Igor at work

[jackb]

I thought I would do an update on the micro-cloned seedlings Ava and I deflasked last March. They are Cattleya hybrids, a cross between C. Purpurata Concour Taguara and C. Carne Kokie. No one has yet seen how the flowers will look, however, the flowers on both parent plants were beautiful, white and maroon, large and beautifully proportioned. We lost very few plants after we deflasked the seedlings and as a result, we have many more plants then we can grow to maturity. As I only want two plants I am planning on placing the excess plants on the sale table prior to an upcoming orchid society meeting. The problem is that I have no idea of what to charge for a plant, and if anyone would purchase a plant with no idea of what the flowers will look like. It would be like, as my grandmother used to say, "like buying a pig in a poke." We have at least five trays of seedlings at this point and they are growing like mad. I only paid about thirty dollars to purchase the flask from the lab, so my cost per plant is probably under a dollar each.

 

[flowerbug]

oh those are so cute!

 

[Nyboy]

Does the money from sale go to you or orchid society? If to orchid society ask for a donation and let people decide what to pay.

 

[catjac1975]

I thought I would do an update on the micro-cloned seedlings Ava and I deflasked last March. They are Cattleya hybrids, a cross between C. Purpurata Concour Taguara and C. Carne Kokie. No one has yet seen how the flowers will look, however, the flowers on both parent plants were beautiful, white and maroon, large and beautifully proportioned. We lost very few plants after we deflasked the seedlings and as a result, we have many more plants then we can grow to maturity. As I only want two plants I am planning on placing the excess plants on the sale table prior to an upcoming orchid society meeting. The problem is that I have no idea of what to charge for a plant, and if anyone would purchase a plant with no idea of what the flowers will look like. It would be like, as my grandmother used to say, "like buying a pig in a poke." We have at least five trays of seedlings at this point and they are growing like mad. I only paid about thirty dollars to purchase the flask from the lab, so my cost per plant is probably under a dollar each.

View attachment 24194

What an exciting project!

 

[jackb]

Does the money from sale go to you or orchid society? If to orchid society ask for a donation and let people decide what to pay.

No, the money goes to the grower. Orchid collecting is addictive and many of the members have greenhouses and divide, pot and sell excess plants. There is a sale table at every meeting and many meetings feature a guest speaker who is a professional grower from out of town. The guest will allow you to order plants and supplies from their site and will bring them to the meeting to save the buyer shipping expenses. Orchids change hands at every meeting and on occasion they have auctions. I have seen people pay well over a hundred dollars for a plant, exotic and unusual plants generally bring higher prices.

 

[Nyboy]

Years ago my friend Chris worked in a very upscale florist upper east side of Manhattan. Their Zagat review was " expensive but worth it" One day the owner came in with the most amazing orchid Chris had ever seen. It was several feet across, attached to a wire frame to hang on a wall. Covered in flower stalks. Boss hung it in the store window, where it would stop people walking by it was so amazing. It was priced $3,000. All day long people would come in or call about the orchid, they would all turn white when told price. After 3 days of nostop people asking about orchid Chris started losing his patience. A lady called and said tell me about the orchid you have in your window. Chris reply its $3,000 The lady said I did not ask price, I asked for description. With out even seeing it she gave her credit card and said deliver it today.

 

[jackb]

For our October meeting our speaker was Kim Feddersen of Fair Orchids in NJ. He had a photo of one of his Cattleya orchids that was 8 feet in diameter. He sells hybrid seedlings from flasks, but when I went to his site to see what he charges I found this message: Due to a freeze in the greenhouse, I have been forced to withdraw from all 2018 shows. Ouch!!!

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

I would pay $10 - $15 for a baby plant that promises to be unique. I've paid $25 for full grown, double flower stalk plant at the San Jose CA farmers market.

 

[jackb]

I would pay $10 - $15 for a baby plant that promises to be unique. I've paid $25 for full grown, double flower stalk plant at the San Jose CA farmers market.

Your thinking and mine are about the same, so I may sell off the smaller plants. Some of the seedlings have better genes and are much larger and more vigorous so I may grow them until they flower and sell them in bloom. By doing that it would free some space so that the remaining plants have room to spread out and receive more light.

 

[Nyboy]

That poor man.