Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery???

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LovelyLadyLux
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Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery???

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I have/had four quite robust orchids albeit non-flowering but still looking pretty good. Since I'm back orchid #3 has been turning yellow, two bottom leaves have fallen off and I think another one will go soon so am thinking it is time to go to the great bin in the sky. Guess that makes me a 'for the good times only' gardener but I'm not sure once a plant starts to go it is worth the effort to try and bring it back. Plus it doesn't look too terribly well ....... will decide on my next trip out to the bin whether the kitchen scraps gets company or not.

Not sure what others do ....... do you persevere and try or toss it and go for another??


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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by Grandad »

Don't bin them LLL, a little warmth and TLC might do the trick......see my comment on 'What are you doing' thread...
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by Mad Dilys »

I hang on to the bitter end - since five young avocado plants only about 2 ft high that I had in my garden in Luxor became little sticks, even though they had a sheltering wrap to protect them.

The little sticks disappeared over the next year and then quite suddenly, two years after they were originally planted three had developed strong shoots and within yet another year they were bushy and 5 ft tall. They just sprinted away and gave good crops of fairly small avocados ideal for a single serving for hotels and restaurants.

The only drawback to avocados is that they cannot be stored for long, however that makes them scarce locally in Luxor so a good price can be obtained from the hotels etc. ;)
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@MD - WOW - you actually grew from seed/pit an avocado bush that grew to 2 feet and then to 5?? WOW!!! Am impressed as I've tried multi times over the years to get one to grow and all I've got is an inconvenient avocado pit suspended in a glass of water on the counter for months and months 'til I get fed up with it. You have to tell me how you started them and what you did to get them to grow.

Am not longer sitting on the fence re: this orchid I'm now perched on top looking at it yellowing away.
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by Mad Dilys »

No, I bought them as little plants about 2 feet high. Then they seemed to die and disappeared for a year. Strong shoots then popped up, and after that they grew about 5 feet a year for 4 years they bushed out more and got taller very slowly.

But ………… my garden is right on the river bank, sheltered and with amazing soil.

Peaches I grew in the UK, but not well in Luxor. The bark split and looked horrible. Though they made a good size and flowered I never had any fruit. So I ditched them.
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@MD....ahhh I thought you had grown them yourself. I tried lots of times to start them by way of suspending the pit in water. Couple times I have had the pit split like it is going to sprout but never more than that. Have also never seen them for sale here either.
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by Mad Dilys »

Hurrah! This morning my poor old camellia which has been lingering after a white fly and red spider assault opened one perfect heavenly scented flower. Made my morning. :up
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I love camellias but have never actually grown one. I tried when I was in the States but it didn't survive the first winter. They're not out here yet - nothing is out here yet - snow flurries again last night. My heather is blooming but that is about all. The few daffs I have are about 1" out of the ground.

On the subject of camellias is yours a double? Those are the ones I like. Don't really fancy the single petal Japanese varieties.

I'm seriously thinking this year instead of focusing on vegetables in the 3 raised beds I have I'm thinking of planting dahlias in half of them. The one biggest raised bed seems to grow everything really well. The other two just don't. Same soil, same approximate location but nothing really thrives in them so I'm thinking of starting a clematis up the one post and putting dahlias into the other two. I'd hope to get the colour of flowers vs 2 tomatoes on a stunted plant and 6 potatoes (that just appeared from somewhere - possible compost) and not enough leeks out of a box to justify the cost of the water.

I'm planting a mix of sunflowers - short varieties (have the seeds). Some of those look quite lovely.
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by Mad Dilys »

Mad Dilys wrote:Hurrah! This morning my poor old camellia which has been lingering after a white fly and red spider assault opened one perfect heavenly scented flower. Made my morning. :up
The flying fickle finger has done it again :urm: - for camellia rea Gardenia. I do actually know the difference. :oops:
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Re: Lingering lingering - should I put it out of its misery?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Ahh Gardenia ;) I've never tried growing one of those either. Too cold here and they've always seemed a delicate plant to grow.

I still do like camellias though. They seem very suited to grow here and some people have huge ones in their yards.
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