Taste of the tropics: a guide to orchids

Moth orchids lend a welcome touch of the exotic to dark winter days, and make the ideal gift. Adam Pasco shows you the simple steps to keep them blooming year after year

Reproduced from January 08 issue of Gardeners' World magazine, this month's issue on sale now. Subscribe now by direct debit and save 25 per cent.

If you're struggling to think of a special present to buy someone, look no further. Moth orchids, also known as phalaenopsis orchids, are widely available year round from florists, supermarkets, garden centres and by mail order. These striking plants are usually sold with at least one flower spike (and sometimes two or three), cost from as little as £20, and are often supplied in a pretty planter, making them the perfect gift.

Orchids have got a reputation for being a bit tricky to keep going, but they're really very easy - especially if you follow our simple care guide. In fact, you should be able to get them to flower again and again, for years to come - proving an orchid isn't just for Christmas!

Keep orchids warm

Moth orchids need a warm position indoors throughout the year. They'll enjoy any bright location, but keep them out of direct, scorching sunlight. A north-facing windowsill is usually bright enough to provide direct light, but make sure you don't trap orchids inside the curtains next to a cold window at night. Always move them to a warm room instead.

Through winter, aim to keep temperatures above 16?C, especially during the night. Centrally heated homes have dry air and orchids prefer much higher humidity. Growing them in a kitchen or bathroom is ideal, because humidity is naturally high. Alternatively, mist over the plants, especially the aerial roots, a few times a week. You can also stand pots on trays of moist gravel to increase air humidity around the plants.

Support the spikes

In addition to producing new flower spikes from nodes or eyes on old spikes (see 'Where to cut back', opposite), new spikes will develop from the fleshy base of your orchid. You will clearly see how this light green spike is very different in appearance from the aerial roots emerging nearby.

Flower spikes have a habit of bending towards the light as they grow. Turning the plant a little each day helps keep growth upright, and you can play around with this to create beautiful spikes with graceful curves. It often helps to clip the developing spike to a rigid cane to keep the bottom 30cm or so absolutely vertical. Push one or more fine canes right down through the roots into the compost, attaching the spike to the cane at intervals.

Keep flowers coming

Moth-orchid flowers last for several months, but eventually they will wilt and fall. The first flowers to open near the base of the spike are the first to fall, but later on those at the tip will fall, too. Once they do, follow the flower spike back towards its base. You will notice small eyes or nodes on the spike, and possibly a slight bulge.

Cut the spike back to just above an eye. In most cases a new spike will develop from this point. Occasionally this old flower spike will die back completely to the base without producing more flowers. You'll notice it turning from greenish brown to a silvery-grey colour as it becomes crisp and dry. It can now be cut back as close as possible to its base.

Revive older plants

Moth orchids can remain in the same pot for several years and will produce one or two new flower spikes per year. They will benefit from fresh orchid compost every two to three years and should be repotted if their pots get crowded. Use special clear pots and orchid compost, available from garden centres or by mail order from specialists (try www.ivensorchids. co.uk). Orchid compost contains coarse bark and other free-draining materials, and should always be used.

Dealing with roots

Old roots naturally die over time and new ones will form. Check carefully and you'll be able to see the difference between healthy, living roots and dead ones. Dead ones are soft to the touch. If you give them a tug you will pull back a skin-like cover to reveal a coarse fibre inside. Trim dead roots back to their base.

Don't worry about long roots growing out from the plant but missing the pot. There is no need to bend them down into the bark compost, as this will most likely snap or damage them. Aerial roots have adapted to absorb moisture from the air so they don't have to be buried in compost. If aerial root growth becomes unsightly or hard to handle, you can selectively remove or shorten a few of them.

How to feed and water

Water orchids about once a week or twice during hot weather in summer. This can be done one of two ways. The first involves pouring water over the bark compost and roots from above, letting water drain through, then discarding the excess. Don't leave pots sitting in deep water for more than a few minutes.

The second method is to dunk the whole pot and all aerial roots in a bucket or sink of tepid water. Completely submerge it for a few minutes so that the bark absorbs the water. Splash water on to all the aerial roots to wet their surface. Now stand the pot on a draining board to let the excess water drain away, before returning it to its windowsill position. Take great care not to leave water standing in the crown of the plant among the leaves, or it will rot. If you spill water in the crown, just pour it into the sink and dab dry with a tissue.

Because bark compost is almost devoid of nutrients, you must feed the plants instead. Add orchid feed to every third or fourth watering. Several types of liquid feed are available.

Where to buy

You should be able to pick up a flowering moth orchid for around #20 (depending on how many stems it has and whether it comes in a pot) from any garden centre or florist. DIY and high street stores, for example B&Q and Marks & Spencer, also stock them for most of the year, along with many supermarkets. If you're looking for something a bit different, there are lots of specialist orchid nurseries that can help with your specific needs.

Web orders only:

Discover more

There are many orchid-related books, societies and websites that offer excellent practical growing advice. Many sites list local orchid shows and events. To find out more, we recommend the following sources:

For a good read
101 Easy-to-Grow Orchids, RRP £14.99, by Wilma andBrian Rittershausen

Websites
All About Orchids, www.orchid.org.uk
Easy Orchids, www.easyorchids.co.uk
Orchid Answers, www.orchidanswers.co.uk
The Orchid Society of Great Britain, www.orchid-society-gb.org.uk
The Scottish Orchid Society, www.scottishorchid.info