Buying one orchid at a time is expensive from any mail order place since s/h is usually the same for 1 plant as it is for a bunch of plants. That's why I never order just one plant.

Kevin

There are several good on-line nurseries. Oak Hill Gardens comes to mind. They have inexpensive seedling plants and their BS are exactly that, sometimes arriving in spike/bud. They also have a good stock of supplies. Their shipping chgs are reasonable. There are many good on-line nurseries, others will add their favorites too.

I too will not pay to ship just one plant, even if I buy eBay. I have a couple favorite eBay sellers who hI doave reasonable shipping chgs. I always look at all their listings before I decide whether to bid.

I do envy the folks who live near the large growers. My only sources locally are from HD and a small nursery that offers a few orchids from time to time.

Good luck with your shopping!

Sheila :)

It depends on what sort of orchids ms_minnamouse. I rarely buy on Ebay - much of the stuff I've got from Ebay are over-priced, over-advertized and a good number of orchids I got tested positive for virus. I've been told by a reliable source that several Ebay sellers buy off the wholesale list @ Oak Hill Gardens (below) and sell the stuff on Ebay.

I get my hybrids from Big Box stores (Home Depot, Trader Joe), the majority of which have been remarkably healthy and reasonably priced. But selection is quite limited as you know. For species, I buy from Oak Hill Gardens (great all around) and EOoM (huge plants - watch for their annnual free shipping deals typically October).

alvin

You don't say what kind of orchids you want: I'm with grannie on Oak Hill -- you can get in spike/in bud there in season for a decent price. They also offer a lot of different genera and lots of species, if that's what you like.

Carter and Holmes is also great. They offer a lot of smaller plants very cheap. I have had great luck with their small plants, very healthy and vigorous, make great progress in 6 months. They also offer some awarded plants in smaller sizes. You get a bonus if you buy five plants.

If you are into catts, check out Marble Branch Farms. They are cheap and very accommodating. They have some things no one has, and the website tells you if in spike.

Carmela's in HI is also great if you order enough at once to justify the $30 shipping fee. A 4" pot is $17.50, and they offer smaller sizes sometimes as well. If you like oncids, theirs are whoppers, often in spike if ordered in the fall. Their 4" phals will often put up a spike with at least a few flowers in a few months. So you get good size plants for the $.

Orchid society auctions!

I just purchased two uncommonly seen Lycaste species (lasioglossa and ciliata) for $30, total! Both plants are MATURE. Original vendors: Oak Hill and Fishing Creek in Harrisburg, PA--a fine supplier of Lycastes.

--Stitz--

Green with envy - Stitz!

Brooke

Bottom line low cost method is to get plants for free or very low $ from folks on Craigslist who don't have time to care for their plants. (Yes people do give away orchids on CL, just don't hold your breath waiting.) If you like phals then plants past their bloom are often offered at steep discounts at HD, Lowes, Trader Joes, or other similar stores. If you have a Christmas Tree store near you then check it out. I have one nearby that stocks phenominal blooming plants for $15. I think the BEST way to get orchids for cheap is to join an orchid club. I just joined CAIOS, (in Massachusetts on Cape Cod.) Between the clubs auctions, raffles, and the giving nature of fellow club members I can see a greenhouse is in my future.

I have good luck with Oakhill Gardens, Orchids.com, and Housermann.
The best cheap deal is Home Depot. They just had a special here for 5in Phal's in bloom for $9.99. Noid's but nice large plants with good roots in clear pots. I found 4 variations i could use. Check around the holidays.
One day the wife, mother inlaw,and I were shopping in HD and at check out they offered $25.00 off your order if you signed up for the HD credit card. We all signed up, got a free orchid each and some free CFL's. Three weeks later we closed the accounts. Maybe next month I'll sign up again.
I also like the 90day return policy.

Going to an orchid society meeting regularly is the best source. Also it exposes one to orchids that have never seen a big box store. I buy raffle tickets usually because on a lucky night I can make quite a haul. I have also been skunked so it evens out.

In St. Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden has orchids in bloom all year. They sell for 50-75% off when they are done flowering. I picked up some for $5 each when they needed to make room for a new shipment. Can't wait to see what colors they are when/if they bloom again.

I would offer the suggestion that you start looking for the best varieties in the kinds of orchids you buy. Figure out what grows well in your conditions, and then unless you have unlimited space, buy the best varieties. They all take space, light, and care, but some plants are just more vigorous and floriferous than others, and they are worth an extra few dollars. For example, Phal Baldan's Kaleidoscope 'Golden Treasure' is one great plant. Another great phal that's not expensive is Taisuco Firebird. Both often put up two spikes and bloom for months. Another smaller plant that I absolutely love is Bc. Memoria Bernice Foster, which blooms twice a year for me, and has a faint but pervasive scent in the evening. There are many other great plants like these, which forum members will happily tell you about. My bottom line, after 6-8 years of growing orchids, is that you figure out what you like and can grow well, and buy the best of those varieties.

That said, I have a big brassia that takes a lot of space and hasn't bloomed for more than a year. If it doesn't put up some spikes pretty soon, it will be looking for a new home.

I'm all for society raffles, and excellent way for beginners to start collections. We have a few members who are judges and if that plant didn't get a quality award its on the raffle table. I agree with the person who says don't go cheap -- seedlings are nice but that Catt or paph may not bloom for 5 years -- better to buy that really nice blooming phal which may or may not have a tag. Shows are also excellent places to buy not cheap but in bloom. I have bought from ebay but there are some growers that sell them straight off the boat -- not plants for beginners to deal with --- you want healthy good size well established plants you just don't want to pay a $100 for them and shouldn't at this point