Is this psychopsis a lost cause? Should I return to seller?

[astrid]

Hey guys,

I made an order from evelyn's orchids on ebay. As with all things that seem too good to be true, I seem to have gotten what I paid for regarding the psychopsis she sent me.

It was an order for two bulbs (she sent three, but that doesn't make things any better), and they were only in the mail for about 24 hours.
EDIT: I did only pay $12. If I had paid $40 or more like most of these plants sell for, I would be fuming!!

But the bulbs are SHRIVELED to almost nothing, and the leaves are hard like cardboard, and all the roots are totally dry and dead.

I mean, on one hand, oncidium type orchids are super resilient and maybe with some magical wizard powers, this one will just pop out a little new growth and start some new roots and recover in a few years' time. However, this one seems like it was just left bare root out in the sun for a week- it looks really bad and beyond saving.

What do you think? Any hope of this thing surviving?
Shall I request a refund and return the plant? This is actually pretty insultingly bad haha.
UPDATE: The seller got my pictures and message, and refunded me almost immediately and offered to send me a new plant. She made a big effort to make this better, and I feel it necessary to include that in this post. At least the customer service is fast and good from this seller. I will update on the psychopsis later.

[801229001]

looks like it will survive

[astrid]

Originally Posted by 801229001

looks like it will survive

Even with no living roots? All of them are dead. I have set the plant down in damp, pure sphagnum. What do you recommend for care?

I feel like it only has a 1% chance to survive as dry and crunchy as it feels! Any advice is really appreciated.

[Optimist]

I hope you give that vender a really bad review. That orchid looks awful.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I hope you give that vender a really bad review. That orchid looks awful.

Yeah, she says that she will "give a refund no exceptions" in the description, and has a lot of really good reviews, so I thought I'd just wind up with a little pair of bulbs that would bloom in a few years.

Nope. I got garbage, and I don't even really feel like paying return shipping to get my $12 refund.

I mean. Zero viable roots??
This is a case where I should have known better, and I acknowledge my own foolishness here, but for realzies???

I've divided plenty of my orchids now, and they never looked like this when I was through.

[Optimist]

I can't see where she thought they were adequate to be put up for sale. Aren't there standards? At a store, you would return an article of clothing because one button was missing. To sell a live plant without roots and deflated bulbs is highway robbery. Its my opinion, of course. Maybe an expert could bring it back, but if sh is going to sell something on the verge of death, it should be stated in the description, and you should get it for pennies on the dollar.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I can't see where she thought they were adequate to be put up for sale. Aren't there standards? At a store, you would return an article of clothing because one button was missing. To sell a live plant without roots and deflated bulbs is highway robbery. Its my opinion, of course. Maybe an expert could bring it back, but if sh is going to sell something on the verge of death, it should be stated in the description, and you should get it for pennies on the dollar.

It says this in her description:
"please understand what you are buying, plants are not perfect, they could have flaws, I send the best I can if you are unhappy with what you receive its simple return the plant for a full refund" and "MY PLANTS ARE FOR THE SKILLED EXPERIENCE GROWERS ONLY"

So I mean... yeah, I wouldn't expect a bare root bulb to be "perfect" or for it to bloom anytime in the near future.

I also feel confident in my skills to pot up and patiently wait on a plant. I feel that I am reasonably experienced.

Ugh. I am writing her a terse message about this before I leave negative feedback. Maybe she can redeem this mess. Maybe I am too kind.

[AussieVanda]

Originally Posted by astrid

It says this in her description:
"please understand what you are buying, plants are not perfect, they could have flaws, I send the best I can if you are unhappy with what you receive its simple return the plant for a full refund" and "MY PLANTS ARE FOR THE SKILLED EXPERIENCE GROWERS ONLY"

May as well been a real estate advert titled as 'renovator's dream'!!!

Have a crack at rescuing it....For 12 bucks probably end up more in postage.

[Ray]

I agree. Psychopsis are notoriously stubborn, but there's a reasonable chance is can survive. Here's what I would do:

1. Immerse the entire plant overnight in warm-ish water containing a tablespoon per gallon of KelpMax.
2. Go the "sphag-n-bag" route to prevent further desiccation - which is what will kill it if it doesn't grow roots. You DO NOT want to it come into contact with the moss; it is there only to provide humidity.
3. Keep it very warm and shady.

When you see new root nubs emerging, pot 'er up.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Ray

I agree. Psychopsis are notoriously stubborn, but there's a reasonable chance is can survive. Here's what I would do:

1. Immerse the entire plant overnight in warm-ish water containing a tablespoon per gallon of KelpMax.
2. Go the "sphag-n-bag" route to prevent further desiccation - which is what will kill it if it doesn't grow roots. You DO NOT want to it come into contact with the moss; it is there only to provide humidity.
3. Keep it very warm and shady.

When you see new root nubs emerging, pot 'er up.

Do you or anyone have a small sample of kelpmax they could send? I don't have any and can't afford the $25 bottle at the moment. I've also been really really curious to try it after seeing some peoples' results!
Do you think anyone in my local OS would have some I could try?

Or, if I waited a while before I got around to applying it, would the plant be harmed? Orchids grow slowly, but they also seem to die slowly (except in the case of crown rot).

Also, wouldn't immersing the entire plant kill it? Water would get into the leaves, right? You literally mean the entire plant bulb to leaf?

Thanks for the tips.

EDIT: thinking on it, kelpmax seems to have such fragile compounds that it might not be useable if sent in a small sample, would it?