On aging

[Guldal]

Are there any members here that are facing or have faced the same situation and what did you do about it?

It
seems that nobody really wants them as a group.

Dear Luvr and Angela (abax)!
If we hadn't had the great pond inbetween us, I would certainly have offered to help you out, at least what your orchids pertain. As I live in a 5th floor appartment in the city, unfortunately, Angela's limetree would present me with insurmountable difficulties.

In a 10-15 years time, I'm sure that I will have to deal with the questions you both pose - and to which I don't know a clearcut answer.

A senior, now defunct member of my orchid society certainly showed the way of how NOT to do.
He had a wonderful collection of quite rare and select Paphs. He couldn't bear to part with his plants (and maybe also not bear the thought of parting with life). Due to frailness and failing eyesight his plants got quite heavily infested with mealybugs and other pests, which made him take recourse to such a drastic treatment-strategem, that the cure killed at least 1/3 of his plants. It was rumoured, that he told his wife, that she, when he was dead, should burn all his orchids, as "no one else should posses them". When he passed a majority of his plants due to neglect had already succumbed to pests and disease.
He wasn't an easy man before, but I can't imagine a sadder way to go. The stinginess, meanness, and ungregariousness of it all, bring to mind 'Scrooge' from Dickena' "A Christmas Carol".... that is, before he met the spirits of Christmases, past, present and future.

Maybe, we can from this example get inspiration to trot the via negativa (i e. from the example through interference reach opposite conclusions). I have in my orchids society seen how happy some fellow members have been, when I on a few occassions have given away a couple of plants (one year at a Christmas meeting I won an embarrasing amount of plants -as a prize for a couple of awarded plants, best in category and at our traditional Christmas bingo. My neighbour at the table had also won a couple of plants, which made me feel sorry for the guy sitting opposite us. He got so very happy, when I gave him one of my plants. And even now, several years later, he still talks about it, and duly mentions, when the plant is in flower).
I hope, that I, in the due course of time, will be able to find ways, where my plants, that have given me so much pleaure, can be a source of pleasure for other people, known or unbeknown to me!

 

[Just1more]

Angela’s sudden death has caused e to think more of y plants. I’m almost a decade older than Angela was.
First course of action for me is to better mark my NOID plants with at least genera names and basic culture tips…..mainly join an OS. Then with husband and daughter fill them in on my plan……here’s the sticker….plan yet to be determined! LOL! Plants that family doesn’t want (most all of them) go to our OS, with prior speaking to one or two of the officers of our club. Inthe event I outlive our OS (we are struggling, COVID about finished our group, hopefully we’ll regroup), then plants to our closest Botanical Gardens. I’m sure Angela’s plants were in good shape and it’s truly my hope that if I plan well enough my small collection will pass either before or after my demise in decent shape!

 

[southernbelle]

Everyone, this gentleman talked on another post about his College that needs plants to teach aspiring horticulture students with. They have very few orchids, large greenhouses and a budget to care for anything they get. I will be sending a few extras I have now and others as I divide. And they pay postage, to boot. If you have your documentation as to what you paid, you will even get a donation receipt for income tax deduction.
Gerrit Tichelaar [email protected]
Instructor of Horticulture
Gateway Technical College, Kenosha Wisconsin

 

[Tom-DE]

Everyone, this gentleman talked on another post about his College that needs plants to teach aspiring horticulture students with. They have very few orchids, large greenhouses and a budget to care for anything they get. I will be sending a few extras I have now and others as I divide. And they pay postage, to boot. If you have your documentation as to what you paid, you will even get a donation receipt for income tax deduction.
Gerrit Tichelaar [email protected]
Instructor of Horticulture
Gateway Technical College, Kenosha Wisconsin

If you don't want to sell your collection, donating them to university or any nonprofit organization is a much better way IMO. I don't have many plants now but some of mine are named/historic clones, so I would donate whatever I still have to Longwood Gardens someday...
Regarding tax deductions, most of us (especially the older ones who don't have any mortgage), won't get any benefit from the donation, mainly because you can have the deduction benefit only if you take an itemized deduction on your tax return. If you don't have a huge mortgage interest or huge medical expenses..., your standard deduction (current years) is most likely more than your total itemized deduction....
so, unless you donate a huge collection(like a thousand plants), and you take itemized deductions, you really don't need to worry about the receipt for your donations.

 

[southernbelle]

If you don't want to sell your collection, donating them to university or any nonprofit organization is a much better way IMO. I don't have many plants now but some of mine are named/historic clones, so I would donate whatever I still have to Longwood Gardens someday...
Regarding tax deductions, most of us (especially the older ones who don't have any mortgage), won't get any benefit from the donation, mainly because you can have the deduction benefit only if you take an itemized deduction on your tax return. If you don't have a huge mortgage interest or huge medical expenses..., your standard deduction (current years) is most likely more than your total itemized deduction....
so, unless you donate a huge collection(like a thousand plants), and you take itemized deductions, you really don't need to worry about the receipt for your donations.

Of course, you are right if you take the standard deduction, but regardless it’s an option available to any who itemize and do have receipts. They welcome the plants in any event and will take any genera, as well.