Be Careful High Orchid Supply
Can Be Dangerous!

A side note here, this article is written as a guide when looking at orchids on sale.

Yes, orchids are now so plentiful that you can buy them in your favorite grocery store or home center. But be careful cheap orchids can be may not last you for the years that they should. Not very long ago you would only see orchids in exclusive areas or with devoted hobbyists. Increased orchid supply is due to the propagation techniques. This has caused an explosion not only in the numbers of plants but in the hybrids. Now these are numbered more than 35,000

Orchids purchased from a florist, a company devoted to plants or a nursery are most likely going to good, healthy plants and they will usually stand behind them. Here the orchid supply is cared for. You see that they are labeled with not only the genera but also the species.

As you can remember from some of my other articles each genera and even some species will require different growing environments to become outstanding plants. Some may need to get more light while others may need to have a dry spell after blooming.

As in other business areas when you get high orchid supply you will those that will take shortcuts. Why do I say that. Well, I have seen grocery stores and home center orchids and found that you usually get what you pay for.

Most orchids I have seen in these stores are not labeled with enough information for you to get the correct growing requirements. In fact, some come without caring instructions. If this is the case, I would not recommend that you buy the plant. Be careful high orchid supply can create problems for you.

Here is one example of what happens. Just before the transportation to the stores a serious problem usually occurs with your orchids. They are re-potted. Most orchids do not need re-potting for at least every 2 years. We also see damage to the root system in the rush to complete the re-potting process. In fact, I have seen some root rot.

The places that send these plants out are usually doing so on a mass production basis. This creates a stress for the orchid. And this stress added to the transportation weakens the plant. This can take sometime up to a week subjecting the orchids to the changes in temperature, either in the truck or in the warehouse.

When the plant is repotted it is given a growing mixture that will hold the moisture in the plants. Most times this is the wrong mixture. Orchids are mostly air plants and very few grow in soil. Part of the mixture that is used has moss and some soil.If you are not aware of this you would keep the plants in this mixture - to their detriment. This orchid supply needs to be transplanted into the appropriate growing medium.

Orchid supply and quality can be lacking. Check not only the growing medium but also if the orchid seems lose in the pot. Sometimes the pots are too big for the plant or the roots have been damaged. Check also how healthy the leaves look. Are they crinkled like your skin when you are in the water for a long time. This can be a sign of cold temps or not enough water. If the leaves have brown spots or are brown this is a sign of excessive temps or being injured by the sun.

Also make sure there is no "bugs". You may see them or there may be a sticky substance on the leaves.

One final word is to be very careful cheap orchids can cause trouble. Go in with your eyes open and be ready to right any wrongs done to the plant.

To me, and I may be jaded, buying from someone reliable will usually guarantee that you have high quality orchids.