Orchid boarding???
 

....I didnt know this existed, but I'm not surprised that it does. An interesting article when you have a few minutes to read it...


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.was...57b_story.html

Drop off your out of bloom orchids and pick them up when they are ready to bloom....neat idea. It is Chadwick and Sons, too, a very reputable place. It is nice that these people are not tossing the orchids even when they might just want them to decorate their homes.

At $10 to $24/month for boarding, even I would get rid of a "decorator" plant first. Of course, I'd give it away rather than trashing it.

"He charges $2 a month to mind the plant —"

That sounds like a pretty reasonable price to me. Of course, it could certainly add up if you're talking about many plants and leaving them there for many months.

I found the entire article very interesting, including the orchid history and Mr. Chadwick's insights on orchid culture.

I believe it was a case of poor reporting and poorly written info on the website. The standard used to be $x per inch of pot diameter.

From that page of the Chadwick website:

"For $2.00 per month (minimum $10 and maximum $24{emphasis mine}), we will board your orchid under greenhouse conditions until it blooms again. We accept many orchid types. Repotting, if necessary, may incur an additional fee. Plants should be given to us in good condition and in no larger than a 6” pot (or an additional fee). "

I can see boarding in the event of a temporary absence or inability to care for my plants, just as I would my pets. But I would no more send a plant away to be cared for as a matter of general practice than I would a pet. Actually, considering the much lower level of care required and the lesser implications of failure, I'd be more likely to hold on to a plant until the bitter end. And my pets aren't going anywhere.

Thanks for that clarification, Ray. I was only going by what was said in the article.

I agree! I would never send a plant out for someone else to care for just because I wasn't doing a good enough job myself. I think I would have the attitude that maybe I just shouldn't own that plant. It also occurred to me that, for the people who are doing this at Chadwick's, isn't it likely that the cycle will just keep repeating itself? As far as pets, yes, for some people, temporarily boarding them when they are on vacations or business trips is common and necessary, and I have often wished there was a "boarding greenhouse" nearby for my plants so I could go on vacation without having to worry about who will care for them. :)

Here is another business which does boarding on the west coast:Welcome to California Orchids