| Well said, Jerry. I would like to add that price is not always a good indication of quality when it comes to orchids. The box stores around here are way overpriced even for the "good" orchids, and by the time they've sat around in the store for a few weeks the people who "take care" of them have ruined the plants. Worse yet are some of the "florist" type mail order vendors who charge outrageous prices for hybrid phals and dens and (so reports from those who have bought there say) provide no customer service. I have bought flasks, compots, plugs, small plants and blooming size plants from a variety of vendors. For me it was a trial and error process, learning which vendors sold healthy plants that grew well in my conditions. I now have a few staple vendors that I get most of my plants from, but the ones you have the best luck with might be different. My preference is generally to buy plants small and grow them to blooming size, but I have the facilities to do so. One way to assure that the plants you get are healthy and what you expect is to go to local shows where orchid vendors have booths. That way you can see the plants, select the ones you want, and talk to the growers about their culture.  |