Today I lost an orchid. I though I'd share it, as stupid and sad it may be... to share thoughts on dead plants.
Yes, it was the golden Phal. Sogo Lawrence. Since yesterday I noticed the leaves were yellowing from the crown, "Crown rot" i thought at first then sunburn but I have many other orchids which never suffered from that and they were more frail.
Today I decided to cut the spike off, because if there is something wrong with the orchid the flowers will only drain energy and kill the plant. Remember - flowers are never sign of health - sometimes the spike may be a terminal spike, the plants last attempt to propagate before it dies.
Next I though I will re pot the orchid to give it a fresh medium, healthier surroundings. So I did... and I swore a lot and was very, very upset with myself and the nursery staff, and I just though what idiot people must work there. All the roots that touched the edges of the pot were fine so from the outside it looked perfectly ok, however the inside roots were all rotten and mushy to the point that the crown itself was rotting from the bottom to top. Something I would never be able to see without actually physically removing the plant from the pot and clearing the roots, so my orchid was dead, pretty much. And I though to myself that after almost 3 years of successful growing orchids and 4 years of growing various plants I should be smarter and foresee this... of course not.
It makes me feel upset not because I wasted money, but because I think I should have been able to save the plant. Because it was in a way a living thing.
I don't think I will go and run new plants now just to cure my depression, because that is not the way. However I know now that no matter how much I know I should pay more attention to what I do and to the health of the plants and not over crowd my window with beautiful specimens that may be sick and dying. This one Is on me and my consciousness to think and learn a lesson.
I advise the same to my readers. Orchids are plants but also living things, If you loose one don't go running and replacing it with another. Think first is it worth it and what did you learn from the loss.
Yes, it was the golden Phal. Sogo Lawrence. Since yesterday I noticed the leaves were yellowing from the crown, "Crown rot" i thought at first then sunburn but I have many other orchids which never suffered from that and they were more frail.
Today I decided to cut the spike off, because if there is something wrong with the orchid the flowers will only drain energy and kill the plant. Remember - flowers are never sign of health - sometimes the spike may be a terminal spike, the plants last attempt to propagate before it dies.
Next I though I will re pot the orchid to give it a fresh medium, healthier surroundings. So I did... and I swore a lot and was very, very upset with myself and the nursery staff, and I just though what idiot people must work there. All the roots that touched the edges of the pot were fine so from the outside it looked perfectly ok, however the inside roots were all rotten and mushy to the point that the crown itself was rotting from the bottom to top. Something I would never be able to see without actually physically removing the plant from the pot and clearing the roots, so my orchid was dead, pretty much. And I though to myself that after almost 3 years of successful growing orchids and 4 years of growing various plants I should be smarter and foresee this... of course not.
It makes me feel upset not because I wasted money, but because I think I should have been able to save the plant. Because it was in a way a living thing.
I don't think I will go and run new plants now just to cure my depression, because that is not the way. However I know now that no matter how much I know I should pay more attention to what I do and to the health of the plants and not over crowd my window with beautiful specimens that may be sick and dying. This one Is on me and my consciousness to think and learn a lesson.
I advise the same to my readers. Orchids are plants but also living things, If you loose one don't go running and replacing it with another. Think first is it worth it and what did you learn from the loss.
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