Advice please

Personally, I think honesty is the best policy. Tell them you are so pleased with their gift and explain what has happened. Quickly think of something else you really would love and tell the daughter who gave you money that you would like to spend it on that. I am sure they will understand.

Quite right Cyril. Lovely that you had a double helping of exactly what you wanted but you have to come clean. Keep it light and loving and avoid any angst.

I agree and the sooner the better. You could go down the road of "Great minds think alike". In our family a total of 6 cheese boards exchanged hands as gifts - it happens!

Thank you. As you say great minds think alike and you all do.

This is a bit boring (sorry)! Does anyone have any advice on how to re-pot a Phalaenopsis (orchid) houseplant? It's flowering ok, and I've followed all relevant instructions on its care tag, but there's nothing on it to say when/how to re-pot and also what type of compost to use. It seems to have roots (or something) coming up from its compost. Looked on internet, but I'm still no wiser!

Probably doesn't need repotting. The roots are ariel roots and are normal. If it is needing repotting use 1 size larger pot and orchid compost. Available at decent garden centres.

I've always remembered the advice that the most important component of orchid potting compost, is air.

Don't repot it and allow the ariel roots to grow. If you have a see through pot for it that suits it best. Youi can get orchid liquid feed, but I have found ordinary pot plant food has been fine - mine has flowered year after year - I cut the long stems back when they look too far gone and fresh stems come up just as nicely the next year.

It does have a see-through pot! I didn't think it should have needed re-potting, but didn't know what the 'roots' were. The plant only has the one stem and this has 6 blooms on it. Are more stems likely to appear and then I would cut back this stem if it became 'poor-looking'?

I have quite a few orchids and haven't repotted any of them; they are messy looking but a big pot hides a lot of it. They seem to thrive on tender neglect, I find; I have some that are over six years old, and still amaze me when they flower. They are on a windowsill, above a radiator. Just a bit of judicial pruning of the flower stems is enough, if they can survive in a jungle they'll survive in my house! Good luck.

Yes green you can cut abthe stems if there are no more flower buds on them and it looks woody and liable to break - when you cut it back, at least one more will grow in its place. Water sparingly.

That should have said 'cut back the stems'

I gave my DGS some money towards a kindle for Christmas only to find that his Mother had bought him one. He was a bit worried so I said that's alright, buy some books for your kindle with my money. Face brightened, problem solved.

Thanks for all your feedback on my orchid, everyone! I shall leave it to do as it pleases! (I do water it sparingly, and am careful not to let it sit in any remaining water).

New to grans net, i am possibly in the wrong section.

could not see anything that would enable me to complain about a certain
newspaper. where you take the coupens along ang get your free gift.

for all the years i have been foolishly buying this paper i have yet to get a gift, even if you are waiting for the certain to open, on a sunday morning.

i will not be buying this paper anymore.