Unfortunately, you are preaching to the choir, here G. When I have
occasion to visit one of the big boxes, I always check out their orchid
selection and prices. I rarely find plants that I consider "comparable" to
ours, but when I do, our prices are usually lower, for a same-size plant, or
about the same for a larger one. And I can't even count the calls I get
that go along the lines of "The orchid I bought from you is doing great, but
these ones from [name your big box store] aren't looking so good, what am I
doing wrong?"].

Yeah. It's gotten ridiculous. I wish more people knew how much better the
orchids are, better selection, and cheaper at nearly any local orchid
supplier.

Not having been there, I could be wrong, but I think you mean 2x what Oak
Hill retails them for. The big box stores did not pay that retail price for
them, being a big-volume wholesale customer. So their markup is probably
more than the 100% you're thinking of ...
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com


Around here, about 3/4 of the places selling orchids are selling ones from
Oak
Hill. Usually with the tags still in the pots, often at twice what they
paid
for them.

On 11 Jun 2004 19:14:06 GMT, uckoff
(theoneflasehaddock) wrote:

Around here, about 3/4 of the places selling orchids are selling ones from Oak
Hill. Usually with the tags still in the pots, often at twice what they paid
for them.
theoneflasehaddock


I have seen OS members rave about a nursery that was selling
orchids, but when I visit I find tags that tell me the plants
were brought in from Oak Hill or other reputable growers. The
nursery prices are 1/2 again to twice as high as the direct price
would be. I can not understand why OS members don't realize.

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Depends on the location. In northern New England, I've been to 3 Home
Depots. Two are very poor. The third, which fortunately (or
unfortunately for the credit card) is closest, usually has a good supply
of phals, oncidiums, paphs, dendrobiums and even an occasional catt,
miltonia or epi. Almost always in plastic pots inside clay pots, well
staked and with labels, some indicating the cross. Latest trick is two
identical phals in the same 6" pot. Twice the flowers for the same
$19.99 (not that I'd ever divide them after flowering).
The nearest Target is mediocre, rarely with anything other than an
unlabeled Phal. The nearest Smalwart has never even had an orchid as far
as I know.

dusty wrote:

"Ray" wrote in
:



There are lots of suppliers of orchids to Lowes, HD, and the like, and
some of them even have pretty good plants. I'm still a bit wary
though - more based upon the retailer's understanding of orchid
culture than anything, but i have seen "fresh," inbound shipments that
look like crap.




You are right about root rot Ray; Lowes, Home Depot, Franks, Target, Kmart
and others have a habit of keeping the fancy contaners/plastic wrap filled
with water. I've spoke to a couple of Plant associates and they know it's
too much water but they say they are just doing what their managers told
them to do and that their managers won't even bother to read the care
guides.
More proof that one doesn't have to be intelegent to be a manager.
(one of my pet beliefs)

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 05:57:54 GMT, "Sinister" wrote:

The last place I expected to find professionally raised orchids, I found
spray after spray of Phal. Aphrodite at Lowes

I look at the hd discount bench sorta like buying bare root stuff. I
have to agree with those who mentioned rotten root balls, most of what
I've seen at the local hd seems to be in just such condition.

I'm still in the experimental stage of what works and doesn't work for
me. The hd cast-offs seem to work for trying new growing techniques.

I was just there a little while ago and was amazed at the poor
condition and high prices offer on the few vandas. The few roots
still attached were in horrible shape. One poor vanda had no roots
left on it, but it did have the remains of a spike, and was only
$29.99, what a deal, eh?

bb

In article , bb
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 05:57:54 GMT, "Sinister" wrote:

The last place I expected to find professionally raised orchids, I found
spray after spray of Phal. Aphrodite at Lowes

I look at the hd discount bench sorta like buying bare root stuff. I
have to agree with those who mentioned rotten root balls, most of what
I've seen at the local hd seems to be in just such condition.

I'm still in the experimental stage of what works and doesn't work for
me. The hd cast-offs seem to work for trying new growing techniques.

I was just there a little while ago and was amazed at the poor
condition and high prices offer on the few vandas. The few roots
still attached were in horrible shape. One poor vanda had no roots
left on it, but it did have the remains of a spike, and was only
$29.99, what a deal, eh?

bb

I consider Home Depot and Lowes orchids to be "cut flowers" --I put
them in the kitchen and enjoy them while the blossoms last: Once in a
while, I MIGHT get lucky and have a plant thrive after it blooms. My
favorite phal is a HD orchid, but it was preceeded by many others that
bloomed and died. Oh, yea, and you're always taking a chance that one
of their plants has scale or some other pest or a disease.

Basically, there is absolutely no substitute for a quality grower.
Period. If I could tell newbie growers only one thing, it would be
this. Well, and maybe that more orchids are killed by overwatering than
anything else...

Here in Portland, Oregon I find some at Fred Meyer's and Trader Joe's
stores. Actually some of my best phals and dendro's were "rescues" from Fred
Meyer's. What I do is wait until they are not blooming and the prices go
from $19.99 to $3. With some TLC they have become among my best orchids.

RM


"dd" wrote in message
...
In article , bb
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 05:57:54 GMT, "Sinister" wrote:

The last place I expected to find professionally raised orchids, I
found
spray after spray of Phal. Aphrodite at Lowes

I look at the hd discount bench sorta like buying bare root stuff. I
have to agree with those who mentioned rotten root balls, most of what
I've seen at the local hd seems to be in just such condition.

I'm still in the experimental stage of what works and doesn't work for
me. The hd cast-offs seem to work for trying new growing techniques.

I was just there a little while ago and was amazed at the poor
condition and high prices offer on the few vandas. The few roots
still attached were in horrible shape. One poor vanda had no roots
left on it, but it did have the remains of a spike, and was only
$29.99, what a deal, eh?

bb

I consider Home Depot and Lowes orchids to be "cut flowers" --I put
them in the kitchen and enjoy them while the blossoms last: Once in a
while, I MIGHT get lucky and have a plant thrive after it blooms. My
favorite phal is a HD orchid, but it was preceeded by many others that
bloomed and died. Oh, yea, and you're always taking a chance that one
of their plants has scale or some other pest or a disease.

Basically, there is absolutely no substitute for a quality grower.
Period. If I could tell newbie growers only one thing, it would be
this. Well, and maybe that more orchids are killed by overwatering than
anything else...