How do we buy new plants? A search for intelligent design.

10 years ago

I was involved in a discussion yesterday of how we, who all desperately need more orchids as we don't have enough, go about buying new ones. What follows is a continuation of my post entitled 'Horizontal enlargement of the collection'.

We recognized 2 types of purchase; Targeted and random. Random was divided into just plain DUMB, and somewhat sensible. I'll go to Santa Barbara next week for the spring show and come home with a few new orchids, some form the SBOE $7.50 table and others from the vendors. These are random, spur of the moment decisions and generally can be classified as just plain dumb as I really don't need them and usually feel silly on the way home. But I definitely will go anyway, that's the nature of the addiction.

The other random purchases for me happen every Sunday morning. After I wake up and do some needed, targeted scratching, have a cup of coffee and look at the Sund newspaper, I'll attack the computer. First look at emails and yahoo news and then bring up eBay and type in 'ORCHID SPECIES'. A search usually reveals more than 1,000 offerings. It takes about 1 hour but I'll scan the works and often come up with some of the most unusual and eclectic things.

After I have a list of several targets, collected in the 'Watch' column, I'll research them. First I see if Andy or SBOE offer them. If they do, I scratch them, don't need something from eBay if Andy has it. If the item is not commercially available and not only is exiting but it's culture needs are OK with me, I'll go for it. I'm not deterred by the fact that it may be from Lower Slobobvia or who knows where as I have an import permit and the vendors always have a way of getting it to you. This is my most exiting buying activity and I look forward to the search every Sunday morning. I have found my most unusual stuff that way. Yesterday I found Oncidium globuliferum, a weird dude of an Oncidium, never heard of it before. It was expensive, $88 including shipping but it has about 50 pbulbs and I'll immediately make 3 to 4 small divisions, guys are standing in line to buy them for $10 each. This will lessen the pain.

Then there are targeted purchases related to collecting and growing certain genera. Right now I'm into eclectic terrestrials, American, European, Australian and others. This is targeted buying leading to horizontal or vertical collection enhancement as was discussed earlier. This of course makes most sense and is interesting enough but lacks the adrenalin rush of finding something exiting on eBay.

We had a lot of fun talking about the random buying we all engage in, each of us laughing at our self for some of the ridiculous things we do. How do you do go about it?

Nick

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Comments (5)

shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
10 years ago
When I first started I'd but 2 or 3 blooming plants very month. The goal of having something in bloom year around. That worked. Then space became a premium so I added more slowly and carefully.

Source of purchase has been mostly at our society meeting. We bring in speakers that have plants for sale. I always would buy something from the speaker. In fairness they traveled great distance to speak to us so I liked reciprocating. And the quality of plants from these specialists is very good. Far better than the big box plants.

Our annual show provides the best opportunities for more plants and I like to support their efforts for showing up.

Then there are gift orchids. Some are from divisions I made. Many I would go out and purchase. For another grower it would be from my collection only. Otherwise I would buy plants in full bloom. The non growers are easily wowed by commercial phals and that is what they get. Great prices from 7 to 15.v And no emotional attachment to the plant for me. If any recipients have success with the plants I will give them more. But if they kill them sorry, no more. I explain that in advance to avoid hurt feelings and to provide motivation.
Leafhead
10 years ago
My Orchid buying spree usually begins in February By then I'm real sick of Winter) at the annual Garden Expo, where there are several sources for Phals and Oncidiums. This year's Winter Blues Busters are Oncidium "Heaven Scent" Redolence and Miltonidium Ruffles "Scent of a Woman", along c a few assorted Phals. I like to buy Orchids that bloom in the Winter when there's nothing but snow and ice outside.
As the weather warms, I turn my attention to my awakening Butterfly Garden and move a lot of my indoor plants outside.
Target plants include Oncidium "Twinkle White" and Dendrobium Microchip.
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jane__ny
10 years ago
Interesting quesiton. I've thought about it and I would have to say that in my case I was never happy with my growing conditions therefore, I could never focus on enjoying what I could grow and expanding on it.

I struggled growing in the NE and now learning about growing in the SE. I feel inexperienced growing in Florida and look forward to be where you are now.

Hope I live long enough...

Jane
orchidnick
Original Author
10 years ago
Interesting perspective, Jane. When people b-tch and complain about California, I always ask them where they want to move to. Another planet?

On the other hand, when the old Soviet Union collapsed and the new 'free' Russia evolved they were concerned that their citizens could move anywhere they wanted to. What's to prevent them all to move to the sunny beautiful parts of Russia. Europe before the EU had the same concerns. What's to prevent the borderless Europe from having all it's citizens move to the French Riviera.

Both Europe and Russia studied the US to try to find out why everybody from Mississippi or Alabama does not move to California or Florida. They found out that people do have roots and generally stay where they are from. Neither Europe nor the modern Russia experienced any great population shift when their population was free to go where they pleased.

You will always be welcome in California (Remember, no humidity here, you actually have to water your orchids in the summer).

Nick
terpguy
10 years ago
For me orchid purchasing is highly targeted. I don't have the funds to be spending on plants very often; I will often go a couple years without buying a single plant. Then I may have a little extra money, and in that time I will have taken an interest in plants I might've seen on the forums I frequent, or remembered a plant from trying to grow once upon a time. So then I might buy somewhere between four and six plants.

I've never been one for obsessing over a specific genus or region. However, I have recently come into my abilities to grow paphs, phrags, and bulbos. So what limited space I have left has been dedicated to attempting a few from each of these genera.