I cannot wait to see what you end up buying! :)

I like getting rid of orchids that aren't doing well for me, no matter how I do it. I have found that I learn more or less though trial and error which plants will thrive in the conditions I can provide and which won't. I'm not willing to go to great lengths to create microhabitats that are well outside the actual range of microhabitats I have in and around my house. So sometimes plants just don't do well with me because they can't adjust to what I can give them. I'm ok with that as I've found plants that can, and I enjoy much more the plants that thrive easily in my environment than those that I have to do backbends to nurse. I no longer consider it a failure of mine, just a part of the process of finding plants that are naturally happy with me and with which I am, therefore, happy. I will certainly nurse a plant through a setback or an adjustment to my space. But after a certain amount of time, you can tell when a plant is just never going to do well for you. And that's when I get rid of them and try something else!


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Wintergirl I have that same plant & I was told it was near-blooming size/blooming size but it's really just been struggling with me. There's someone else on here that has one as well but for whom it bloomed. It sounds like yours is smaller than mine but I have yet to really find what makes it happy. Do keep us posted with its growth and what you find works for it, I will do the same. ;)

I have to admit for the sake of this thread that I am sometimes morbidly relieved if a plant I felt so so about ultimately dies at the same time I'm bummed. I've lost a bunch of mini Catts which are proving to be difficult for me but we'll see once I get some lights up this winter & have more experience under my belt. That said each time one died I was like, okay more space. ;) That's where my satisfaction comes from... there I admitted it...

Sounds like a plan!

Now there speaks the voice of reason.

It is the same feeling as when you clean out a closet!
I read and re-read this post and have decided to donate 7 nice ones to the upcoming orchid auction at my club and I have decided to let 10 go to the trash bin as they were struggling and stressing me out more! Plus I brought in a few begonias and decided NO! too messy for the indoors over winter. I am thinking that several of these vine things that always look gangling are out too!
and YES I will get more- but will be more selective. I learned this summer that I SHOULD NOT DIVIDE! specimens are the way to go! Some of the ones I had to trash were the experimental ones that I divided. sigh
Thanks for this post- It made me feel better!

---------- Post added at 12:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 PM ----------

Bill was talking about the microclimate....(it didn't get in the quote)
AMEN!
WHY did I buy those draculas again??????????????

I'm all for trashing the ones that just are not going to do anything. I just threw one out today that was limping along for a while . However, If I have one that's healthy, just not blooming for me, I would rather find it a new home, (yeah, craigs list )

I tossed a few that were looking rather sad (never really recovered from the first year of growing under lights). I have a bunch more going off to the Orchid Society.

I figure that with so many lovely orchids/plants out there that I would like to try growing, why keep one I no longer enjoy? I don't have a ton of space so when I clear out a little room, it gives me the opportunity to get something else.

My thoughts exactly. That's why I did the Craigs List thing, and now I'm refueling :rofl: This way I get to find out what else I can't grow (bloom) :biggrin:

I just found homes for the last four large Cattleyas...a C. mossiae, Laelia purpurata, and two gaskellias. I also found a home for the non-fragrant Brassavola nodosa and a max. alba. It was difficult to get rid of the favorite large Cattleyas but they went to a good home where they will be appreciated.
I consoled myself by buying another C. aclandiae (a coerulea), a cyncnoches and another Lepanthes. :|