Putting care instructions in with plants can be as harmful as helpful
because folks' growing conditions vary so greatly.

For example, in my warm, breezy greenhouse, plants dry out pretty rapidly,
so I water frequently. If I was to recommend that to others with different
conditions, I could be telling them to rot their roots!

I have the generalized, middle-of-the-road AOS culture sheets posted on my
website, so folks can always read- or download them, as they see fit, but
the buyer has to realize that to be a successful orchid grower, he must
analyze his own conditions and take the steps necessary to make them right
for his plants. AND...he should buy plants suited to those conditions.

Occasionally I'll get an order from someone I suspect is an inexperienced
grower, and I'll quiz them about their selection before filling the order.
Occasionally I end up canceling it altogether, but I'd rather do that than
let the customer spend lots of cash and be disappointed. More than once
those individuals ended up going to H-D or Lowes, buy a plant, kill it and
come back to me for advice... Ultimately I gain them as a customer anyway,
and I really fight the urge to say "I told you so."
--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


wrote in message
...
I enjoyed reading the above posts and can see "above and beyond the
call of duty" on the vendor's part and poor judgement in the buyer's
part as in the newspaper incident. I've ordered a little off of ebay in
the past and could tell when an order was carefully packaged. (I liked
seeing the exact plant I was getting) What nobody's mentioned though is
maybe putting care instructions in with the order ......Burr