Close-up of
Oncidium Orchid purchased from
Trader Joe's. These like bright
indirect light and produce
numerous flowers on tall spikes
on compact plants. |
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Price Vs.
Value
There is a
Difference.
Value and price are two
different things. For example
one vendor may have a certain
orchid cross, BS in a 4" pot
for $10 less than another one.
When the plant arrives from
Vendor #1 it will bloom within
the year, and can probably
remain in the same size pot at
least as long.
The same cross from vendor #2
arrives with a growth in bud.
The 4" pot is full and you will
need to repot the plant into a
5" pot when it finishes
blooming.
Which is better value? I tall
depends on you--how quickly you
want orchids in bloom and how
much satisfaction you derive
from the
flowers
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Go to Part I of this
article
2 .
How Do I find Quality
Vendors?
With the advent of the internet, just about
anyone can set up shop these days. Be sure to
buy only from reputable growers. How do
you choose among the hundreds of orchids
vendors online? Here are some
tips:
A. Read about the
vendor: How long have they been in
business? How long have they been growing
orchids? Do they have any documents areas of
expertise? Search online for reviews
of a particular vendor. Order only order a
small number of orchids the first time
you try out a new vendor. Also try several
different vendors until you find a few that you
like and that offer good
value.
B. Look at their
Website: How professional is
their website? While this maybe
subjective, it helps if the vendor has
their own domain name, an updated
website, no broken links, and full
address, telephone, and email contact
information. Also, look to see if
they have a substantial number of
testimonials from their
customers.
C. Ask Questions-A
quality orchid supplier should be able to
tell you more about all orchid plants
they offer. Be sure to ask if a plant
that interests you will grow well in your
conditions, when it will flower, whether
it is an easy/fussy grower
etc. If a vendor does not
provide satisfactory answers, or is
unwilling to take spend time discussing
the orchids they sell, find another who
does.
4. Can Orchid be Shipped in
Bloom? An experienced vendor will be
able to ship you many orchids in bloom
though none will guarantee safe arrival
of flowers. It is best to order plants in
'low spike' or just setting buds, rather
than those already in bloom. We have
received numerous orchids in bud without
any damage. The plant shown to
the right was shipped in spike exactly as
photographed. It all depends on the
packing skills of the shipper, and how
carefully the package was handled in
transit.
5. What Will I
Have To Pay For Shipping and
Taxes? Expect
to pay about 18 % to 25 % of the value of your
order for packing/handling and shipping. Some
vendors lump all the charges together, while
others have a separate packing charge. USPS
Priority mail is the basis shipping choice, but
preferred vendors will use 2nd Day FedEx.
Also, check to see how each vendor calculates
shipping charges. Some use a flat percentage of
your order value, while others base it on the
number of orchid plants. Generally it makes
most sense to order several plants so as
to spread shipping costs over each of them.
Joint orders with friends is a great way to
reduce what you pay for shipping. Orchids
shipped out of state generally do not have
sales tax added.
6. Can I return
Plants? Most vendors
will have a return/replacement policy if you
are not happy with the plants. Contact the
vendor immediately if there is a problem upon
opening your package of orchid plants. It is
unfair to wait a few days to see if the plants
improve and then contacting the vendor if they
do not. Quality vendors will replace plants
that are heavily damaged during shipment. Note
that some minor damage to leaves or bulbs can
be expected so do not expect to have these
plants replaced. Be sure to read each vendors'
policy carefully. Also, many vendors will not
guarantee safe arrival during extremely
hot/cold weather so it is safest to order
orchids during milder weather. It is best to
order a few plants only if you are using a
vendor for the first time, to avoid
disappointment.
Go
to Part I of this article
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