Rescuing Orchids

[bkim]

I was at Lowes yesterday looking for a fungicide and perused the orchid area. MAN! Almost every orchid there was completely dried out and pretty much dead. There were some nice Phal hybrids there too. I had my eye on a Phal Sogo Cherry there that I considered to trying to sphag-in-bagging but I don't want to pay $10 for a plant that may end up dying. Plus my DW will kill me if I got another orchid.

So my question is, has anyone tried to get 1/2 dead plants for free from these major stores? I'm tempted to go back and ask if they can just give me the plant.

[(..._...)]

wish!!!

They probably won't though, even though they will die

my local home depot has 5 dying catts that have been there since feb. and they are still 60$$!!!!!

[MissFlora]

I had been in a similar situation in Wal-mart before, but the staff insisted not even giving a slight discount for a closed-to dead orchid. What she said was that...the plants can all die and they will get back a refund from the supplier anyway. Shrugs!

[bkim]

Bah! What a waste. =(

[wahaj]

oh i've done it loads of times. All the paphs I had, I got for about $5 each from a garden centre that was shutting down, and they hadn't watered them in several weeks. they were at the brink of death. I bought them back to better health and they've all flowered twice in the last year. they've all got loads of growth on them.

[Dorothy]

Funny you should bring this up as there was a whole thread of this subject started this past March - Check it out -
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...wers-drop.html

[bkim]

Thanks Dorothy for the link. What a shame! It does give me an idea though.

What if these companies could donate their unwanted plants to an organization that specialized in rescuing unwanted plants, reviving them, and selling them with part of the proceeds going to conservation and other charities? The stores win by getting a tax write off. The orchids win by getting new homes. And it makes a difference in the world!

Eh?

[littlevillage]

I have worked at Lowe's myself & my fiance still does, so I'll give you a little hint that usually works at the Lowe's here. First of all, w/ almost all plants, not just orchids, as soon as they are done flowering they'll put them on clearance. Usually they'll mark them about 1/2 off. A lot of times they would rather sell them at a lower price than throw them out. If the plant that you're looking at has a hand written tag then you're probably in luck. The first thing you do is make nice w/ the nursery specialist or department manager, then ask them if they can mark it down lower. They usually will if you're nice & exaggerate on how bad the plant looks. They won't give it to you for free. They can't let anything out the door without some kind of payment.
I've gotten 6 orchids in the past couple of months from Lowe's & only paid full price once. The five were on clearance because they were done flowering. I brought them home, cut them back & now they're flowering again.

[cowboy51278]

I have a friend that is prone to some naughty behavior that will scavange the half price orchids off the clearence rack at lowes and pick up some of the african violets and as she wanders about the store she subtley peals the tags off the half price violets (usually around $1.95) and applies them to the orchid pots. The cashiers dont know the difference and dont care. My first thought was that it was funny. Then I thought a bit dishonest, but in the end I thought it was better if the plant had a fighting chance rather than getting the ax. Not that I would advise this behavior. But I have to give traci points for creativity in her cheapness and determination in commiting to the rescue.