| All great comments above. The one statement that I agree with the most is "For me it was a trial and error process, learning which vendors sold healthy plants that grew well in my conditions." by Ellen. To do this I recommend buying only one or a couple plants from some different vendors (either internet store or eBay) and see what you get and how well they grow in your conditions. Me personally, I've had better luck on eBay than internet growers. You need to be patient though because a bunch of orchids go higher priced than they should. Another comment about eBay is don't buy an orchid unless there is an actual picture of the plant. Some people say blooming size or near blooming size and it's actually a medium sized seedling. If you are looking for ones in bloom, I try to buy ones in bud rather than in bloom because you typically will get more enjoyment out of them. Also winter isn't a good time to get orchids in the mail (unless you live in a warm climate and the orchids are not travelling through cold climates). Packing is really important. I have received a few that pack really well and some not so well. Also those heat packs aren't the best and have done more damage than good for me.
Orchid shows have been a very good place for me to buy orchids. Unfortunately there are not many in close proximity to me. Seems like I get better deals at orchid shows for the plants that are not in bud/bloom but of course you need to know what you are looking for. Also it doesn't hurt to ask for a discount if you buy several from one grower. And as everyone has said above, don't be tempted by the Walmarts, Home Depots, Lowes, etc. They don't take proper care for their orchids and you wind up spending a lot of time and usually getting little enjoyment. Good luck and be patient.  |