Lowes selling "exotic" orchids

[The Orchid Boy]

Originally Posted by Ordphien

I just saw bag babies at HD for the first time. Lowe's still hasn't gotten any in....
I'm on the hunt for little stars locally so I keep wishing

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I have a nice B. Little Stars from Lowes in bud now. I was hoping to trade in for a B. nodosa or B. cucullata...

[SJF]

I just wanted to give everyone a warning. I love to buy the Better Gro bag babies and bought a couple of them yesterday at Lowes. The Blc Lime Cooler is covered with hard scale and has snow mold in the media. I re-pot, so the mold isn't a major issue. The scale is. I haven't decided if I should return it or not.
A nodosa variety that I bought has Anthracnose in the center leaves and the snow mold.

I just wanted to let everyone know to be cautious.

[Joseia]

Originally Posted by SJF

I just wanted to give everyone a warning. I love to buy the Better Gro bag babies and bought a couple of them yesterday at Lowes. The Blc Lime Cooler is covered with hard scale and has snow mold in the media. I re-pot, so the mold isn't a major issue. The scale is. I haven't decided if I should return it or not.
A nodosa variety that I bought has Anthracnose in the center leaves and the snow mold.

I just wanted to let everyone know to be cautious.

I've purchased 7 of the bag babies. Of the 7, 1 is definitely incorrectly tagged and 2 were diseased with some kind of black rot. If I knew then what I knew now, I would have returned the two sick ones instead of nursing them back to health. So, like with any plant you buy, you really need to keep the new ones segregated until you are sure of their condition.

On the plus side, one the the bag babies, a B Nodosa Little Stars "Mas Mejor" has already flowered for me. (Actually, that one had two new buds that were dead and rotted when I unbagged it.). The others have been doing very well.

I am probably done buying the bag babies, it is just too hard to see the condition of the plant through the mesh bag.

[kindrag23]

My schomburgkia that is a bag baby from www.orchidfanatic.com was in absolutely wonderful it wound up being 3 pieces for a little more than lowes prices. Better-gro also posts that they are fone of their sellers on their website. just a thought.

[pipsxlch]

I'm sorry to hear about the Lime Cooler. I got one too, but mine is okay. Out of curiosity, was the hangtag specific to the Lime Cooler, or was it one of the generic green catt ones? I bought mine a couple weeks/a month ago with a generic green tag, but have the past couple weeks seen them in other stores (and newer looking) with a hangtag specific to it. I don't know if there might be different batches.

Did anyone complain to Sunbulb/Better-Gro? I agree the plants almost certainly came from them with the scale. They may not do anything for you, but they should know of the problem in their growhouse.

As far as checking out the plants first, I ALWAYS remove and inspect them from their plastic and/or mesh bag before I decide to buy. I don't have enough money to waste on a lost cause, and don't want to introduce problems.

The bag babies aren't perfect, but for those of us who don't have nurseries nearby (or ones that have what you grow), or who can't afford mailorder or don't want to buy without inspecting first, they are a very viable option I'm glad is there. I've gotten some really nice things from them, for a great price. It doesn't excuse them, but mislabels happen in lots of places sometimes, and sales of less-than-healthy plants even at shows.

Hmm, I wonder what percentage of those bag babies sold at the box stores goes home with hobbyists? They don't seem like they'd truly appeal to the causal uninformed buyer like the blooming phals do (for about the same cost).

Edit to add P.S. Kindrag what speies/hybrid is your schombo? I haven't seen any in stores here. The Lowe's/HD price for a schombo is awesome!

[SJF]

Originally Posted by pipsxlch

I'm sorry to hear about the Lime Cooler. I got one too, but mine is okay. Out of curiosity, was the hangtag specific to the Lime Cooler, or was it one of the generic green catt ones? I bought mine a couple weeks/a month ago with a generic green tag, but have the past couple weeks seen them in other stores (and newer looking) with a hangtag specific to it. I don't know if there might be different batches.

Did anyone complain to Sunbulb/Better-Gro? I agree the plants almost certainly came from them with the scale. They may not do anything for you, but they should know of the problem in their growhouse.

As far as checking out the plants first, I ALWAYS remove and inspect them from their plastic and/or mesh bag before I decide to buy. I don't have enough money to waste on a lost cause, and don't want to introduce problems.

The bag babies aren't perfect, but for those of us who don't have nurseries nearby (or ones that have what you grow), or who can't afford mailorder or don't want to buy without inspecting first, they are a very viable option I'm glad is there. I've gotten some really nice things from them, for a great price. It doesn't excuse them, but mislabels happen in lots of places sometimes, and sales of less-than-healthy plants even at shows.

Hmm, I wonder what percentage of those bag babies sold at the box stores goes home with hobbyists? They don't seem like they'd truly appeal to the causal uninformed buyer like the blooming phals do (for about the same cost).

Edit to add P.S. Kindrag what speies/hybrid is your schombo? I haven't seen any in stores here. The Lowe's/HD price for a schombo is awesome!

Hi,
Thanks. It actually says Lime Cooler. I will take a picture and add it later . It isn't the best picture.

I did e-mail the company. I have yet to get a response. I will post it if I get one. I would hope that at very least they get a better control on their greenhouse pests.

I agree, they are great to purchase. I don't care if some poo poo them. I am not experienced enough (and even if I was not flush enough) to spend hundreds on one orchid. Maybe I can have the luxury one day when I am an experienced grower and have learned my growing lessons and only killed the less expensive orchids. There will probably never be a day that I can afford those plants anyway.

Good luck with yours
SJF

[SJF]

Here it is

[Joseia]

Originally Posted by pipsxlch

As far as checking out the plants first, I ALWAYS remove and inspect them from their plastic and/or mesh bag before I decide to buy. I don't have enough money to waste on a lost cause, and don't want to introduce problems.

Oh, I didn't know that I could take them out of the bags before purchasing. If I can do that, I would probably check them out again. The healthy plants I got from Lowe's have been doing very well.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by Joseia

Oh, I didn't know that I could take them out of the bags before purchasing. If I can do that, I would probably check them out again. The healthy plants I got from Lowe's have been doing very well.

I tried once in my Lowes and the clerk gave me a filthy look and said don't open it. It embarrassed me too much to do it again. I wasn't going to unpot it in the cart, lol. I was only opening the staple to look in the top of the bag. I thought to myself okay...a hassle to return it, but suit yourself. If they don't work out I will take them back since I don't have a money tree in the backyard lol

[fotofashion]

About that time I would have a conversation with the person in charge of the department. You have the right to inspect the plant without dirty looks or the hassle of having to make another trip to the store with the diseased plant. (all IMHO)
Beverly A.