Just throw lah

The first lesson in orchid culture is learning to let go. Some people are so reluctant to throw dead or potentially dead plants and hope for a(n impossible) resurrection.



When plants like the Paphiopedilum bellatulum above is having crown or basal rot, just dump it. Letting dying plants lie around only allow the spores to spread to other plants, waste space and cause unsightliness. Paph bellatulum (occassionally purposefulyl mispronunced as "bella - too lan") is a difficult plant in our climate and starting form flask is advisable - throw away seedlings not so heart pain. Anyway one flask of 20 clost about the same as one matured plant =p.



If your plant gets red spider mites (RSM for short - nothing to do with your favourite army personnel), once too often - time to dump. RSM is a very problematic pest and some plants (esp. mericloned or single-line hybdrids) are rather vulnerable. This plant above is Dendrobium Chao Praya Gem which I named as 'Weinachten'. The only pure white one out of the the batch of lucky draw plants given out when OSSEA's monthly meeting was still at the UWCSEA. The rest of my friends got pinks ^^. But then the plant produces very stiff sheaths along the stems that are hard to shed or remove - perfect hiding place for RSMs. After trying systemics, immuno modulators, coating agents and the works, I decided it was time to let go the plant - besides Chao Praya Nursery had already cloned tonnes of a white Chao Praya Gem for CNY a couple of years back =.=