Just popping in to say hi

[Mountaineer370]

Camille, I'm sorry to hear of the difficulties you are going through in your family life, work life, and orchid life. It's always extra tough when you have multiple worries going on at the same time. I'm sending good wishes your way that soon things will start to turn around for the better. You have been missed around here!

[Louis_W]

Hey we all love orchids, but they should always take a back seat to your well being. They are just plants after all. You hereby have my certificate of non-judgment to trash the whole lot and start fresh whenever you are ready. Its sounds like that may be what you need after all you have been through.

[camille1585]

So, the great cull is mostly done, and my shelves are looking a bit bare... There are still a couple orchids which I'm hesitating to toss or not, they didn't have very clear symptoms.

Louis_W, the thing is that orchids are part of my well being. Without them and my allotment garden I would feel lost. I have no family in this country, no children, and few friends, so caring for all my plants is what keeps me grounded and happy. So yes, they are "just" plants, but many of them were carefully selected additions to the collection.

In 2 weeks we're driving down to Belgium for the weekend, and coincidentally our route goes past Akerne Orchids, who happen to be holding an open house that very weekend. I think I need to do some shopping therapy and get a few replacement plants (from genera not susceptible to the disease I have/had).

[WaterWitchin]

Camille, I lost my six Japanese maples this year. Had them for years and years. Each had a story. Verticillium wilt, which as you know is unstoppable and stays in the ground for a decade. I cried when I cut them down. And VW resistant plants... not many to choose from and not my first choices by any stretch.

Trying to reimagine the space, embrace ornamental monocots, etc. Ugh. I feel your pain.

[tmoney]

hi camille, i am sorry that i didn't see this thread earlier, and even more sorry to hear of your situation. we sincerely wish you the best in all things.

if and when you want to start acquiring more plants, send us a message and we can send you some things if you have interest in anything from our collection. it is the least we can do after you helped us with some plants earlier this year! we have a little sister seedling that is starting to find its stride, so if you have interest in that phal let is know and it has your name on it. enjoy your trip to belgium and hope to hear from you soon...

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Camille, I lost my six Japanese maples this year. Had them for years and years. Each had a story. Verticillium wilt, which as you know is unstoppable and stays in the ground for a decade. I cried when I cut them down. And VW resistant plants... not many to choose from and not my first choices by any stretch.

Trying to reimagine the space, embrace ornamental monocots, etc. Ugh. I feel your pain.

That's terrible! Must have been terrible for you to watch them die such a horrible death. Too bad there aren't any resistant rootstocks available....

---------- Post added at 06:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:33 PM ----------

Originally Posted by tmoney

hi camille, i am sorry that i didn't see this thread earlier, and even more sorry to hear of your situation. we sincerely wish you the best in all things.

if and when you want to start acquiring more plants, send us a message and we can send you some things if you have interest in anything from our collection. it is the least we can do after you helped us with some plants earlier this year! we have a little sister seedling that is starting to find its stride, so if you have interest in that phal let is know and it has your name on it. enjoy your trip to belgium and hope to hear from you soon...

Thanks for you very kind offer! I'll probably wait a while before really rebuilding the collection, especially with Phals since those appear to be most susceptible to the disease. My Little Sister seedling was sadling one of the victims.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Camille, I lost my six Japanese maples this year. Had them for years and years. Each had a story. Verticillium wilt, which as you know is unstoppable and stays in the ground for a decade. I cried when I cut them down. And VW resistant plants... not many to choose from and not my first choices by any stretch.

We have a red maple in our yard here and the first summer, it started to succumb to verticillium wilt. My wife read the same "unstoppable and stays in the ground" advice. I applied a liberal dose (2 oz/gal) of Inocucor Garden Solution, wetting the foliage and soaking the ground - without removing the accumulated leaf litter or soil - and the damage stopped and has not returned in the 5 following years.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Camille, I lost my six Japanese maples this year. Had them for years and years. Each had a story. Verticillium wilt, which as you know is unstoppable and stays in the ground for a decade. I cried when I cut them down. And VW resistant plants... not many to choose from and not my first choices by any stretch.

Trying to reimagine the space, embrace ornamental monocots, etc. Ugh. I feel your pain.

ugh! this sucks!

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Ray

We have a red maple in our yard here and the first summer, it started to succumb to verticillium wilt. My wife read the same "unstoppable and stays in the ground" advice. I applied a liberal dose (2 oz/gal) of Inocucor Garden Solution, wetting the foliage and soaking the ground - without removing the accumulated leaf litter or soil - and the damage stopped and has not returned in the 5 following years.

Well, too late for me, but good to know. Three of mine were probably going downhill for a couple of years prior to finally figuring it out. Losing more branches than anticipated, etc. I'd chalked it up to the late and bitter unexpected cold those springs. This spring was the kiss of death. Most had either no leaves or maybe a third of branches still alive. I have several other ornamental trees in the same area, and quite a few hydrangeas. I'll dose them up now and in fall just in case.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by camille1585

I've been mostly absent from the forum for a while, and thought I'd pop in with an update. This year has been a tough one so far, due to health scares in my family and having a pretty rough time at work lately.

Normally I'd count on my orchids for mental sanity, but I get zero joy from them anymore. I've come to the hard realization that I'm going to have to trash most of my collection and start over. I have one or several diseases which have spread through many plants, and it is completely my fault.

Woow Camille, I read this as if was me who wrote it. I did came back too from a long absence and throw away literally hundreds of orchid and I am struggling like you to save some ...all this with no time whatsoever.

I feel you and understand you completely! But let's try....and you are a great grower dear, change the approache and keep it up!

Love and support from my side.