I feel bad for the unsuspecting customer that walks into a greenhouse and buys a plant that the nursery knows full well will fail the average person.

I can't even begin to tell you how many people I know that have replaced their orchids over and over again due to not being well informed about their needs.

They are having an Orchid special next week with hundreds of Orchids and many of them that will not survive unless they have teh perfect conditions.
Some are over 50 dollars and no one is ever there to teach anyone of their proper care.

Strange.

Mike

"Fail the average person" i do not own a nursery but if i'm on a show sales table i suss out the customer and try and sell them something that they might be able to grow and bloom.

The Orchid Nurseries that survive long term do the right thing by their customers.

Sometimes the customer does not listen. I gave a friend one of my Tolumnia Hybrids and he was standing in my glasshouse looking at them, where they were growing etc. etc. and i said. blah, blah "do not repot it , take it home and it should be fine for another year." Needless to say he took it home and put it in a larger pot. it died.

Then, of course, there is the work, all that potting on, repotting. The bills, must be a nightmare, the cost of heating in the frozen north....

Finally, we are not growing Marigolds. We are growing orchids. Some are a challenge and to grow everything you might need about 10 sets of different growing conditions.

It is an expensive hobby. That's why you have to start slowly and learn as much as you can. Best place to do that is your local Orchid Society. Also, join the American Orchid Society and you can get discounts from many growers and discounts at shows. You will get a beautiful magazine and want to grow everything you see!

Nick

Thank you for that. I actually joined one and I can't wait for their first meeting next Tuesday.

I think I will hold off on looking at a magazine for a bit. Looking at the orchids here, especially the one you posted is enough for me.:)I am still working on getting that one and then I will be content to a day or so:-)

Yes. From what I am reading it seems that there a honest hearted groups of people who barely scrape by in the orchid buisness and who invest quite a bit of time. I have actually met a place like that and was very impressed with their acre for them.

Then there are places like outlet stores, nurseries, and big box stores that make good money on them just to have repeat customers who have not got a clue as to the proper care for many that should not even be sold here.

Then there are the sellers that make a pretty penny on some that are a lot smaller than you think when you get one from e-bay.lol

Then there are places that loose them by the wayside of not sold in a proper amount of time. They just threw about about 30 orchids at teh Lowe's here. I was sickned my that. They refused to give me one to save.

Mike