Orchid Growers - 3 Vital Questions To Ask Before Buying From Any Orchid Grower
Buying from orchid growers can go one of two ways: you might end up with a robust, healthy plant with tons of beautiful blooms, or you might simply end up with a dud that dies as soon as you get it home.
The good news is that you are in total control of how your visit to the orchid grower turns out! You just have to know the correct questions to ask.
The thing is, there are good orchid growers and bad orchid growers, but if you know what to search for and what to ask, you can always be sure that the orchid you're buying is a top quality one. So here are 3 key questions to always remember...
Question #1: What exact species of orchid are you getting?
It can be hard to know where to begin in orchid growing, because there are just a lot of different kinds out there. (In fact, there are more than 35,000 orchid species available!)
That's specifically why you must be sure to clarify with your orchid grower what type of orchid it is that you're purchasing. Each one of those 35,000 kinds requires drastically different care in order to achieve the best results. Some of these plants require more light than others, while some of these plants must have less watering.
If you jump in without being sure about what species of orchid you're getting, how will you know how to properly take care of it? This is especially crucial because you may be limited in the kind of care that you can give to an orchid.
For example, if you don't have a lot of full sunlight to offer in your home, and you don't have the resources to build a greenhouse, you cannot give the proper care to an orchid that needs plenty of direct sun exposure. Moreover, if you do reside in a place with plenty of concentrated sunshine and heat, you probably don't want to try to have a plant that requires a cold and brisk climate.
If you're just starting out, the best advice for a beginner is to try to search for a Phalaenopsis (commonly called a "moth orchid"). This is a very strong type that is inexpensive and easy to take care of, but still produces the same vibrant flowers as its more exotic sisters.
Question #2: What is the blooming status?
When you're looking at getting an orchid, you may see that they're labeled with signs saying "BS" (no, not that kind of "BS"!) or "NBS". These signs simply refer to the "blooming status" of the orchid, and this is something you should be sure to clear with the orchid grower before you purchase.
The "BS" stands for "blooming size", and means that an orchid, if correctly cared for, will give out flowers within the next year. This is a healthy and mature orchid that has already been brought through a lot of vital phases of development, which makes it a good bet for newbies.
(Tip: A moth orchid in "BS" stage is a surefire bet for any orchid lover!)
"NBS" means "near blooming size", which means that the plant is a year or two away from blossoming. Orchids like these are less fully developed than "BS" orchids, and so you will have to pay a lot more attention to them.
The trade-off is that they are likely more flexible, and once you have some experience under your belt, you might have fun experimenting with "NBS" orchids to see what you can get them to do under different situations and conditions. That's what keeps so many of us addicted to these fascinating plants!
Question #3 - What kind of pot was used?
Not only must you be sure that you can provide the proper conditions for your plant, you should be sure that the orchid growers did the same before you came along and took it home. That's why you have to be sure to ask what kind of container your plant was reared in.
Considering the huge variety of orchids, it should come as no surprise that varying orchids have roots that act in many differing ways.
The cymbidium orchid has roots that can shoot straight down for more than a meter, so you would need a very tall pot! A cymbidium that was planted in a small pot will be stunted, and you should not get one.
Also, something like an anoecetochilus must be cultivated over a broad and shallow surface, so one that's been restricted to a narrow pot will likely never be as healthy as you'd hope it to be. Still others like draculas and ladies-of-the-night do best in hanging baskets, where their roots can get plenty of air.
The major point is this: when you buy from an orchid grower, it pays to learn as much as you can about what species of orchid and what kind of care it requires so it can live up to its full potential.
By asking these three important questions, and doing some research on your own, you can eliminate the potential pitfalls of purchasing from orchid growers, and make sure that your plant is one that will thrive and offer you years of satisfaction.
The good news is that you are in total control of how your visit to the orchid grower turns out! You just have to know the correct questions to ask.
The thing is, there are good orchid growers and bad orchid growers, but if you know what to search for and what to ask, you can always be sure that the orchid you're buying is a top quality one. So here are 3 key questions to always remember...
Question #1: What exact species of orchid are you getting?
It can be hard to know where to begin in orchid growing, because there are just a lot of different kinds out there. (In fact, there are more than 35,000 orchid species available!)
That's specifically why you must be sure to clarify with your orchid grower what type of orchid it is that you're purchasing. Each one of those 35,000 kinds requires drastically different care in order to achieve the best results. Some of these plants require more light than others, while some of these plants must have less watering.
If you jump in without being sure about what species of orchid you're getting, how will you know how to properly take care of it? This is especially crucial because you may be limited in the kind of care that you can give to an orchid.
For example, if you don't have a lot of full sunlight to offer in your home, and you don't have the resources to build a greenhouse, you cannot give the proper care to an orchid that needs plenty of direct sun exposure. Moreover, if you do reside in a place with plenty of concentrated sunshine and heat, you probably don't want to try to have a plant that requires a cold and brisk climate.
If you're just starting out, the best advice for a beginner is to try to search for a Phalaenopsis (commonly called a "moth orchid"). This is a very strong type that is inexpensive and easy to take care of, but still produces the same vibrant flowers as its more exotic sisters.
Question #2: What is the blooming status?
When you're looking at getting an orchid, you may see that they're labeled with signs saying "BS" (no, not that kind of "BS"!) or "NBS". These signs simply refer to the "blooming status" of the orchid, and this is something you should be sure to clear with the orchid grower before you purchase.
The "BS" stands for "blooming size", and means that an orchid, if correctly cared for, will give out flowers within the next year. This is a healthy and mature orchid that has already been brought through a lot of vital phases of development, which makes it a good bet for newbies.
(Tip: A moth orchid in "BS" stage is a surefire bet for any orchid lover!)
"NBS" means "near blooming size", which means that the plant is a year or two away from blossoming. Orchids like these are less fully developed than "BS" orchids, and so you will have to pay a lot more attention to them.
The trade-off is that they are likely more flexible, and once you have some experience under your belt, you might have fun experimenting with "NBS" orchids to see what you can get them to do under different situations and conditions. That's what keeps so many of us addicted to these fascinating plants!
Question #3 - What kind of pot was used?
Not only must you be sure that you can provide the proper conditions for your plant, you should be sure that the orchid growers did the same before you came along and took it home. That's why you have to be sure to ask what kind of container your plant was reared in.
Considering the huge variety of orchids, it should come as no surprise that varying orchids have roots that act in many differing ways.
The cymbidium orchid has roots that can shoot straight down for more than a meter, so you would need a very tall pot! A cymbidium that was planted in a small pot will be stunted, and you should not get one.
Also, something like an anoecetochilus must be cultivated over a broad and shallow surface, so one that's been restricted to a narrow pot will likely never be as healthy as you'd hope it to be. Still others like draculas and ladies-of-the-night do best in hanging baskets, where their roots can get plenty of air.
The major point is this: when you buy from an orchid grower, it pays to learn as much as you can about what species of orchid and what kind of care it requires so it can live up to its full potential.
By asking these three important questions, and doing some research on your own, you can eliminate the potential pitfalls of purchasing from orchid growers, and make sure that your plant is one that will thrive and offer you years of satisfaction.
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