An Orchid Buyer's Guide for Beginners

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

This whole thing with Catasetums, brings up another thing about orchid purchasing…

Some orchids, such as Catasetums and Habenarias, have a definite dormancy period.

While there is no definite time period when anybody can choose to purchase them, there is a definite time period when one should avoid having to disturb them. And that period is when they are in full blown active growth.

If you tend to get these kinds of orchids, make sure they are shipped to you correctly, or you will have to adjust and buy them during dormancy or other periods in the plant's yearly cycle.

What I mean is this…

Let's say someone decided to buy a Habenaria. Habenarias grow during the spring/summer, and go dormant during the fall/winter.

These orchids are readily available during most times of the year. Many sellers only present them for sale during spring, summer, fall, and remove them from their availability lists during the winter. Some sellers will continue selling these during the winter.

If these are purchased during active growth, they cannot be shipped out bareroot. And if they were purchased with the pot, they ideally shouldn't be repotted unless there is an absolute need to. But this is when things can get tricky especially when you know the plant needs to be repotted because if it doesn't it could eventually affect the health of the plant, however, if you do, it will stress the plant out because they're actively growing.

Usually the best time for a beginner, (or any level hobbyist for that matter), to purchase something like a Catasetum, Cycnoches, Clowesia, Galeandra, Cyrtopodium, Habenaria, Ponerorchis, or Cynorkis is right before they go into full blown active growth. Call the seller and ask at what stage in the cycle the orchid in question is in at the time of inquiry. At this stage you can do anything you need to do with them, in terms of husbandry/maintenance.

Ideally, for intermediate to advanced level hobbyists, orchids that have definite dormancies can be purchased during periods when they have just about started to go dormant, or during times of complete dormancy.

Ideally, only advanced hobbyists should ever try purchasing these orchids during any time of the year, or getting them from vendors that are from the southern hemisphere, (if you're in the northern hemisphere), or vice versa; if your'e in the southern hemisphere and purchasing from the northern hemisphere.

Purchasing from 2 different hemispheres is very tricky. There is a lot of room for error because the seasons are reversed between hemispheres.

"Corsetiere", I'm by no means criticizing your decision. I think you made the right move. Unfortunately, it set your Catasetum back a little. It should be fine after the next season, though. I'm not a huge Catasetinae expert, but I do grow a few, so I have some experience with this kind of stuff.

I just wanted to share what I've experienced and observed from buying these kinds of orchids.

[RandomGemini]

Thankfully, I had OB to help me out and I believe I have eliminated the problem. I got lucky. The mealies I saw were just a couple of hitch hikers, so I did not end up with an all out infestation, but I would not have had to deal with insecticides and gloves and being careful to treat plants early in the morning so that I didn't harm local bee populations and the worry about using insecticides on plants that I have around my dogs... if I had looked more carefully at the plants before I purchased them.

[RosieC]

Great thread!

The title didn't fully change when Philip changed it (I think it's a permission thing), so I've done it and made it a sticky as well.

[Corsetière]

Yeah, Philip, Catasetinae are interesting. The "problem child" I bought at the show is definitely improving. It has 2 beautiful new pbulbs and the roots are now coming. It has just been super hard to restrain myself from watering! lol!

But boy, that plant was a horrible mess when I got it. I have never smelled anything like that rot in an orchid I have purchased! I was lured in by the $60 price tag for a plant that is usually $100. Ha!

[Leafmite]

Or, if you can't have a certain orchid shipped to you during dormancy (some of us live in cold places), make certain that the vendor doesn't mind having it all potted up for you in fresh medium and ready to go for the season. I couldn't pick up my Pleiones before they needed re-potted so the vendor had them all potted up in fresh medium for me when I picked them up.

[mimigirl]

This article has shown up at a great time for me. The orchid show locally, that i wait for every year, is 4 days away. I have 15 orchids right now. I plant to buy several more at the show. I have done lots of homework the past few weeks, but these points were not touched upon. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Did i mention only 4 more days?

---------- Post added at 03:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:41 PM ----------

Leafmite can you tell me what questions to ask a vendor to determine if it is his area of expertise or his specialty?

---------- Post added at 03:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:48 PM ----------

RandomGemini which insecticides do you consider safe? I usually stick with soap insecticide because i thought this is safest.

---------- Post added at 03:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:51 PM ----------

RandomGemini which insecticides do you consider safe? I usually stick with soap insecticide because i thought this is safest.

[RandomGemini]

I don't think any of them are "safe." I spoke with my vet and chose one that was deemed safe by her. I didn't like doing it, but I didn't want to deal with an infestation at all. I never use them inside. I sprayed the plants outside and left them outside to air dry, then brought them back in before dark. After I was done with the treatment, I repotted the plants again with fresh medium and they rewarded me with some new growth.

The one I went with was Bayer Rose and Flower which has imidacloprid.

[mimigirl]

Oh you mean safe to use around animals RandomGemini? I thought i was supposed to look for safe to use on orchids. So i can move on to the Bayer.

[kindrag23]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

Oh you mean safe to use around animals RandomGemini? I thought i was supposed to look for safe to use on orchids. So i can move on to the Bayer.

Bayer works fine w orchids. I use either the 3 in 1 for roses or the natural one Neem oil (note the neem oil smells worse then a teenagers gym shoes ha! So you may want to spray outside.) No issues, though I do put my chemicals up high out of reach from my dog because he has quite a plastic fetish.

[RandomGemini]

It was safe for the plants, but yeah, safe around my dogs was my first priority. I love my orchids, but if it weren't safe to have them around my dogs, I'd donate my collection to charity.

Yeah, the Bayer rose and flower is safe on orchids. Here's my mini Phal post treatment with it: