The National Capital Orchid Show
 

I attended the National Capital Orchid Show yesterday with my daughter. We had a great afternoon, loved seeing all the orchids in bloom. My daughter had never been to an orchid show and she was pretty excited.

Naturally, I headed for J&L’s booth and was happy to find Cordelia busy with customers and plants. She is the sweetest lady! She remembered helping me fill a box last year and gave me another box and said “let’s fill it up!”

I was a bit more conservative this year, only purchased six orchids from J&L and a Neofinetia from the members table.

These are my new additions:
Neofinetia tougen, Maxillaria juergensii, Pleurothallis sonderana, Dendrobium cuthbertsonii pink giant x bicolor, Maxillaria sophronitis, Holcoglossum nujiangense, and Cleisostoma arietinum

Wonderful.

How fantastic! What nice choices and you did very well controlling yourself. I heard it is an amazing orchid show. If I went there, I would need to put a note on my wallet to remind me that I have no space! :)

Leafmite, thank you! I had a tough time not squeezing in more plants, that box would have held several more. I honestly was as happy to see Cordelia still with J&L as I was to see the orchids. If you’ve ever met her, I know you understand. Apparently she is working for the new owners.

This is the only orchid show I’ve ever attended, twice now, so nothing to compare it to. The displays are gorgeous and the vendors are all east cost and very friendly. I wish Al attended this show:/

I had just placed an order with Satomi prior to the show so I knew I needed to practice a bit of restraint! The problem is, there is always room for more miniatures!!! My daughter absolutely loved the show and purchased two orchids herself, yay!

It sounds like a very nice show. Cordelia sounds like a fun person. I am glad she is still with J&L. I find it very helpful to have the vendor help give advice about what orchids will work with my conditions. Some of my best orchids were chosen or pointed out by the vendors. How nice that you were able to enjoy the show with your daughter! My daughters look upon orchid shows as a form of torture or a display of extreme devotion. Maybe that will change one day.

At our annual cactus & succulent society show and sale, we put the big empty boxes in the front of the pile, and try to hide the little ones.

I'm getting ready to head to an orchid show this January with my mom. I am very excited! Do they sell orchid supplies there? I am in need of some things, but I was going to wait for the show. Are orchids reasonably priced?

You can contact the organization sponsoring the show. They will be happy to tell you which vendors will be there. You may be able to contact vendors and pre-order supplies to be picked up at the show.

"Reasonable" is in the estimation of the orchidophile. Often they are less expensive at shows because there is no individual packing and shipping to the customer.

Shows sponsored by orchid societies often have sales tables of member's plants, which can be bargains (or, sometimes, be infested with pests.)

Any good way to tell if an orchid has pests? I've been lucky so far.

Sometimes you can see them if you look closely, but usually you can't. That's why so many people recommend quarantining new arrivals away from the collection for a while.

I had scale appear in multiple plants in my collection 6 months after purchasing from two vendors. I don't know whence it came.