Watch the video and see some of my favorite orchids from the 2022 fall Salt Lake City orchid show.
Here’s some eye candy for you, my friends!
Orchid shows are a terrific place to admire a wide variety of orchids, purchase orchids and supplies from reputable vendors, attend classes on orchid care and ask questions from orchid experts. Since I live in Utah, I look forward to attending the Salt Lake City Orchid Show every spring and fall–the first weekend in April and the first weekend in November at Red Butte Garden
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4 Reasons to Attend Orchid Shows
# 1 Orchid Varieties
First off, orchid shows are second to none when it comes to a wide selection of orchids. You’ll find rare and hard-to-grow varieties as well as beginner orchids.
If you want to see unusual or hard-to-grow orchids, orchid shows will not disappoint. Pictured above is a Cirrhopetalum. Getting this orchid to flower can be pretty tricky. At the Salt Lake City Orchid Show, this beauty was in full form.
# 2 Vendors
Purchasing from orchid vendors is a real treat. This is your golden ticket to ask questions from knowledgeable orchid growers. Especially helpful is to describe the environment that your orchids will be living in (i.e. an east window, no greenhouse) so that you can find orchids that are a good fit for your growing environment.
Orchid supplies like fertilizer and handmade pots are other items available for purchase.
Furthermore, seeing the same vendors year after year gives confidence that these sellers know their stuff and that their customers are happy to buy from them again and again.
The stunning magenta of this Dendrobium Enobi Purple enchanted me and I couldn’t resist buying it. Update: It has been a couple of years since I purchased this beauty. This is a great orchid for a home-grower. Every year Dendrobium ‘Enobi purple’ has bloomed for me with several clouds of long-lasting magenta flowers. I always look forward to purchasing an orchid (or two) from Orchid Dynasty, one of the vendors at the Salt Lake City Orchid Show. This year I went with a couple of Dendrobium hybrids.
This is my other purchase, a mini Dendrobium Classic Gem. I have a weakness for minis, and apparently for purple as well.
# 3 Attend Classes
In addition, every year the Utah Orchid Society teaches a class on basic orchid care and offers a demonstration on potting orchids. These classes are lots of fun and LOADED with valuable, practical information. This is your chance to ask questions from expert orchid growers. Believe me, they are happy to answer your questions. Orchid enthusiasts love talking about their passion and are excited to nurture your interest in orchids.
Sometimes these classes are peppered with good-humored debate over appropriate orchid care. Orchid enthusiasts can get excited discussing things like what kind of fertilizer works best and water quality. At any rate, it’s helpful to get more than one person’s experience/opinion about what works best.
# 4 Ask Questions
Finally, don’t miss out on the opportunity to ask questions and chat with orchid experts. All members of the Utah Orchid Society wear name badges, so you can easily spot them to ask a question. If you happen to arrive during the judging you can see who the judges are and seek them out later.
If you’ve got questions about why your orchid leaves are limp, begin by downloading my free cheat sheet on how to prevent limp leaves and rotten roots. Click here for the super helpful cheat sheet.
Well Worth It
Lastly, if you ever have the opportunity to attend an orchid show, go for it! Browse the wide selection of orchids on display, buy a few orchids, make some new friends and ask questions from expert orchid growers. If you’re in the area, the Salt Lake City orchid show happens twice a year, the first weekend in April and the first weekend in November at the University of Utah’s Red Butte Garden.
Salt Lake City Orchid Show Fall 2018
Salt Lake City Orchid Show Spring 2018
