If you want to know where to buy a particular orchid-related product, ask us, and we will do our best to provide an answer.
Orchids
Due to their increasing popularity, various common types of orchids can often be purchased at garden stores, florists, hardware stores, and supermarkets. To obtain more rare, unusual, and highly desirable orchids, however, the enthusiast must find specialist growers and suppliers, in orchid clubs and specialist orchid nurseries.
There are usually orchids for sale at OSWA meetings and shows, and at meetings and shows held by other orchid clubs.
There are several local retail nurseries that specialise in orchids and orchid related products:
Orchid Potting Mix
Most orchid growers use potting mix based on composted pine bark. AusGro (BioGro) bark can be purchased from Ezi-Gro orchids (www.ezi-gro.com.au) and is probably the easiest bark to use for novice growers. Orchiata bark can be purchased from Garden City Plastics (www.gardencityplastics.com). The Orchiata product is a bit dryer than the AusGro product and so can be a bit trickier to use. Both products come in a range of sizes (small, medium, or large chunks of bark). Come to our annual Potting Workshop or consult an experienced grower in our club or at an orchid nursery if you are unsure which size you need.
There are many other brands of orchid potting mix that can be purchased from hardware and gardening stores. Some are good all-purpose mixes, but others can be prone to getting waterlogged in our wet winter months and are not suitable for some orchids. If in doubt about the suitability of a particular mix for your orchid, ask an expert.
Orchid Fertilisers
Neutrog Australia (neutrog.com.au) produces a range of fertilisers and related products, many of which are well-suited to use on orchids. The Orchid Society of Western Australia endorses Neutrog’s Strike Back for Orchids Liquid fertiliser. Many of our members also use Neutrog’s Seamungus (which comes in liquid and pellet forms), Strike Back for Orchids (pellet form), and GOGO Juice on their orchids. Neutrog products are available from most gardening and hardware stores.
