How many orchids have you lost?

[PeaceLoveOrchids]

I've only lost one, but the most 'chids I've ever had was 5. I lost a beautiful purple flowered den. 'cuz I thought it was dead when it lost it's leaves, turns out it was it's winter dormancy and I threw it away.

[Connie Star]

I've lost about 5 outright, and gave a few more away that I thought other people could take better care of. Most of the ones I lost or gave away were not suited to my cultural conditions- I grow in my home.

[peeweelovesbooks]

A lot!!!!

I concur with eyebabe.

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by peeweelovesbooks

A lot!!!!

I concur with eyebabe.

In the early days when I had limited space but lost a lot....I used to go to the spring flower show and tell my friends that the number of orchids I can buy is limited by how many I have lost over the past year

I almost thought some of the plants cringed backwards when I reached out to look at them

Now that I'm a bit "better at it" I don't get to buy as many plants as I'd like
I am definitely more selective with what I get though.
And I think they like me now

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by Eyebabe

In the early days when I had limited space but lost a lot....I used to go to the spring flower show and tell my friends that the number of orchids I can buy is limited by how many I have lost over the past year

I almost thought some of the plants cringed backwards when I reached out to look at them

Now that I'm a bit "better at it" I don't get to buy as many plants as I'd like
I am definitely more selective with what I get though.
And I think they like me now

LOLOL. Mee toooooooooooooooo!! I felt like Elmira in the cartoons (I'm gonna love you and hug you and squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze you to death!)

You need to change your rule though!

I'm currently on a Schomburgkia/myrmecophila kick so watch out!!! I plan to raid Hamlyn Orchids and Plantio La Orquidea next Friday! This is my first line of attack.

[Angurek]

How many have I lost?


- 18 over the past year
- About 28 over the course of my growing "career."

I don't have a growing area anymore. Nowadays, I have an orchid death row. Every orchid in my collection succumbs to something at one point or another. I didn't have any problems a year ago, but now I'm having a hard time keeping any plant for more than a month. I guess somebody put a curse on me or something.

That said, if anybody needs me to kill a plant, just send it right over. JK

[silken]

I've probably lost around 20 plants and I have about 80 currently. I lost a good number to root rot from over watering. I think I've finally figured that part out. I lost a few beautiful Phals to some virus or bacteria that just kept spreading. They grew great roots and flowered beautifully but the leaves told another story. So I finally tossed them to avoid further spreading. I stopped buying small seedling size plants too as some of those struggled to reach maturity and died. I don't keep a record of lost ones as it reminds me of lost favorites and the money I spent! I have replaced several of the ones I really liked

[Ray]

I lost a 20 year collection (about 1000 plants, mostly wild-collected or purchased from street vendors while on international business trips) to a greenhouse heater failure on a 7°F night in January 1994, and about another 100 to a late propane delivery about 5 years ago.

I do not include losses due to a poor understanding of the cultural needs, as those are what leads one to becoming an "orchid expert". (It is my understanding that you have to have killed your weight in plants to be considered an expert. Fortunately, as I get older, I appear to have capacity for additional "expertise" every year!)

[Gin]

I have not kept track of how many don't want to know ..

[Paul]

No idea, but I know I've killed my share. I try to look at an orchid's demise as an opportunity to get something else and "stimulate the economy".