the cruel trickery of hothouses

in search of humble hardware, I’m seduced by riotous orchid blooms and make the leap– plunk down the $14 at the register for my very own horticultural splendor, ferry it lovingly through the cold out to the car and across town home, fix it a front row spot of honor, water and feed as directed– and watch it wither to sticks in a matter of days.

I fare ill as an attentive, incisive specialist– read pages of advice online and come away with the wavery conclusion that the daytime and evening temperatures of my home are simply non-conducive– how to fix which given radiators already wound down to the best of my ability and no garage or basement to relocate it to evenings.

fie and pah, I dislike causing anything living to fail to flourish.

2 Replies to “the cruel trickery of hothouses”

  1. Do NOT despair. Orchids always do this – your little plant will come back :). Very much like life – these guys go dormant, then out of the blue with no warning, they begin to flourish again.

    Just keep watering it weekly and feed it a little, and talk to it a lot.

    1. thanks for the reassurance, my wonderful sister :)

      according to the orchid care bits I’ve read online, it also sounds like it might be okay to trim back the bare branches, and possibly to repot/check roots.

      I think the biggest lesson for me here is relinquishing the image of that initial steroided bloom profusion in favor of humbler expectations more appropriate to apartment gardening.

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