Can anyone else not stop buying?
 

I went to Lowes to buy shelving and a thermometer. I left with those items plus two orchids. Baggie babies: Blc. King George, ans Blc. Lime Cooler. The were clearance for only 6 bucks each! Nevertheless, what is wrong with me. Why can't I say no to a clearance orchid.

I repotted both and King George was actually in great shape except that all the leaves' tips looked like they were damaged by water at some point. Lime Cooler had a fairly pathetic root system and decomposing bark, but great looking leaves. Anyhow, we'll see. Anyone else have a clearance problem?

All i can say is " you joint the Club" :)
And there is no cure.
Dont fight it-Just get more Shelving :)

What they may look like....some day if they survive in my conditions. At least I'm experimenting with different potting media. Yeah that's right....:evil:,I needed to buy them for an experiment.

Ironically that shelving solution I initially went to lowes for was because I was running out of orchid space. I'm not sure how well it will work out if I buy new orchids with new shelves. It's probably not a great plan fr getting ahead.

Are you sure that it is not George King? I just got 2 bag babies for $2.00 each at my Lowes this weekend, they had George King ' serendipity' which I already have. They are really pretty flowers tho.....Jean

Yeah... I have the same problem. Went to trader joe's for coconut oil. Came home with my first paph (really long name, but it has a tag!) and an oncidium rosy sunset pacific satin, which smells sort of citrusy and has a ton of buds on it.

I got a good deal... but I really need to stop! I'm running out of room!

Hope you can get them to grow-they look really Nice

Don't worry you're not alone, but be careful this is a gateway to "I got it for a good price syndrome". Symptoms of the syndrome I refered to are as follows: first you start with clearance orchids, then you'll be checking ebay daily and soon you'll find yourself on vendors websites checking out their monthlty, daily or weekly specials (and you'll know by heart who post when and what specials to expect).

You are right it is George king, 'serendipity'. Just wondering...since it is already named can you take it to and orchid show?

I had this problem and spent thousands of dollars this year. I found the only way to ease back was to have so many plants that it's now hard to take care that many. There are over two hundred now. The shelves got me too - Need more room, get a shelf, shelf isn't filled up, get more plants...

((Unfortunately)) another shelf arrived today from Costco. I got this one to "give the plants more room" and to "keep them organized".

Sorry to ask a question on this thread, but I can't take no knowing anymore-- what is this bag baby stuff people refer to? Is it a brand or how a plant is packaged or what? >.<

Lol.. I had the same thought once.
It's how they are packaged.
It's normally seedling - young orchids that are wrapped in a mesh net type bag.
Locally we get two sizes... ones in a 2" pot that are far from blooming. Or ones in a 4"pot that could be blooming size to a few years from blooming depending on the plant.

It seems two stores carry them. Lowe's and Homedepot. I've never seen them st my Lowe's, but people get quite a selection of cattleya hybrids, species, brassavola....
At homedepot I get lots of cattleya hybrids. They come with register names on a tag and at pretty reasonably priced.

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Good luck with your new cattleyas! They both look as though they will be very lovely!

Thank you!

I also got BLC George King "serendipity" half price from Lowes. It had a decent root system and the leaves looked awesome.

I will not buy any more Phalenopses, but I did buy others, especially oncidiums if I find them on sale and the plant is not in pathetic shape. I don't see oncidiums much around here, even at Lowes, so Idon't really get much chance to haul away a good deal. Recently I cut myself off from the "near dead" orchids and will only buy full price fresh orchids with good roots.

Nope I tell myself no more....then ebay buzzes me w a new cataseum selling....I have to look and decide yeah or nah....yeah bag babies do not exsist near me...

Funny this is posted. I actually just got some orchids I bought off Ebay delivered today. I just can't resist the cheap seedlings, even though I know they won't bloom for a few years.

The seller even threw in a bonus Masdevallia! Too bad I know nothing about Masdevallias.

JUST SAY NO
 

JUST SAY NO....Yea Right. I went to Lowes just to get out of the house, because it was snowing and did not want to see it. NO WINDOWS IN LOWES. And there they were on the clearance self.. Came home with a Bag Baby-- LC Drumbeat ' Triumph' Lavender.. All though the books say it an old time Pink... Don't care it was $5.00 It is a little rough looking there is a new plant manager there, and the clearance shelf is now total dead plants not the I really need a home plants It has good roots though and will recover by the spring.. Happy Growing everyone JamesL:)

I've never seen bag baby's in any of the Lowe's and Home Depots I've been in. Maybe I am not looking in the right place or maybe they don't have them in Wyoming or Montana. Was just there yesterday trying to find a pot to put my big Catt Jose in. I can't even find a pot but they did have some ONc but Nothing I had to have.

My dear husband was saying you don't have any more room hee hee hee he really has NO idea. Oh yes I do and then when you make me another shelf I will have more.

Even if my space is finishing, yesterday I ordered a clump of Vanda lamellata var. remediosae and.. the price was good and the plants are miniature, one Amesiella philippinensis and one Diplopora truncata :)
I'm planning to play Tetris to let them stay all in my space :D

Y'all are sick, that's all I have to say :whistling

The Psych major in me wonders if this orchid-buying compulsion is an effort to fill some kind of void in one's life? The new plant brings a rush of good feelings that quickly fade, resulting in the need to get another one?

I guess the question is: Why am I really buying this plant?

If it's because of the love of orchids, I mean truly loving them, that's one thing, but buying them just for the thrill of bringing home a new plant, that's indicative of deeper issues that should be brought up and dealt with.

My :twocents: as always : Smilie_happy_peac

All things considered in 2013, there are much, much worse things than being addicted to orchid collecting. I gave up the psychoanalysis of it long ago. It really doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm having fun with it.

Yes, I think I have gotten my last phal from clearance because my last one had such a terrible root system that I now know takes 2 to 3 years for full recovery.

For me, buying more orchids I think helps to reduce my anxiety that the ones I have may not bloom. I'm increasing my odds for success, because I know that poor culture or incorrect temp/ light may set me back 1-2 years in terms of blooming. So I figure if I have enough diversity, then I can spread out the plants via genera and location while hopefully getting at least one to bloom.

That being said, I also don't want to buy expensive orchids because I'm not confident that I will have the skill or environment for it to thrive. This has left me with a collection of mostly recovering orchids, which in turn are very slow to bloom. Go figure.

I'll probably be done at 20 orchids....unless I edit this post :)

That's what I said at 50. And 100 lol
:rofl:

Yeah, I thought it would make more sense for me to just not put a number on it. I mean... what's the point in defining a relationship with your hobby anyway? Why not just accept it and enjoy it for what it is? :D

[QUOTE=CambriaWhat;629368]Y'all are sick, that's all I have to say :whistling

The Psych major in me wonders if this orchid-buying compulsion is an effort to fill some kind of void in one's life? The new plant brings a rush of good feelings that quickly fade, resulting in the need to get another one?


Yes we are and the only known cure is to get 2 more plants in the morning :rofl: And some shelves , then a bag of potting bark, Which reminds me I need some fertilizer.......:lol::lol::lol:

---------- Post added at 02:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:35 PM ----------

Lady Soren this is how it starts. One thing leads to another...Now your hooked....Go and get 2 plants you'll feel better in the morning....:rofl: Happy Growing JamesL

Gaaaa! Less than an hour after writing that perfecter than thou post above, I was out buying a new baggie orchid at Lowes! A BLC Copper Queen which is a kind of burnt orange color. Had to have it. The leaves were so perfect! I had money!

I wish our Lowes would carry oncidiums! Please Lowes!

---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 PM ----------

[QUOTE=JamesL;629391]Do orchids lead to stronger plants?

I just know I will end up on the street with a shopping cart filled with ... orchids ... sleeping in the gutter. :lol:

The imagery of this cracks me up.

Glad I not the only one!

New Mexico or Michigan in the winter with a shopping cart full of orchids ? liza dolittle is that you..

If I ever get to the point the plants are on the bed, in the bathroom, fridge, pantry and blocking all exits...Then I'll stop buying

with my gramm wallissii this is quite possible...for one exit...:rofl:

I recently stopped counting (when I went over 200) and figure now I just don't need to. I also stopped keeping track of things on my spreadsheet. Not sure if I will regret that or not.

All I *do* know is that all this talk about it today made me... come home with five more this afternoon.

Paph Bruno (4th plant of this)
Paph William Matthews
Phrag longfolium
Masd. Sa Rang
Masd. Falcon Sunrise 'Cardinal'

I was about to say that I don't have any duplicates in my collection yet... then I realized that was a lie. LOL!

I do have 2 oncidium sharry baby. Love this one. I would fill my house with it if I could grow it in every room.

It's a terrible addiction! I think the plants use us in a symbiotic relationship. We care for them and we get enjoyment in return.

I try to get duplicates actually, especially seedlings. I've found one is always stronger than the other so I get one that flowers quicker than the other, and one as a backup. I have paph fairrieanum that I got two of in June - now one is in flower with a second growth working up, and the other that is growing but is still single growth and no flower. So I'm really glad I didn't just get the weaker one!

Bruno is an exception that it's pretty hard to find, so when I've had access I got a few. Today I got a really good deal on a larger plant of it, so I didn't want to turn it down.

A very wise person once reminded me that it isn't necessary to have them all right now ;)

:blushing: :whistling

Hehe ;)
I'm actually good for the most part, but can forget these words of wisdom when I am at an orchid show ...

I have lots and lots of repeats....of course they are all flask babies mostly.....:rofl::rofl: