Orchids

I have never had the patience to get an orchid to reflower. It’s mainly a function of the amount of space and time that I imagine it takes and partly because I hear so many people talking of their disappointment that their year long efforts were in vain.

I get as excited as you when I am choosing something of such exotic beauty (usually to give to my lovely wife) and then enjoying the flowers for many weeks through periods of neglect and the occasional watering. After many weeks of great value we are left with a few rather dried out leaves, a couple of bare flower spikes and 2 short split canes attached to them. At this moment I reflect that I have had great value from the £10 spent and set the plant aside, having pruned the spent flowers spikes off and leave it on the window sill. A few weeks later I loose heart and will and it’s sent to the compost heap. Now that’s OK, I say- you have had better value than a bunch of flowers would have given you so just start again with another when you feel like it.

However, if you are up for the reblooming challenge then here are a few things to help. Orchids have rambling roots that in their native habit cling to the stems of trees- i.e. they are epiphytes and they take most of their water from the air so they are never found sitting in water. The bark that orchids are supplied in, therefore, acts more as a stabilising material than a nutritional one. Never re pot orchids in a peat based compost- orchids should only be repotted into specialist orchid compost. Orchid’s roots produce energy from light so growing them in lattice baskets or clear pots is vital.

Orchids need bright light but not direct sunlight and enjoy an ideal temperature of a steady 68◦F (20◦C). Leaves should be a mid green and the appearance of plum coloured leaf blotches indicate that the light level is at an optimum- the equivalent of a suntan.

Orchids do only need a watering once a week and should ideally be indulged with rainwater. They should be stood in a sink or bowl containing the water for a few minutes and then left to drain before being returned to their container. Leaves enjoy a high humidity so if you keep your room especially warm a regular misting will ensure they do not dry out.

Plants that have finished flowering will enjoy a rest period- after pruning the old stem back to the second lowest bud move to a slightly cooler (64◦F/18◦C) for a few weeks until it shows sign of regrowth.

Use a speciality orchid feed once a month to keep your plant healthy. Repotting should not need to happen very often – roots growing over the side of the pot are not a sign that the plants needs more space. Only when the growing medium has broken down so that the water doesn’t drain properly or the body of the plant is hanging over the edge of the pot is it time to move it on.

So treat yourself to a really special orchid and see if you can enjoy a second flowing in 2011!