Root systems
A year ago, someone invited me to an Arkansas plant giveaway starting at 10am. By the time I got there at 10:15am, almost all they had left were orchids. I picked one with a couple of buds on top. It was about to bloom, and I thought it might look nice.
“Are you sure you want that one?” a volunteer asked. He showed me another one with no buds and a couple leaves, some of them half dry and damaged. “This one has a strong root system and could be something special.”
I took them both home and placed them on the same windowsill.
The first month, the first orchid bloomed two beautiful purple and white blooms that stuck around for weeks. The second one looked about the same.
In months 2-6, the changes started happening. The first orchid lost all but one leaf and seemed to be hanging on for dear life. I executed every tip I could find: repotting, fertilizing, less water, right sun. The second orchid still looked about the same.
In the seventh month, the first orchid died. I felt sad. I had tried hard to save it, and its decline was painful, one limp leaf falling after another. I was now down to my one other orchid that still looked about the same, but I kept taking care of it.
Three months later, it sprouted a bud. And then another, then three more. It is now blooming happily by the window. Here is an actual photo of it from last week. If you are in Ohio, let me know. I will show it to you.
Is this a post about orchids? Yes. I really am on this crazy orchid journey. But for everyone who does not care about orchids it is a post about choices.
When you are the orchid, grow roots before trying to bloom. In the meantime, try not to worry about the 500 people who leave you on the shelf at the plant giveaway. Some might even have a botany credential and dis your leaves as they walk by. Just grow your roots, and the benefit you can expect is strength and beautiful blooms later.
When you are the plant owner, choose the orchid with the strong roots. It might look poor right now, and others might have passed it by 100 times because it had no blooms yet. But not you. Use your eyes. Do you see roots? Get it for a song, put it in the right environment, and the benefit you can expect is a thriving plant with beautiful blooms and an improbable backstory that will remember you forever.
