Moth Orchids advice required
Barn Field
Posts: 47
in Plants
These three Moth Orchids belonged to my Late Mother-In-Law who loved them, they were going to be thrown out so I rescued them. They have all been in flower for the best part of the year but now the remaining flowers are fading. Can anyone tell me the best way to look after them and hopefully encourage them to flower next year. I have never kept Orchids before and would appreciate any advice given.
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Hi Barn Field. They are very easy to keep. Firstly they prefer not to be enclosed in ceramic pots. Their roots need light which is why they are planted in translucent pots to begin with. Secondly use rain water to water them. I keep bottles of rainwater in my house so that the water is at the same temperature as the house and the orchids won't suffer from shock if given cold water from a tap. Don't let them stand in saucers of water as this can cause their roots to rot. They do not like direct sunshine so a north facing windowsill is preferred. After the flowers have died off you can cut back the flowering stems to the next healthy bud on the stem and fresh flower shoots will develop. I feed my orchids once every two/three weeks during the summer months. I mist them with rainwater occasionally through the summer months too - avoiding the flowers. They are very difficult to kill
THEY ARE THE EASIEST TYPE OF ORCHID TO KEEP, I THINK.
THEY LIKE TO BE IGNORED MORE THAN COSSETTED.
YOU CAN CUT BACK THE OLD FLOWER STEMS TO AN INCH OR SO OFF THE GROUND LEVEL. IF YOU HAVE SOME TOMATO FERTILISER OR OR HID FERTILISER, MAKE UP A SMALL AMOUNT OF QUITE A WEAK MIXTURE.
PUT THE POTS IN THE SINK WITHOUT ANYTHING ROUND THEM TO BLOCK THEIR DRAINAGE HOLES. POUR THE FERTILISER LIQUID OVER THE BARK/CHIPPINGS/COMPOST UNTIL IT IS SOAKED AND RUNNING OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE POT. LEAVE THEM TO DRAIN THEN PUT THEM BACK ONTO THEIR SAUCERS OR INTO THEIR DECORATIVE POTS.
LEAVE THEM FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, MAYBE TWO OR EVEN THREE BEFORE YOU WATER THEM AGAIN. THE NEXT TIME YOU WATER THEM, JUST USE WATER. FEED THEM MAYBE THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR, OTHERWISE JUST WATER, MAKING SURE THAT THEY NEVER SIT IN WET POTS.
THEY WILL FLOWER FOR YEARS.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
SOME DIFFERENT ADVICE THERE BUT ALL ALONG THE SAME LINES. KEEP THIR ROOTS DRYISH, NEVER SOGGY.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
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Last edited: 11 July 2017 20:43:10