Well, like everything in life....you get what you pay for.

Aside from the once in a while lucky find at Home Depot or Lowes, most of
the time I find them to have plants that have dried out, been blasted with
cold air (from the door or A/C) or overpotted because someone thinks a plant
from a 4 inch pot is worth more money if they move it up to a 6 inch pot.

My limit for a single plant is $50. I have broken that rule very few times.
My usual price per pot is about $15.

I have become the Orchid Snob that I swore I would never become. I won't
just buy a plant because it's cheap. I want a label (no more Phal Sans Nom
pour moi). I like to see some AOS awards if it is something that has
bloomed. I want it healthy and bug free. If it is a speculative cross I'd
like to know something about the parents. Yeah...I'm an Orchid Snob and
proud of it!

I have a large greenhouse for someone who does this as a hobby. If I'm
going to take my time away from my other plants to care for something that
is sick or sad then I'm not going to enjoy the hobby. Life is too short to
doctor something back that someone else has ignored. Space is limited and
expensive (as you know) in the greenhouse. I want to increase my chance of
success.

I want big flowery plants that when someone sees it goes "I want that!" I
have a few of the tiny interesting things that I grow just to see if I can
but most of my stuff have big beautiful flower potential.

To keep the costs down I would recommend that you find another orchid lover
who is close by and share the shipping costs. Group your purchases and
check multiple sources. If you buy one from this guy and two from this
other guy your per plant shipping cost is going to kill you. Rather than
buy 10 HD Bargains over the year save your money and buy some good stuff
mailorder.

Good growing,
Gene



"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
newsv5Bi.2041$_A5.617@trndny03...
Actually, I find the plants on line to be very inexpensive.

What do you consider inexpensive? :-) Some people with high 5 or 6
figure incomes think $100 for an orchid is inexpensive. What I saw were
in the $15 range and up. Most were more than that. Order a few plants,
add S&H and you're looking at $100 in one shot. For some of us retired
folks that's a lot to spend on plants. I realize the growers have to make
a living and I'm sure the plants are worth it, but....... let's face it,
orchids are not an inexpensive hobby. That' why I look for those that are
marked down now that we're on a more limited income.

The trick is
that you have to get enough shipped to you at a time so that the shipping
costs are spread across all the plants. Some companies like Carmela in
Hawaii charge a flat rate ($20 if I remember correctly). If you have
some who wants to share the order that makes it even better bargain.

I live in an isolated area out in the boonies. The people around here
don't even know what orchids are, or that you can grow them at home.


H&R (also in Hawaii) is very resonable with the shipping costs and their
plants are quite cheap.

I'll check them out right now. BTW what do you consider cheap? I'm
almost afraid to ask.

OakHillGardens has been great for mail order and have nice plants.

I recommend mailorder as a great way to ge some really cool plants that
you would never find at a Home Depot.

I think I already checked out Oak Hill but will again. I'd love to get a
few fragrant orchids. You never see them in the stores here.

Most of today was spent in the greenhouse installing the bubblewrap
insulation from Charlie's in 104 F heat. All this for plants. My
neighbor thinks I'm crazy.





Good Growing,
Gene