Buying high quality orchids
Login
User Name
Password   


Registration is FREE. Click to become a member of OrchidBoard community
(You're NOT logged in)

menu menu

Sponsor
Donate Now
and become
Forum Supporter.

Buying high quality orchids
Many perks!
<...more...>


Sponsor
 

Google


Fauna Top Sites
LOG IN/REGISTER TO CLOSE THIS ADVERTISEMENT
  #1  
Old 08-23-2024, 06:45 AM
K-Sci's Avatar
K-Sci K-Sci is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2020
Zone: 8a
Location: Central Mississippi
Posts: 653
Buying high quality orchids Male
Default Buying high quality orchids

A large, well-known orchid greenhouse offers three sizes of an in-house seed-grown Cattleya species from two renowned, high-quality parents: small, medium, and large. The small orchids are near blooming size, the medium orchids are well large enough and have bloomed before, and the large orchids are approaching specimen size.

You are looking to purchase ten orchids of exceptional quality for your breeding program, hoping for at least one of very high quality. Without visiting or consulting the seller or concern for the total cost, which size should you choose, and why?

Does the seller's establishment being open or not open to the public influence your decision?
__________________
+++++++++++
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-23-2024, 07:50 AM
Ray's Avatar
Ray Ray is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: May 2005
Member of:AOS
Location: Oak Island NC
Posts: 15,083
Buying high quality orchids Male
Default

If you wish to start using it in your breeding program soon, go for the specimen.

My logic is that a larger, specimen-sized plant will have a greater capacity to create and store phytochemical resources, so will likely to have its blossoming be mature enough to maximize the quality potential. How many times have you read/heard "bloom it a couple of more times to see if that's its fullest potential"?

Plus, I don't know that a commercial nursery will dedicate the resources to growing a specimen of a crappy plant.
__________________
Ray Barkalow, Orchid Iconoclast
FIRSTRAYS.COM
Try Kelpak - you won't be sorry!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-23-2024, 09:32 PM
estación seca's Avatar
estación seca estación seca is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 18,486
Buying high quality orchids Male
Default

My guess would be the grower keeps the best looking pre-bloom seedlings for his own breeding program, and sells the others, as orders come in, best first. Those that don't get sold stick around getting bigger.
__________________
May the bridges I've burned light my way.

Weather forecast for my neighborhood
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-23-2024, 09:59 PM
Dalachin Dalachin is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2022
Zone: 5a
Location: Ithaca, ny
Posts: 526
Buying high quality orchids Female
Default

Do they sell flasks? Buy a flask and bloom the offspring, pick the best, or those that have the qualities you seek.

Or… see if you can pay more for a “select” plant, even if it is younger. A healthy, vigorous young plant with good genetics will produce a good pod, and will improve with age.
__________________
On Instagram @unlikelyorchid

Orchid Photography and Art

Unlikely Orchid Website
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-24-2024, 12:36 AM
Louis_W's Avatar
Louis_W Louis_W is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Albuquerque New Mexico
Posts: 945
Buying high quality orchids
Default

Id take the same money and buy more small plants. I know you defined the amount, but thats how I would do it.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-24-2024, 10:14 PM
K-Sci's Avatar
K-Sci K-Sci is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2020
Zone: 8a
Location: Central Mississippi
Posts: 653
Buying high quality orchids Male
Default

Responding to the replies in reverse order:

Louis and Dalachin - Around the turn of the century, I was traveling for work and had the opportunity to visit orchid greenhouses across the country. It wasn't too difficult to find high-quality orchids because I could select the plants in person.


Now, living in a remote area and traveling rarely, I rely on a different approach. My strategy is similar to the ones you've described, except that buying 25-50 seedlings hoping for a high-quality plant is quite costly. Normally I'll purchase a couple of flasks or large community pots (com-pots).

Estación seca, I've always assumed what you've described, and it's why I never buy previously flowered seedlings. Given the significant time and investment involved, I want the best breeding stock I can lay my hands on.

A specimen could indeed be a top-quality plant that the breeder initially chose to keep but later decided to sell. On the other hand, it could also be a lower-quality plant that, for whatever reason, didn't sell. A quick call to the seller should clarify this.
One possible reason a seller might grow select plants to specimen size only to sell is with an eye toward showing, or a chance at award.

Thanks for our replies.
__________________
+++++++++++
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-24-2024, 11:22 PM
estación seca's Avatar
estación seca estación seca is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 18,486
Buying high quality orchids Male
Default

If you have a very high-quality potential parent, the vendor might want to exchange pollen with you.
__________________
May the bridges I've burned light my way.

Weather forecast for my neighborhood
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-25-2024, 05:06 AM
sbrofio sbrofio is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2012
Zone: 8a
Location: Torino, Piemonte
Age: 42
Posts: 648
Buying high quality orchids Male
Default

Hi! With n time/mone/resorces limits and assuming the honesty of the seller I'd ask a pic or two of the previous flowering and chose among them. Plus, some seedling never flowered because "You never know what they wll be"
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
medium, orchid, orchids, quality, size


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Help with quality of tap water + high Sodium content? ChrisMalaga Beginner Discussion 16 02-19-2021 05:35 PM
Purchasing first orchid - Cheap Vs Quality Sylphire Beginner Discussion 33 06-20-2018 06:55 AM
Long Island Orchid Festival 2018 LIVC Orchid Show Announcements 0 05-15-2018 10:53 AM
New Judging category at my orchid show Lordoftheswarms Orchid Lounge 1 11-09-2013 08:33 PM
Buying my first orchid help Reg Isterme Introductions - Break the Ice ! 7 09-16-2011 04:59 AM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:14 PM.

© 2007 OrchidBoard.com
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.37 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Clubs vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.