Orchid with color break tested positive for ORSV
 

What is the etiquette for an orchid that tested positive for a virus when it is newly acquired? Do you gently tell the grower?

Yes, that is a question that I keep pondering.

For an expensive plant that I recently purchased, I told the grower, I sent him 5 Agdia test strips so that he could try to find one that was not infected but all that he tested were infected. So now I have a store credit that I will use this spring when he has some more plants that I want. I have previously purchased a number of plants from him that were virus free. Other growers may not react as calmly to being told that the plant they sold is infected.

For the other virused plants that I have weeded out from my collection, I had had them long enough that I couldn't say for certain that they had not become contaminated while in my care (though I am certain that didn't hapen) so I have said nothing and just destroyed the plants. What I will do in my next round of purchasing I am still pondering. Very many growers have virus infected plants.

I think two vendors are the culprits for me. I am so upset. The pots, new potting soil. I just tested a second plant that is supposed to be easy to grow and flower that has never performed well. Positive for both, new gloves, new blades, medical background...no cross contam. I am so upset. When I am done I will have spent a lot on test kits and will be throwing away a lot of money in plants and supplies :(:((

I have spent $600 (plus shipping) on Agdia test strips and I am a little more than halfway through testing my collection.

it really is rotten that this happens

Any decent seller should be sorry sending you sick looking flowers whether it is virused or not.
I would email him or her the picture of your flowers with heavy streaks along with test results pictures.

They had to be either careless in selecting plants, didn't know what to look for, or have bad eyes. lol.
Whatever the case, they do this for a living and charge money for plants (and why do people buy flowers? look is very important). They can do better.

Let us know what they say and how they react and if not so nice, please post the business so I don't deal with them.

Thankfully, I flame all clippers between plants. I do this whether I am cutting bloom stems after flowering, trimming or re-potting. I even use clean q-tips and never double dip in my white glue cinnamon mix for cuts. I also wash my hands between each plant. I just wish growers would be as careful...I know time is $$$, but so is a bad rep. from customers who get sick, diseased plants. Obviously sometimes it isn't evident. My one plant has been a thorn in my side to get to bloom. I babied it, repotted it, fertilized it and the stinker was diseased from day one. Spots never changed and I thought maybe it was fungal and kept treating it. It was one of the easiest to grow and flower...not when virused...live and learn

You sound kind of like me. I'm pretty anal about things that way, except I use disposable gloves instead of washing my hands between plants as my skin is dry.

Yes, I don't want to chance error either. Almost done with pack of testing strips...yikes

The ones from TJ all seem clean. I think it is possible that Matsui tests before they clone and may have really clean benches. I have seen sickly looking plants in TJ, but usually due to neglect on the store level. When the plants first come in they seem to all look great. I can't always say that about the mixed ones in Whole Foods

You might want to send TJs a compliment for using an orchid wholesaler that cares about the quality of their plants.