Retail & Wholesale Orchid Care

All across the country, you can walk by any grocery store or home maintenance store and see potted plants and foliage for sale just outside the doors. This is often the first things customers see when they’re out to do their shopping, and a plant might catch their eye as the perfect new addition to their home. Unfortunately, the vase life of these products is not ideal when the plants are constantly subjected to climate changes and unregulated conditions–the doors are always opening and closing, the temperatures are not carefully monitored, and direct sunlight can often be an issue.

In addition, house plants for sale are often on display near the produce section in grocery stores. This poses a problem, as the fruits and vegetables produce gases and hormones that cause plants to rot faster. This issue is widespread across the United States, and customers often suffer the consequence of unhealthy plants that are difficult to care for.

Retail and wholesale stores can make simple changes to ensure that their plants for sale are healthy, and their customers are happy.

1. Position orchids and other plants in a location that is unaffected by doors opening and closing–the best way to do this is to place the products away from the front doors of the store.

2. Ensure that orchids are a sufficient distance away from the produce section in order to avoid the harmful hormones that these fruits and vegetables release.

3. Implement proper orchid care. The plants need to be properly irrigated–train employees to regularly check the roots of orchids, and refrain from watering when roots are green. Avoid any heavy water retention in ceramic pots, and remember that it is best to skip watering all together when the root environment is wet. When roots are grey, it’s time to take a critical look at the root environment.

Cal Coast Orchids believes that in addition to consumers, retail and wholesale stores as well as florists should be well-educated in proper orchid care in order to increase the vase life of the Phalaenopsis. Consumers are more likely to buy Phalaenopsis orchids that have already flowered 80%. It is important to keep orchids healthy while they’re on the shelf waiting for their new homes instead of reducing care and pushing sales. If retailers and wholesalers practice proper orchid care, you’ll have healthy orchids and happy customers.