Would you keep a non-performer?

[Ross]

This is (I hope) a poll to see how many would go ahead and keep those orchids that are basically non-performers (in other words, have never bloomed or bloom so rarely you wonder why you go to the trouble.)

I basically of am the opinion that plants are inanimate beings that either perform or not. Not the same as with pets. So if I choose to devote a space to a plant that is wimpy or chooses not to bloom, not to grow, not to do anything but just exist, should I keep it? My vote is for no. What's yours?

[Lagoon]

Ross,

I dumped a few catts, couple of smallish paphs, non bloomers, slow lousy growers - Not worth the space and time, Forget it!
I do a spring cleaning every year, I always find 1 ot 2 to make the list.

Ross .... you know, It's Thrive or Die

[shakkai]

I tend to always live in hope... but, like in all things, I guess it all depends. If it is something that I know isn't suited to the conditions that I can provide, then its probably tantamount to torture to try to prolong the agony of the poor plant - so off it goes to somewhere it will like better. But if its something that should be happy, then I try to find its 'happy spot' and will keep it around in the hopes that things will improve.

[addictedcountryman]

wow i must really be perverted. i thought this was a survery about people in bed. sheesh but actually, i would keep nonperformers unless i exhausted every possible way... asking the OB, asking my local orchid society, etc. Even after then, I would probably give them away in hopes someone would have better luck than i do.

[Andrew]

While I voted to dump non performers it really depends. For a run of the mill hybrid I'd probably dump it. If we take the view that hybridisation is about improving on the parents there's probably not a lot of incentive in keeping a dud. For species, I tend to be inclined to persist, especially if I think the poor performance may be related to the nature of the species rather than the quality of the plant. Pterostylis truncata for example usually flowers poorly in cultivation as well as in the wild. I still grow it despite getting few-no flowers each year as that's the nature of the species.

As a caution against dumping a plant before you understand why it's not performing, until about a year ago my worst performer was Pterygodium catholicum. When I bought it is was mislabelled as the wrong genus and of unknown species which made figuring out what was wrong with it a challenge. It multiplied like a weed but never flowered in the 5 years I had it. It was long due for the compost heap and in a last ditch effort I stored the tubers with banana skins over summer, which is a technique used to get many fire dependant Australian orchids to flower. This was the result. I was finally able to ID it and, as it's a fire dependant species, I realised why it wasn't flowering.



OK so the down side is that it stinks to high heaven but it certainly redeemed itself.

[Leisurely]

If the plant were healthy and I was not cramped for space I would keep it. If space were an issue, I would trash it for a plant that would reward me for my efforts.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by addictedcountryman

I would probably give them away in hopes someone would have better luck than i do.

I find giving such orchids to newer growers almost guarantees the plant will start to grow well and flower profusely.

[Soonix]

Lagoon and all the "dumpers" you can all send the non performers my way. Can't stand to give/sell "ANY" plants let alone throw any plants out.

[Shirley]

Banana skins!! Now that's certainly a novel idea and worth a try. I'm probably one of the champion non-dumpers -- I really hate to give up on anything but, like Abby, I tend to give them to someone that I feel might have better luck. When they seem to be beyond redemption, into the trash they go! If the plants appear healthy but just won't bloom for me, then I would probably sell or trade.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Shirley

Banana skins!! Now that's certainly a novel idea and worth a try.

To clarify a bit, in the wild many Australian orchids flower en masse after a bushfire has passed through the area. For a few of these species it has been found that storing the tubers with banana skins initiates flowering. Ethylene which is produced by both ripening fruit and burning wood is apparently the trigger for these orchids to flower. I knew my orchid was South African so I figured there was a possiblilty that flowering might be dependant on veldfires. Turns out my guess paid off. I doubt whether the 'banana method' would have an orchids that don't require fire to flower.

To contrast my Pterygodium story, there was a "Diuris sulphurea" floating around several collections in Victoria a few years ago that multiplied quickly but never flowered. When someone finally flowered it, it turned out to be a native lily! Maybe that's another point to the 'dump it' team.