Everyone should have an orchid!

My Christmas Cactus is flowering too. Now 8 years old. Let the flowers drop off or if they fade just touch them gently and they will come away. Saves all the sticky residue! I water mine every 2 weeks or so and feed it each month. It has been moved about a lot and doesn't seem to mind. I have no luck with orchids though!

Lovely Ann

Thank you very much Tanith for your detailed reply, I will certainly give it a go, maybe I overwatered (am sure I did ) I'm good with the garden but not as much with indoor plants.

Here are mine and they survive on neglect.

I have 9 orchids. After flowering they go on a north facing window sill and are barely watered until another flower shoot appears.
The one in my bathroom has 22 flowers on it and has been blooming for 3 months.

Also when and if should I re-pot it?

I asked for advice about a Christmas cactus on here some weeks ago when my plant had little tight pink buds showing at the end of the leaves. Well I am pleased to say that the buds have now matured into glorious, vivid pink flowers which are really beautiful.

My next question is what to do next. Do I water it, let the flowers drop off as they die, cut them off instead, move the plant to a different location? Further advice will be much appreciated as it worked before!

I was given one when DH died and it is still going strong and flowering 2x a year. I liked it so much that I now have 4 on the go. They don't need much looking after and always seem to revive if forgotten for too long!

DD1 bought me one once and it was a bit bland I thought. I always have a huge vase of lilies DD2 sometimes buys them for me and so does DH. The florist here gives you a huge bunch for £7. I too am the Angel of Death to houseplants so DH attends the few we have.

tanith thank you for that. I'll pass it on and keep it myself for further reference. Does it apply to all species of orchid - don't know what mine is. Orchidus MarksandSpencius!

Mine flowered from mid April until about a month ago, 6 months. I spray twice a week with Orchid Myst. I cut the stems down and was surprised to see a little green shoot has appeared already, after only 4 weeks.

Deeda - me too!

My mother in law always has beautiful orchids AND still has a poinsettia that I bought her one Christmas time many, many years ago.

I love my orchids,have about 11 or 12 and agree with everything tanith says.When I water,about every 3 or 4 weeks I put rain water in an old washing up bowl wait until the chill has gone of the water and stand the pots in until the roots show green.( You can tell when they want watering because the roots go white) Do not leave standing in water continuously.

I have 3 in flower at the moment, all several years old. I just cut the stalk right down when they have finished flowering and they live on the kitchen windowsill.
I am now in my bed but I will photograph them and post tomorrow.

Greyduster, if the old flower stalk stays green then it may shoot out a new slower stalk but if it dries up and looks dead then cut it off at the bottom. Leave the plant alone in a light place water with tepid water occasionally and it should get a new flower stalk in 2 or 3 mths..

A friend gave me one in October; never had one before so this thread is very timely. It is usually the kiss of death to any houseplant to be given to me, but it seems quite happy at the moment - still has all its flowers. What happens when all the flowers have gone and there is only the stalk left, as is the case with one my d i l has. She's not sure what she has to do with it next.

I kill orchids even quicker than I kill ordinary plants

Mine tend to flower again in May, having died off after Xmas. I keep them on a north-facing window sill above a radiator, not much water at the base but a quick spray during winter to counteract the radiator.

They don't like big fluctuations of temperature so if you conservatory is hot in Summer and cold in Winter they won't like it .

They hate to be over watered I only water them once a month or so less in Winter.

They need plenty of light but not direct sunlight.

I feed them with orchid food every two months.

Once a flower has faded I cut the top of the stalk off and leave the rest as they sometimes shoot from the old stalk. Once the stalk has gone brown though you can cut it off.

I hope that helps.

Sadly, mine have never reflowered, even though I have left them in the conservatory for months, just withered away slowly.What am I doing wrong?

I have 11 at the moment I love them so easy to keep. I'm puzzled though as to what you do with them after the flower dies? Your post implies that you are replacing them after the flower dies. I have some that I've had for over 5yrs after they flower I let them rest and within a few months they will flower again...