I have a question - what does the plug look like - is it a small starter? I think this is more of a terminology issue. What comes from oversees - is often called a plug, what is local - is a starter plant.

If you buy leaves - you generally pay significantly less, you grow your own starters - oodles of them - but you will wait for 6 or more months to see them blooming. Not everybody has the skills to start leaves - but mostly people do not have a patience to wait until it happens in a natural way. Usually plants started from leaves are better suited for your environment. Small starters adjust pretty well too - but the bigger the plant... the longer it will adjust - and very probably it will never reach it full potential. Experienced growers buy leaves and starters, they do not go for a large show plant unless it is the only one of the variety and they really want it. If you buy the plant from the show - you strip the flowers, spray it, repot it - and put the leaves down.

So when people are boasting that the vendor sent them a full grown plant in bloom... these people still have some learning to do. The perfect will be a starter with first bud or blossom - so you will see if it blooms true. Chimeras should be permitted to bloom once before selling ... You do not shell this kind of money for a sport.

Bloomlovers (ebay) sells plugs, but she's got mostly leaves at this stage in the season ...

Leon, I agree with Aegis - Bloomlovers has plugs and I have bought at least three from her over the years. Try her in the spring.

Yolanda

Irina, yes; many folks call starter plants "plugs". And I agree that the cost of plugs is significantly higher without the benefit of plantlets growing around. I've sent extra plants to many now and the cost of mailing is the same or more than paying extra for the starters.

Also, not everyone has the same needs. I personally don't need extra plants. One attractive plant blooming well is enough for me. And the extra cost is worth the time. As I said above, the plug started growing immediately and its buds are slowly opening. That, for me, is exciting.

Now, about chimeras - I saw several on EBay and having read your comment, I'm glad I didn't buy them. Thanks for that advice.

I just downloaded Bloomlovers. Yes, the site states that shipping will resume in the Spring. But I have another problem with B's. It appears that the only way to buy is to bid. I very much prefer "buy it now".

My guess it all depends on a stock - if a seller has 20 plugs ready - and he needs to get them out NOW - usually it is spring - they put it on BUY NOW. If it is a better or rare plant - or the seller only has 1-2-3 of them - they are sold on auction plus as second chances. Even on auction format - you need to bid. You should always think - there are potentially second chance plants, the seller wants to get them out before winter - you can get them at listing price or about. Some plants go for a high price this week - and stay unsold next week. If you know what you want - put it on your watch list - and put your minimum price every time - sooner or later you will get it.

Like in everything else - patience pays.

I'm with Leon on this...I hate bidding, though sometimes you can get real buys too.

Bloomlovers sells a large selection (of plugs) as "Buy Now" on ebay.

Tina also has her own website where you can buy without bidding.

Google "Bloomlovers" in the spring.

And I hate pumpkin pies. So I do not eat them.

But - if you want to get a certain variety - you get it where they sell it.

If ebay is too nerve racking for you - look into etsy.com. All fixed price and some good buys.

Etsy.com is an interesting site. THX.

Searched for AVs on Etsy...sticker price shock. Hee, maybe Ebay is better ;)

Bloomlovers has a website with fixed prices, why not try there. She is out of plugs right now, but at least you can see what you could pick up next spring.

Aren't we the lucky guys because we are not into Orchids that much? $10.000 collection is kind of average...

Orchids are a current fad and AV's are only for those who have been growing them for some time.

But fads fade and orchids will soon have the same status as AV's have now.

Perhaps for all the people who buy grocery store orchids it is just a fad. True orchid growers will always be there as they have been since the first ones made their way from the jungles to European growing centers.

As for violets, I can only hope that the fad of paying orchid prices for a violet soon comes to an end.

Terri

Leon -

High prices on Orchids are never going to go away. If it takes 7 years from an orchid seed to a new hybrid blooming - and most of them will never be named... It is an enormous investment so the prices for the new orchids are going to be high. Plus even propagation of old hybrids and species is extremely time consuming. So it is not a poor man hobby if you are taking it seriously. A couple of Phalenopsis from a grocery store - is not a collection, but if you can rebloom them year after year - why not. Yes - they are boring most of the year- but when they go into bloom - they stay open for 3 months.

Regarding the fad of paying high prices for the certain AVs. If it is high this year - somebody will get leaves - and propagate them from sale - next year they will be reasonable - year later - they are everywhere. That's how market works. The only thing I see - the prices for "Ann" stay high. It is a fad - and this overly variegated thing is so slow to grow and propagate... it will probably won't be everywhere any time soon.

And as I said on another thread, it is often worth it to pay extra for the time saved.

At least, it is for me.