Orchid time of year

This is the time of year when the multitude of orchids on various windowsills in my house begin to flower like mad things. Here are are the kitchen orchids.

I don't know if it's the warmer environment, or the change of light - but I welcome it with great joy, whatever the cause. They are amazing.

I love their uncompromisingly stiff and glossy leaves, weird aerial roots, and long flower stems that need support but droop away from it to make their own shapes.

They are remarkably easy to keep. A light windowsill with little or no direct sunlight, some humidity ( a kitchen windowsill or a windowsill in or near the bathroom is good too), a little water, and regular misting. The results are fantastic.

When the flowers have fallen from the flower stem, don't cut it down until it has actually died and gone brown. Very often the next flower spike will grow from one of the nodes on this stem, so cutting it down means you have no possibility for flowers. And don't put your orchid in a ceramic or decorative pot.  Orchids like light on their roots, so keep them in clear plastic pots and enjoy the strange roots that drape over the edge of the pot, and sometimes turn into a flower spike.

When I am wealthy ( ha! as if being a poet is ever going to make that happen!) I am going to have a house with  massive North facing windows in the kitchen and the bathroom, and open shelves across them with row upon row of orchids, silhouetted against the light, and flowering like mad things.

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.

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!