Ever had a group but go ‘wrong’ -OR- help me make lemonade out of these orchids!!

[DirtyCoconuts]

So. As the title suggests, I had a hiccup in my first group orchid order. I have many great neighbors and several like orchids and I had the idea ( yes, it was my suggestion, doh!) that everyone look on the Ecugenera site, make our selections and order as one. Boom. Cheaper shipping and no issues with their tiered shipping and handling

So, fast forward to today, my one (awesome) neighbor comes and grabs her few plants from the box (social distancing was funny today, the box was left and watched through the window lol) and I called the other neighbor after texting him with no response.

He picks up and makes bs small talk and eventually says he can’t pay for his orchids, sorry.

Sooooo I kind of pause and take a breathe and basically hang up on him.

<so, has anyone else ever been in this predicament ? What did you do?>

And now...the real kicker- they are all really weird intermediate growing, terrarium type orchids and I am not very inclined to those types!!!

I will post a list of the 17(!!!) uninvited orchids first thing tomorrow. Represtria, Scaphosepalum, pleurothalis, etc ......

[Leafmite]

I have only done group orders with other orchid society members and they have always been great about paying for their plants (and I have paid for mine).

My advice would be to try to sell the orchids. If you have a nearby orchid society, you can contact them and they might be able to put out an email to members and find buyers for the orchids.

[estación seca]

It's been years since I didn't collect up front, before placing the order. I'd guess you're going to get terrarium experience.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Terrarium experience and a lesson learned about collecting up front lol

[Roberta]

No good deed goes unpunished... I also labor under the assumption that orchid people are all good and honorable. And am shocked to occasionally run into one that isn't... fortunately none that cost me money. This one stinks.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Strange. I posted and added a pic?!

Here is the list of my new adopted orphans

[Roberta]

I spotted a few that actually are warm growers... Bulb lindleyanaum, possibly Bulb treschii (not a lot of info about it that I could find), Pleurothallis sandemanii jump out at me... would have to research the rest of the list. But try to sell off the plants you got stuck with... you shouldn't have to pay for what you don't want! Thinking about that makes me mad all over again...

[DirtyCoconuts]

I have to say, since I am blessed enough that the 150~ was not a budget breaker, these plants are totally out of my wheel house and are fun even to fail with

Make lemonade

[tmoney]

just a thought, maybe ask the others if they might chip in a little each to try and cover costs, and give the guy his plants anyways as a show of neighborly support in these tough times?
do you know if the guy or gal has been affected by the corona, and maybe are embarrased to tell you they lost their job or something?
or, possibly, the guy is just a total piece of crap neighbor, in which case ignore all this and start terrarium shopping!

[DirtyCoconuts]

quick update-

i have not killed any of the plants yet!

some are NOT thriving but are not dying...a few are deciding if they like me and a few are THRIVING

i am going to take a bunch of pics but the warm ones are all great- mounted them on pond filter with sphag over the roots and they are all growing in


the I.W. are in a modified SH i made up and it seems to be working (outside) and the I/ IC are in SH in my bathroom.

regardless of the final outcome, i have learned more and had more fun with these pleuro/ restrepia / genuses than i ever thought