Glad it is all cleared up.
Maybe a phone call to you explaining the poor condition of the plant at the time it happened would have been in order.

Hi Jack,

I guess all's well that ends well.

It's not very nice when it's left to one to just imagine what happened when it could have been so easily explained and all the following drama avoided, however a good outcome in the end.

All the best, Nev.

Yep, imagining and writing public accusations, instead of asking is not a good way to go! Too bad this is not on the same thread as the accusations.
This whole saga has not been in the normal happy friendly tone of this forum. Let us get back to our beautiful plants.
Lynn

Well said Lynn

Hi Lynn,

You don't know me, but I'm a member of the Illawarra Society and I'd just like to compliment you on a small booklet you put together for workshops back around 2005 called "Bromeliads Cultivation Notes", (so good in fact it's been reprinted at least five times).

It's very reasonably priced and a wealth of knowledge and contains information and great tips not found in much more expensive publications.

I was surprised at just how much information could be packed into such a small booklet (about 40 pages)and I think it is often overlooked by some because it is in black and white and the price is so cheap (Our member's price is A$8).

I don't know if it's available in other countries, but I can certainly recommend it to all bromeliad enthusiasts, both new and old.

Great work!

All the best, Nev.

Thanx Bob & Nev.
Yes the book is in USA, NZ, South Africa, Bahamas, Thailand, Japan, Hawaii, & Puerto Rica that I know of.
There are no pretty pictures to distract the reader, just basic facts,
The cover plants are from my garden,
From the first 200 now over 6,000 have been printed!
Happy Christmastime to Everyone
lynn

I don't understand why the donated plant could not have been protected from the grasshoppers. Are grasshoppers that bad in Australia?

Grasshoppers? Any size you like from .25 inch to 6 inch.
When it is very dry in the centre of Australia we inherit great populations looking for food.
They are voracious and can eat a large plant overnight.
To kill them they need to eat the plant the poison is on.
To use poison would also kill frogs.
Winter time is a good time to get them early in the morning they are sluggish.
Every chance we get we make two hoppers out of one.
I cannot enclose my whole yard in insect screen!
If anyone has proven ways of combatting them, please divulge the golden process. L

That sounds horrid. I'm lucky I only have to deal with Indian walking sticks and brown helix snails, and neither pest seems to be interested in my broms.

Hi all, if nothing else the saga of the Vriesea has been cleared up, but pity the forum was used for this. Let's stick to plants and share knowledge not gossip. It was just a pity the thread got personal, Jack, as the issue is real and a problem.

Now, for me, the main problem is new flower spikes tips chewed out by a brown night hopper. They inevitably find budding spikes on my rarest Tillandsias. I have to don a mask at night and walk through the collections with insect 'bombs' in spray mode, trying send the fog into all corners. Tonight I'll bast again.

Cheers, Pedro