How long do you keep your orchids?

[quiltergal]

Originally Posted by Bayard

I've been lucky to get back pieces of treasured plants that have died.

That is excellent advice! I was gifted a piece of Ctna. Why Not by a friend several years ago. Hers recently succumbed to a mealie attack. I was able to divide mine and gift it back. It's kind of like an insurance policy.

[silken]

Originally Posted by RJSquirrel

I dont know how much longer I can deny reality and accept the fact I cant do much from a porch and 1 east window. I need to stay away from the Orchid Society also. I see people grow so many wonderful plants and I try and I cant bec I dont have the facilities to do these things. It was fun until I begun to realize my situation horribly sucks for growing anything but mold and mildew.

Indoors my stuff does fine. Paphs and masdys and a handfull of Miltonia do okey. They wont win any awards or prizes but they look good with no blooms. Im very unhappy with my outdoor growing. I just want to go home and start tossing crap in the trash until theres nothing left.. Im sick sick sick of the heat and Im sick sick sick of orchids dying all around me. Im sick of it all can you tell? Its killing my spirit

Hey RJSquirrel! You must be doing something right because I just saw another thread about 2 awards you have won! Congrats! Growing indoors is something many of us are resigned to. We get -40F winters here so outdoors is out of the question for much of the year.

I have been growing orchids for about 4 years. I usually only buy plants that I really want. And when something is gifted to me, it means a lot because a friend gave it to me, so I still really like it and try to keep it alive. I never kept count but I have likely killed about 15 or 20 orchids, but it was not for lack of trying to keep them alive! I have about 95 now which is made up of some catts, phals, milts, masdies, pahps, oncids, dens and the odd other thing. It's a struggle trying to keep them all happy but it mostly works. I sort of feel 'insulted' when one gives up the ghost which is stupid I know but...

[GreenGirl]

I don't have a very large collection of orchids, but I love learning about new plants and growing them. I have had one phalaenopsis a pleione and a bletilla striata die on me. I currently have a phalaenopsis which I have had for 3 years, a cattleya which I have had for just over a year, a dendrobium which I have had for one year , and two pleiones and a clump of bletilla which I have had for less than a year.
I have only given one keiki away. I love all of my plants and could never imagine growing tired of a plant. I will do everything in my power to keep my plants alive as long as I can.