Orchids. Easy to keep? Yes!

I have been looking at the orchids that live on two windowsills in my home.

 Some are in the kitchen,

and some on the little windowsill on the landing, next to the bathroom.

I love all of them, and am always delighted by their thick glossy leaves, aerial roots, and long flower stems, none of them neat or tidy looking, but so vigorous.

I know the common perception of orchids is that they are difficult to keep, and many orchids are bought, treated like a long lasting cut flower and then thrown away. However, it's possible to keep them for years, and there are a few rules that will help you do this!

First of all, they need light, but not direct sunlight. I keep the blind in the kitchen just a little down in the summer to keep the full sun off - and the upstairs windowsill doesn't get direct sun, so that's perfect.

Secondly, keep them in a clear plastic pot. They need the light on their roots. The orchids grown for houses  originated growing on trees, so they don't want to be in the confined in a dark pot.

Orchids like humidity, so a kitchen is great. And the windowsill outside the bathroom is good too. I also mist mine regularly, spraying the flowers and leaves.  And watering the compost in the pots too, but not a huge amount.

When flowering is finished, don't cut the flower stem down immediately. Often the next flower stem grows from it. Wait until the stem has actually died back before cutting it, just to be sure.

I always have several in flower, and others are resting. Orchids bring colour and exotic beauty!
Oh - and watch out for wildlife living amongst the pots.

Christmas Cactus Cascade

I moved this Christmas Cactus plant onto the kitchen table while I tidied my study, and three days later it burst into flower.

As you may know, moving a Christmas Cactus in flower causes the flowers to drop off, so I have had to leave it in this rather inconvenient place!

But it's such an exuberant cascade of flowers I really don't mind. And it complements the orchids on the windowsill behind.

Meanwhile, on the sitting room windowsill, a small cutting which has been slowly growing for two years, has started to show beautiful white flowers.

 There are two pink and one red to come, all still in place in the study. I love these extravagant flowers at the time when the garden outside is fading and wintery.

orchids. easy to grow. beautiful to look at.

I took a break from working earlier, and photographed the orchids that are flowering on various windowsills in my house.

Orchids are very easy to keep, if you follow some basic guidelines.

They need light but not direct sunlight. So a windowsill that catches a little or no sun is ideal.

 

 

They need humidity. So mist them regularly, or keep them on a kitchen or bathroom windowsill.

 

Don't cut down the flower stems after the flowers have dropped off until the the stems actually die. You may be cutting off the place where the next flower stem will grow.

Support the stems for a lovely display.

 Keep your orchid in a clear plastic pot. The roots need some light, so an ordinary flower pot isn't a good idea.

Water regularly, with a little house plant food (I use Baby Bio) in the water. You really don't need to buy expensive orchid foods.

And - most important of all - spend time looking at the beautiful blooms.

Right - back to the poetry!