Unbelievable!! How NOT to water a precious orchid!!
 

Today I decided to make a trip to all the local nurseries and stores that sell orchids to take advantage of the half off specials from the left over Mother's Day orchids. During each "shopping spree", I'm used to finding orchids that have been neglected, but what I saw today literally made my jaw drop to the floor. I decided to buy the plant...I couldn't help it, I felt so sorry for it (as it it were an animal in a pound about to be euthanized! Lol). I believe that leaving an orchid sitting in 5 inches of standing water makes this a prime example of over watering! Couldn't help but snap a picture to share with all of you.

That's insane, were they all like that?

That was the only one I saw that was so extreme, but they were ALL severely over watered. I had to trim off most of the roots due to rot, but I'm hoping with some tlc it will bounce back. I know Lowe's is a mass vendor, but I honestly expected better from them than that mess. Such a waste ofnbeautiful plants...

I used to merchandise products in a large home improvement store and would often see the vendor for the plants. Everything got watered the same regardless of what it was. She just went in with a hose and sprayed it all the same. Orchids would have the plastic bag around them and they were hit with the water and left with the bags full. I thought those plant vendors should be taught about different plants but I guess the companies just don't care. They just throw them away if they rot, used to see hundreds thrown in the compactor.

The shop's version of semi hydro - not!

A mass-produced phal is not a precious orchid. Question is - was it a Lowe's employee or a vendor's rep who watered these orchids? And if it was a vendor's rep, I would seriously worry about other pests diseases that the orchid might be carrying.

If all you have is box store phals, it's fine to 'rescue' these plants (and I hope you didn't pay more than $5 for it). But if you're progressing to more serious orchids, you have to be careful about what you're bringing into your collection.

I just got burned with a masevallia that turned out to be virused. No more sketchy bargains for me.

I was using a little sarcasm when I referred to them as "precious", but I have two groups: my finer orchids and my cheap orchids that are just for decoration...all orchids are quarantined when I bring them home until I'm sure there are no pests, etc. Either way I just thought it was a sad sight to see, whether it be a 5 dollar orchid or a 50 dollar one.

I don't agree with you. Even if it is a mass-produced NoId phal, it's still a living plant and deserves some respect.

Agree, I think "precious" is in the eye of the beholder, and there are some mass produced NoIDs that can be precious to someone for a multitude of reasons. :)

Now, as I am a beginner and saved a Phal last year (it is struggling)...if I ever do bring in another orchid, for how long should it be quarantined? And how do you quarantine, exactly? Do you water them in separate sinks?