[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

It is time to give up when it turns a sickly color of yellow or brown. If it still has healthy color, then you are still on track for a revival. The plant has to decide it is time to grow roots. This may be a seasonal thing and you just have to wait it out. I may take 6 months. I had a small 2 bulb piece of Coelogyne pandorata that was horribly shriveled, and every time I checked it, I asked my self why I kept it going with the sphag & bag, as it was obvious this thing was too far gone. But it kept its color, and 6 months later the piece started a new growth. This was quite a miracle plant, as it produced a very respectable bulb that year, and filled out the old bulbs so that you would never guess how bad they had been. Sad to say, an over heated greenhouse the following winter killed the plant. Such a pity to loose such a great conversation piece.