Hi everyone!
Just an FYI - was at Lowes the other day and they had 2 1/2" Cattleya
seedlings for US $5.96. A Potinara, a BLC, and an LC. Sorry, don't
remember the names but they were familiar - I mean clones I heard of
before.
No, didn't buy any. At the moment I'm happy with what I have.
Anyway, if you can get to a Lowes, see if they have them. The Lowes I
was at is on the Roosevelt Blvd, just north of Grant Ave, in Northeast
Philadelphia.
Bob Campoli

I think the way the system works is that very small orchids are sent
from SE Asia to Florida, where they are grown in huge automated
greenhouses to a moderate size, then shipped to the mass
merchandiser(lowes, Home depot, sam's costco).

the smalls must have come out because of some problem at the
greenhouse.

On 29 May 2006 15:54:50 -0700, "bobc" wrote:

Hi everyone!
Just an FYI - was at Lowes the other day and they had 2 1/2" Cattleya
seedlings for US $5.96. A Potinara, a BLC, and an LC. Sorry, don't
remember the names but they were familiar - I mean clones I heard of
before.
No, didn't buy any. At the moment I'm happy with what I have.
Anyway, if you can get to a Lowes, see if they have them. The Lowes I
was at is on the Roosevelt Blvd, just north of Grant Ave, in Northeast
Philadelphia.
Bob Campoli

In Houston Lowe's has packaged orchids for 12.98. They are about 12"
tall, the leaves, and look pretty good.
Joe T

Lowes & HD here in FL both have those packaged things. But imagine the
treatment they've suffered! Personally, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Diana

Diana,

I have to agree. And you're probably taking business away from a small
locally owned nursery, to boot.

I think it's absolutely worth it to pay more for your orchids if it means
your local grower can stay in business another generation, teaching their
clients all about the love of orchids.

The alternative is the continued homogenization of America.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
Lowes & HD here in FL both have those packaged things. But imagine the
treatment they've suffered! Personally, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Diana

Eric Hunt wrote:
Diana,

I have to agree. And you're probably taking business away from a small
locally owned nursery, to boot.

I think it's absolutely worth it to pay more for your orchids if it means
your local grower can stay in business another generation, teaching their
clients all about the love of orchids.

The alternative is the continued homogenization of America.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
Lowes & HD here in FL both have those packaged things. But imagine the
treatment they've suffered! Personally, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Diana

Eric, well stated and I agree strongly.
Joe T

Eric Hunt wrote:
Diana,

I have to agree. And you're probably taking business away from a small
locally owned nursery, to boot.

I think it's absolutely worth it to pay more for your orchids if it means
your local grower can stay in business another generation, teaching their
clients all about the love of orchids.

The alternative is the continued homogenization of America.

Not only that, but also the constant flow of money abroad if they are
cheap imports. Our mass produced orchids come from Holland, yours maybe
from Thailand?

Reka

While I cannot disagree with the sentiment - my own plant-selling
methodologies have been greatly affected and a guy near here went broke
trying to raise and sell phals - we must also keep in mind the potential
positive effects the "big box" phals have:

It is unlikely that someone traveling under the old myth about the
difficulty of growing orchids will seek out an orchid grower, visit, and
ultimately buy one, especially at the $35 or $40 that some charge. IF, on
the other hand, that imported cheapie happens to become an impulse buy while
seeking toggle bolts, there is a reasonable possibility that the individual
will decide to research a bit on the web, discover the "whole world" or
orchids out there, become fascinated, and join the rest of us in this
marvelous addiction.

--

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


"Eric Hunt" wrote in message
...
Diana,

I have to agree. And you're probably taking business away from a small
locally owned nursery, to boot.

I think it's absolutely worth it to pay more for your orchids if it means
your local grower can stay in business another generation, teaching their
clients all about the love of orchids.

The alternative is the continued homogenization of America.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
Lowes & HD here in FL both have those packaged things. But imagine the
treatment they've suffered! Personally, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Diana

Eric's reasons make more sense to me than the condition of the plants. Many
of the orchids with pseudobulbs can last quite a while without being cared
for. I even saw them for sale at the Selby gift shop the last time we were
down there.
-danny

"Eric Hunt" wrote in message
...
Diana,

I have to agree. And you're probably taking business away from a small
locally owned nursery, to boot.

I think it's absolutely worth it to pay more for your orchids if it means
your local grower can stay in business another generation, teaching their
clients all about the love of orchids.

The alternative is the continued homogenization of America.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
Lowes & HD here in FL both have those packaged things. But imagine the
treatment they've suffered! Personally, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Diana

On Wed, 31 May 2006 05:43:54 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

While I cannot disagree with the sentiment - my own plant-selling
methodologies have been greatly affected and a guy near here went broke
trying to raise and sell phals - we must also keep in mind the potential
positive effects the "big box" phals have:

It is unlikely that someone traveling under the old myth about the
difficulty of growing orchids will seek out an orchid grower, visit, and
ultimately buy one, especially at the $35 or $40 that some charge. IF, on
the other hand, that imported cheapie happens to become an impulse buy while
seeking toggle bolts, there is a reasonable possibility that the individual
will decide to research a bit on the web, discover the "whole world" or
orchids out there, become fascinated, and join the rest of us in this
marvelous addiction.


Ray ,
I agree with the sentiment - but they are often in such poor
conditions -- over stuffed pots of sphagnum moss.... that they rot at
home.

I have a neighbor who just contributed the second phal, this one was
just wilting from over watering. She even watered it on her way out
the door to deliver it to me.. "it's delicate and needs to be damp".
After a week it was dry enough that some of the wilted flowers
recovered when watered and drained.

It perpetuates the "fragile myth". Often their plants are so abused
that they can not recover with TLC, only with tough love -- you are
"on the wagon," dry out!"


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

"Eric Hunt" wrote in
:

Diana,

I have to agree. And you're probably taking business away from a small
locally owned nursery, to boot.

I think it's absolutely worth it to pay more for your orchids if it
means your local grower can stay in business another generation,
teaching their clients all about the love of orchids.

The alternative is the continued homogenization of America.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
Lowes & HD here in FL both have those packaged things. But imagine
the treatment they've suffered! Personally, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Diana




I wish I had some small locally owned growers besides the one that is by
appointment only. Also the once a year orchid show when US growers show
up is a mob scene rather than a pleasurable buying event. What I have is
the orange and blue boxes, and other retailers who seem to carry the
same named orchids. However I don't pay retail and that leaves the
orange box out as they trash before discounting. I have gotten some
nice catts off Lowes discount shelf $2-$5 and I still cant pass up a
nice looking 50 cent phal.

Ray,

I thought of this - I do feel this POV is true in a not-insignificant
percentage of people.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Ray" wrote in message
...
While I cannot disagree with the sentiment - my own plant-selling
methodologies have been greatly affected and a guy near here went broke
trying to raise and sell phals - we must also keep in mind the potential
positive effects the "big box" phals have:

Dusty,

This is the second thing I thought of after posting my argument - I think
it's absolutely true for a large number of people who do not live near a
private grower.

One can hope these people find a good, reliable vendor who sells plants over
the internet to provide a way for them to expand their collection and
knowledge.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Dusty" wrote in message
. 17.102...
I wish I had some small locally owned growers besides the one that is by
appointment only. Also the once a year orchid show when US growers show

As to a good reliable vendor, both Tropical Orchid Farm (Or was it Exotic
Orchids of Maui?) and Carter and Holmes sell their orchids through
Amazon.com... in case one already has an Amazon account, and doesn't want
one's credit card information all over the web. Both businesses already
have web reliable presences, but you never can tell why you'd like to get
orchids from Amazon...maybe you got a gift certificate, etc.

K Barrett

"Eric Hunt" wrote in message
...
Dusty,

This is the second thing I thought of after posting my argument - I think
it's absolutely true for a large number of people who do not live near a
private grower.

One can hope these people find a good, reliable vendor who sells plants
over the internet to provide a way for them to expand their collection and
knowledge.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org

"Dusty" wrote in message
. 17.102...
I wish I had some small locally owned growers besides the one that is by
appointment only. Also the once a year orchid show when US growers show

I think plant sellers have a truth in advertising problem. They show
you the flower and deliver the twig. ;-))
Note; Many orchid sellers do show the twig.
Joe T
Houston