At what point do you toss?
 

I know this is a very subjective question--which is fine because I'm looking for subjective answers!

I have three orchids right now (a NOID phal, a NOID Onc., and an Onc Twinkle) that have various things going on that are making me concerned. At one point I would have been all about doing anything and everything to save them. But, I just started my Ph.D. program and time is....well, a valuable commodity. I unfortunately don't have time to baby them like I used to.

The phal up and dropped four leaves out of nowhere, and when I unpotted it today, it only had one viable root. So it's down to two tiny leaves and one root. I didn't see any signs of disease, so I think it's either related to my recent move, or I somehow overwatered it.

The two Oncs. I think have some kind of fungus, but I haven't been able to figure out what exactly. I'm getting yellowing leaves and black streaking on others. I've soaked them both in a physon solution, but I don't have any other fungicides at hand.

So, I guess what I'm asking is, in your experience, at what point is it not worth the effort? I love my plants, but I also value my sanity.

I think you answered your own question already ;)

I would toss them. It sounds like this is a continuing issue. I have learned that the only plants worth fussing over are the ones that are either expensive, exceptional or difficult to replace (and valued in the collection). You can always treat yourself to something new. :)

as in above, lol....whenever your environment is not conducive to a pleasant plant experience!....if you don't have a greenhouse, and you don't have a 'designated plant room/space' and the plant is not of cultural value, the trash can is appropriate....as in noids...just get another one and don't shed a tear! we keep plants because they give us joy....and most of us don't operate a plant hospital...even when I had a big greenhouse, people would bring me sick plants I STOPPED THEM AT THE DOOR! I do not want to make my greenhouse sick with some noids scale or mealy bug or disease....so, chunk em and move on....

I remember the days of people bringing me their sick plants and the resulting whitefly infestations. I finally had to spread the word that I would no longer take them.

Thank you all for your advice! I am starting to think that tossing them is the best thing to do...at least for me, if not for them. I always hesitate with it, because I feel a sense of responsibility for them and a desire to do all I can do to keep them alive.

But, in the case of those three, I really don't feel like they're thriving. Plus, like you said, if I do that, I could have more room for new ones!
Shame about the Twinkle, though. It's a Fire Red, which is my favorite of the colors

I personally have a bed of live sphagnum in one of those seedling greenhouse things (about 12''X12'' with a plastic lid). It's not growing sphag very well, even under a cheap LED fish tank light and window light. I use this as the 'hospital.' And by hospital, I mean I put the sick plants in there and forget about them. This only holds if 1.) I don't have an attachment to the plant or 2.) I've put in as much effort as I care to and won't do any more. I will say, my most expensive plant cost me $35, so I don't have any expensive ones nor any that I think are hard to find. I have a few NoIDS that mean something to me personally that I would go above and beyond to save - can't have a plant for 15 years and not grow attached to it :) . Everything else is replaceable.

If they die, well, I haven't put any effort into saving them. If they pull through, it's a great bonus.

A side note - if they have a visible infestation that I don't want to deal with, I would chuck them.

Spot on. I do think it pays to have an arsenal of chems to hit the plants HARD and fast when the need arises. A good pesticide (I like Imacloprid as a systemic, and Chas 48 as a flamethrower -- ie a contact killer for bad cases) a serious fungicide like Mancozeb powder (which doubles up as a dessicant powder) and a serious mite killer.

I don't mess about with so called natural remedies, because those mostly just buy the bugs time to do real damage.

Bil, give me the name of it...probably in Spain it is also forbidden to buy acaricides without a permit.
What do you use?

What do you recommend, bil? I have been fortunate enough not to have many problems thus far, so I think part of the issue is that I was woefully unprepared when something did strike.