ORCHIDS get a bad press.
The absolute divas of the gardening world – they’re all showy and stunning, until they don’t get what they want.
Gardening Editor Veronica Lorraine with orchids at Kew gardens[/caption]
Florist and artist Henck Roling at the Orchid festival at the Princess of Wales glasshouse in Kew[/caption]
Then they have a strop and die – just like that.
How many times have you purred over the ones for sale in your local Tesco – but veered away from splashing the cash, because any day you could come home to total orchid devastation.
Solene Dequiret – mastermind behind the current Orchid Festival running at Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, reckons that although they can be tricky – they’re definitely worth the work.
The Princess of Wales glasshouse at the South London gardens has been transformed with thousands of incredible orchids – and astonishing planting from Peru – to create a tropical garden quite like no other.
One of my stars of the show were the South East Asian ‘Vanda’s’ which usually perch on trees with their roots hanging down.
They don’t need soil – they get everything they need from the humidity in the air.
Solene says you could hang one in your bathroom – as long as it has a window – because the steam from the bath or shower should be enough. “They’re tricky,” she said. “But it is possible.”
With 28,000 different species of orchids, its difficult to know which ones to go for.
And there are a few things to bear in mind when caring for them.
Do not over water, over fertilise, or plant in pots that are too large without securing the orchid with supporting canes, the team at Kew say.
People often don’t realise the importance of humidity for orchids – lots of orchids simply need the moisture in the air to thrive so a humid environment is essential.
But whichever you choose, Bala Kompalli, Tropical Nursery Supervisor at Kew Gardens has five top tips for caring for orchids:
- Find the right place to make the orchid happy, like a bathroom windowsill or a kitchen, where there is enough humidity around the orchid
- Ensure there is no direct sunlight or heating close to the orchid
- Use the right potting mix ( something like bark chips , pumice, and charcoal )
- Follow the correct watering and feeding regime (you can find this information easily online, so long as you know the type of orchid you have)
- Regularly check for pests and diseases
Temu are currently selling orchid chips for just £3.89
The Orchid festival runs until March 2. For tickets visit www.kew.org
Also in Veronica’s Column this week…
News, top tips and a competition to win a £45 Fyne Herbs bundle
NEWS! Have you ever heard of a Mangelwurzel? Traditionally grown for livestock feed, mangelwurzels are apparently making a comeback into our kitchen gardens. Somewhere between sugar beet and beetroot, this easy to grow, giant veg can be eaten mashed, roasted or pickled. Mangelwurzel growing competitions were apparently ‘a thing’ in the 19th century, and now Heirloom Seed Company ‘She Grows Veg’ is challenging its followers to join them in a giant veg showdown, encouraging people to grow their own with the chance to win prizes for the biggest and best crop. With its massive size, vibrant colour and interesting history, the mangelwurzel is not only fun to grow, but it also stores like a dream, making it a real winter staple. It produces a huge root with abundant chard-like leaves making it a dual-purpose vegetable as both the root and leaves are edible.
NEWS! People living with health conditions or those who simply want to use gardening to boost their wellbeing, can use a new app from charity Thrive. The ‘Cultivating Wellbeing’ app will create a personalised plan tailored to their gardening space and time – whether they’re just starting out, or an expert – and it covers any space – whether it’s an indoor windowsill, a balcony or a garden.
It will also help you discover active and mindful activities with a library of tips, guides and resources – and track progress and reflect on your gardening journey with a reflection diary and gentle motivation to keep engaged and on track.
NEWS! The RHS is offering fun for all the family this half-term with a magical garden adventure based on the much-loved children’s book, Guess How Much I Love You, popping up at all their Gardens. For more info visit www.rhs.org.uk
WIN!! Win one of six Love Herb Plant collections from Fyne Herbs – each £45 gift set includes six herb plants, rustic, biodegradable pots, wooden plant labels, herb snips, and a growing guide. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/FyneHerbs, or write to Sun Fyne Herbs competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 23.59GMT 22.2.25 T&Cs apply.
TOP TIP! If you’re given an orchid – repot it in a see through pot, so you can see the root health. Water once a week – and no more.
JOB OF THE WEEK! Start thinking about sweetpeas – you can plant them in toilet rolls and then plant the whole roll when the soil warms up. Also, get the edging on your
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