How to handle gift orchids?????

[cutterpup]

Hi all. I was reading some of the older threads (I've only just joined) and the one about counting your orchids made me wonder. How do you handle gift orchids that are not what you normally raise or even have room for?
Except for a select few I try to stay limited to orchids I can grow on my light table. Right now I'm up to three standard size phals (two of them are noids and one so big it can be mounted on a tree trunk with roots wrapped around it) that were gifts. Since they live in another room I don't even count them, but I was wondering if it was acceptable to ever re-gift them?

Thanks,
Judy (and the Cutterpup)

[jerrymeola]

I am not an expert on manners. But since it is a living organism, I would just tell the original giver, if they ask how it is doing or where it went, that the plant needed more room; more light; to be outdoors; to be indoors etc, and you could not give it what it needed and you sent it to a better home.

[Aniko]

Before sending them away, I would make sure that the gift is welcomed...

[Sharyn]

cutterpup: Before you re-gift, make sure you remember who gave it to you in the first place. It would be terrible to re-gift your mother-in-law with the same orchid. You have to make sure that none of your friends, relatives, or co-workers know about your original gift, otherwise, re-gifting can get nasty. That's why I never re-gift. I may re-use the gift bag, but not the gift. There is an old true saying, "Women NEVER forget".

Seriously, often people give gifts and they expect to see them sitting around your house forever! If I saved every gift I ever received, I'd need to live in a mansion just for room. If the orchid was one not suitable for my growing conditions or I didn't like it, I probably would donate it or take it to the local Senior Citizens Home. Of course, I would (if asked) let the gift-giver know how much I appreciated their kindness and explain the need for their gift to go to a better home.

[cutterpup]

The ones from folks other than family are easy..i use the growing conditions excuse and find a"better" home. The hard ones are those from family. Oh well, guess I just need more growing room

[fzzdk]

Originally Posted by cutterpup

The ones from folks other than family are easy..i use the growing conditions excuse and find a"better" home. The hard ones are those from family. Oh well, guess I just need more growing room

you could try trading them for orchids better suited to your growing conditions and then never bring it up :P

if you have enough orchids you could just point in their general direction and tell the giver that their plant is in there.

[Anton]

Sharyn what you do is to say that your orchid has divided and you want to share with them what they had originally given you as a gift.

you say " Gee it was so nice that I want to make you as happy as you made me."

Now where's that Bull of yours ??????

[Sharyn]

I just ran to the kitchen to get him! I thought I only needed him for family, now I can see that his duties are expanding.