I'm finally getting some BUDS!!

[shakkai]

Liz, I admire your bravery! Those ones growing new leaves are promising. I've had a Masdie that dropped some leaves leaving only 4 left, and its been that way for months as well. No new growth yet, but no more leaves dropped either. So I'm just patiently waiting. The hardest thing for me is one that puts out new growth (this last time, there were 5 new leaves growing), they get to a certain point then die off. I still haven't figured that one out. The mature leaves are just fine on it, but alas, no flowers either!

Congrats on your successes! And condolences on your losses. They do, however, make the successes that much sweeter!

[Tindomul]

I've had some masdies drop leaves like the hair on my head. Infact, I still have one that periodically losses a few, but is hanging on by putting on some new ones too. Last month I lost another Masdie. It dropped everything in just a few days. I hate it when these things happen. Thanks for posting your failures. Perhaps we ought to have a section dubbed "The compost heap/pile"
There is no shame in loosing plants, only in not learning why. So if we all posted these things in one forum, perhaps we would learn more about and from our mistakes.

[LizT]

I learned alot more this spring/summer. I thought I was doing all the right things, but alas I went from one extreme to another. Filtered H2O wasn't good (too much Calcium) so I went to distilled, only to find that was worst (no minerals)- so from now on it's spring water. I used Safer 3 in 1 which killed the spider mites, but also some of my plants (I guess I covered the roots too heavily). So the next month I tried a strong funguscide. Again I over did it. The month after that I used less strong. I still get fungus on one plant then another. At this point I'm afraid to use anything on my plants. I have 2 with fungus & I've cut the leaves off but no new leaves are coming back.

Have I learned anything - YES I haven't learned how to apply insecticide/fungusicide to plants. What's an Orchid Mom to do

By the way it's good to be back. I didn't realize how much I missed The Orchid Board