Orchid Mix Ø12cm

The orchid assortment brings you a beautiful, vigorous orchid, predominantly Phalaenopsis (the moth orchid), freshly chosen from the season's delivery. The flower colour and variety vary from one specimen to the next - white, pink, wine or spotted - so the shade remains a small surprise discovered on unwrapping. The wide, velvety flowers open in turn and last for weeks, and the plant is easy to recreate in bark, with bright indirect light. The right choice for both a gift and a collection. Care instructions The good news is that orchids owe their reputation as fussy plants more to habit than to reality: once you understand that they come from the forest, clinging to trees, everything becomes clear. They need no soil but bark; they need no frequent watering but rare and correct watering; they need no strong sun but soft light. With these few pointers, an orchid blooms month after month and, with a little patience, reblooms year after year. Here is everything you need to know, gathered in one place: Light: bright but indirect light. An east- or west-facing window filtered through a sheer curtain is perfect. Keep the plant from direct midday rays, which can scorch the leaves leaving yellowish patches; too little light, on the other hand, gives dark-green leaves and delays the appearance of spikes. Fresh, medium-green leaves are the sign of the right light. Temperature: it is happiest between 18 and 25 °C, which is exactly the comfort of a home. It favours steady temperatures; avoid cold draughts from a door or window in winter and direct proximity to a radiator. A slight drop in temperature at night, by a few degrees, actually helps the plant start a new spike. Watering: water rarely but thoroughly. Let the bark substrate dry out almost completely between waterings - in transparent pots, the silvery roots and the absence of condensation tell you it is time. Water abundantly at the sink, let the water drain away completely, and never leave water in the saucer or the cachepot. Excess water at the roots is the only serious mistake with orchids. In winter, water less often. Humidity: it appreciates humid air, around 50-60%. Group it with other plants, set it on a tray of pebbles and water, or use a humidifier in dry rooms, especially in winter when radiators dry the air. Good humidity keeps the flowers fresh for longer. Substrate (bark): never ordinary soil! Orchids are grown in pine bark, alone or blended with a little charcoal and coco fibre, an airy substrate that lets the roots breathe and the water drain. Refresh the bark every two years, when it has crumbled and no longer drains well. Feeding: in the growing season, from spring to autumn, feed every 2-4 weeks with a liquid fertiliser made for orchids, diluted as directed. Apply it to already moist substrate, never to dry roots. In winter, feed less or stop. After flowering and reblooming: when the last flower has fallen, in Phalaenopsis do not cut the green spike at once. You can shorten it above one of the lower nodes, and the plant will often start a new branch with flowers. If the spike has dried out completely and turned yellow, cut it at the base. A slight drop in night temperature in autumn and good light are the best prompts for a new spike and a fresh wave of flowers. If small signals appear, do not be discouraged - the orchid speaks plainly, you only have to listen. Soft, wrinkled leaves usually indicate roots that have too little water or, on the contrary, roots suffocated by too much water - check the roots through the transparent pot: healthy ones are firm and silvery-green, troubled ones are brown and soft. Aerial roots emerging from the pot are perfectly normal and should not be cut. Yellowish patches on leaves come from direct sun, so move the plant a few steps further from the window. And if the plant refuses to flower, it almost always calls for more indirect light and a small difference in temperature between day and night. All these adjustments are minor, and the plant responds to them quickly. With these few pointers, the orchid assortment becomes a lasting companion and a natural gateway into a boundless passion. Once you have mastered a Phalaenopsis, your eye will inevitably wander to fragrant and unusual varieties such as Orhidee Epidendrum - and so a collection begins. Specifications Pot diameter: 12 cm Note: the orchid may be shipped in flower, in bud or without flowers, depending on the season and its growth stage at the time of dispatch. Photos are for illustration only.