Short answer: When the effort isn't worth the reward... That said, it's different for everyone and possibly every plant. I put more effort (years for some) into 'saving' special plants that have meaning to me, but for a regular old plant I may have purchased, depending on size (larger goes out quicker) if I don't think I can get it back to blooming in 1 year, I strongly consider composting/Kev'ing it quickly... Now if it is a seedling, I'll again wait for years for them to get to blooming size, but then I know I'm working with a seedling also. Funny that the longer I grow orchids, the easier it seems to be to rid myself of the poor performers. Bob

I'd yank them. Even if they do start growing, they don't really have enough time to get anywhere before next winter sets in. If you are going to grow HTs around here, you need to embrace the churn. There are always more roses. Some of them might even settle in and stay awhile.

Lauri, I don't know if this will help or not because you've already gotten great advice, but I live in Florida too. (I post all the time to the Florida forum - you should visit us there!). Oddly, my experience is opposite to the other comments here! It sounds like I am underwatering mine but they have thrived so I can't say it's wrong. I have several plummies in containers - some from cuttings, some that I've grown from seed, and one or two that I purchased as rooted plants. I haven't had a single one rot. But here's the thing: I never water them. Seriously. Never. In the summer they get daily rains and in the winter they get.... nothing, unless it rains. If it's going to be under 40 degrees, I group them with my orchids and throw a blanket over the whole batch. Everything lives in the screened patio so they get full sun, filtered by the screen. In the spring I toss some slow release fertilizer into each pot. I've had good luck with blooming except for a couple plants that seem to only want to grow and not to bloom. (I may have to try giving them more water, based on what I read above!) But it sounds to me like you are watering your plants way too much, especially in the winter when they are dormant. I have mine in a well draining soil, too. Kate

Hi folks...thanks so much for the continued support and feedback. I must tell you, my dear wife who is not in to gardening at all like I am basically convinced me not to give in just yet. There is yet another option of which I do not look forward to which involves clearing trees and constructing greenhouses....I just don't know where I'm going to find the energy for all that (lol). gardenman, yes I have always pretty much used oak leaves for mulch. I've not had any of the ingredients tested but I am near 100% certain that the Black Kow is free of herbicide. A few of my container plants which had Black Kow mixed in were inside my little greenhouse for around 3 weeks and they were fine but when I placed them outside it only took about four or five days to exhibit the leaf distortions. However it plays out this spring, I'm not going to pull any plants. I planned on letting things continue so that I can see the end results. And there are some positives going on. The plants continue to grow and set fruit at an excellent rate with some plants approaching 4 feet tall. And don't hold me to this, but I must confess that it does appear that some new foliage has developed without the distortions. Fingers crossed.... Jay