had about a dozen brown scale on the undersides of four or five leaves. I've purchased 6 orchids from them over the past three years and their plants were always perfect - free of disease and absolutely no insect pests - so I don't want to mention the name of the vendor since I think this is probably just a fluke. The vendor has a great reputation here on OB.

I removed the scale I could see with q-tips and rubbing alcohol and blasted the plant with my biggest gun - a solution of Bayer 3 in 1. Sprayed the plant thoroughly and drenched the media, and I will repot it this weekend into a new pot and fresh media. I will keep re-applying the Bayer every week for the next 3 or 4 weeks. It is quarantined, far away from my other plants.

Other than the scale, the plant looks very healthy and is more mature than I expected - it has already flowered and I was expecting to get a juvenile plant a year or two away from flowering, so I am happy about that.

I emailed the vendor last night and explained what I had found. My email was polite and non-threatening and not demanding any particular action. It just stated what I had found to warn them they may have a problem in the greenhouse that they are not ware of.

I am curious to see what the members here think I should do: keep the plant and keep treating it and hope I can get rid of these nasty buggers? Should I just toss the plant and ask them to send me another one? What would you expect the vendor to do - offer to replace the plant with a new one? Issue a refund?

[orchidsarefun]

You did the right thing by advising the vendor.
As to vendor response - after a bit of negotiation I would recommend settling for a 25-50% discount on your next plant purchase. You are otherwise happy with the plant...
Hope you took photos of the scale as proof if it comes down to it.

[Ray]

In such a circumstance, if I cannot place a plant, I 1) apologize, 2) refund the entire purchase price, 3) make some curing suggestions, and 4) wish them well.
Fortunately, such a circumstance only happened 2 or 3 times in 23 years.

[Leafmite]

In defense of the vendor, scale is one of those things that can take a person by surprise. I grow quite many plants and I have had plants that looked perfectly clean and a week later, were covered with either scale or mealy bugs. I hate these little sucking bugs!

---------- Post added at 04:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:08 PM ----------

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

You did the right thing by advising the vendor.
As to vendor response - after a bit of negotiation I would recommend settling for a 25-50% discount on your next plant purchase. You are otherwise happy with the plant...
Hope you took photos of the scale as proof if it comes down to it.

I agree with this. They did send you a larger than expected orchid when you probably paid for a seedling. That was very nice.

We do need to keep in mind that orchids are quite expensive to grow, especially in the North when the costs of running a greenhouse in the winter can be prohibitive. I keep hearing of so many orchid vendors who are closing, selling or transitioning to other plants. I loved Oak Hill Gardens and then they sold their business and I loved them again...they are gone. I love J&L and they tried to sell but it looks as though they will close. I think Hausermann's is transitioning...they opened a garden center. There are many others in the process....

---------- Post added at 04:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:15 PM ----------

I would treat the orchid. I get scale and mealy bugs on my orchids and other plants and I treat them. Why pitch a perfectly good plant?

[bethmarie]

I vote for a refund. It's part of the cost of doing business as a vendor and keeping a clean reputation.

[u bada]

I agree with leafmite with all she said.