The Catharsis of Getting Rid of Orchids

[Zabeta]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

I suppose you'd be a better person if you passed the plants on to someone who could do better by them but couldn't obtain them otherwise, but throwing away a plant does not a bad person make.

I considered this, but these were sickly. I didn't know if maybe they had viruses or other problems, and I figured people wouldn't want plants that looked that bad (although based on some of the stuff that gets sold on ebay, I probably could have dubbed them "rescue orchids" and made some money).

[orchidsarefun]

I used to be that orchid person who never gives up or gives in.
I felt much better after tossing a couple of orchids that always were the ones that got everything that went around, like mealybugs or spider-mite.....or fungal infections. Included were a couple that perpetually 'sulked' and seemed too tired to get up in the morning, despite 'siblings' knocking it out the park.
Life is too short to be constantly worrying about a few inherently miserable orchids

[Zabeta]

Originally Posted by lotis146

donate it to your local orchid society? Or even orchid addict?

I don't know other orchid addicts in real life, but the orchid society probably could have used them somehow. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a drive and my car is unreliable. I suppose I could have rented a car or something.

[theloyalplum]

Originally Posted by Zabeta

I don't know other orchid addicts in real life, but the orchid society probably could have used them somehow. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a drive and my car is unreliable. I suppose I could have rented a car or something.

I'm in the same boat. I need to clear some space, but it's really hard for me to get to a OS meeting to trade/sell my babies. But I need space... to start an angraecum collection! Decisions... decisions...

[Raqsharqi]

I'm more like Lotis 146. I treat weak, barely alive orchids like a science project and do my best to keep them alive. I think it teaches me a lot about orchids. I have several triumphs: orchids that are growing roots and thriving when really, they were down to a dessicated nub. I have one phal that was only roots, but now is growing leaves. Sure, I could bin them, and there may come a time when I simply have no room left for Emergency Rooms, but until then, I switch locations, media, sphag and bag, and try every trick I hear of to save what I have.
Now, if I had an orchid that wasn't dying exactly, but wasn't thriving and I really thought my conditions were just never going to be right (for example, I mistakenly got a cold loving orchid that just cooks in my greenhouse), I'd offer it to the folks at my local orchid society.

[estación seca]

Plants have never listened to me. Yet, they still expect me to provide them with nice things.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by theloyalplum

I'm in the same boat. I need to clear some space, but it's really hard for me to get to a OS meeting to trade/sell my babies. But I need space... to start an angraecum collection! Decisions... decisions...

The Angraecum bug has struck once again! There was a time when I was a little obsessed with collecting them but, fortunately, that has passed. Now I am quite content with the few that I have.

I usually find homes for the unwanted orchids but, this fall, I tossed a few that had never quite recovered from the first year of growing under lights. Maybe that was a mistake but what is done is done.
When they are healthy and I do not want them, I do give them to friends/family who admire them or take them to the OS.

[Ray]

I have a wheeled trash can in the basement. Sometimes I just roll it out to the greenhouse, and let it sit outside.

I'm not sure if it has any impact on the plants, but the hassle of just getting it there steels my nerves to take no prisoners.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Ray

I have a wheeled trash can in the basement. Sometimes I just roll it out to the greenhouse, and let it sit outside.

I'm not sure if it has any impact on the plants, but the hassle of just getting it there steels my nerves to take no prisoners.

Ah, the sound of the tumbrils weakens even the strongest nerve!
I carry out the victims saying in a loud voice "Wouldn't grow for me eh? It's compost time for you, my lad!"

[bil]

Well, just to show that we all have a go at lost causes. I made an order for a couple of orchids, and when they arrived, they were eaten alive, this one with so much black mould that I had to remove every single leaf, all bar half of one leaf. I even had to remove a couple of pbulbs.

I was livid, and demanded my money back, which I got, bbut the firm said they would ever send orchids to me again, which frankly isn't a loss.

This was a Chia Lin, red fragrant catt, which I really wanted, so, with no great hope, I planted it up, part in hope, part as a learning experience. To my surprise, after a couple of weeks a bud started to move in a last desperate effort to survive. Today I can see that it has also thrown a root, so who knows, it might survive after all.