A Real Resue.

Phalaenopsis Happy Rose.

My friend who has been staying with me gave me an Orchid that she didn't want. It was 'in transit' between two homes and she decided against taking it to Brighton where she now lives. The problem was I had never owned an orchid before (not that I remember anyway) and was unsure what to do with it. It was obviously in a sad state, so I consulted my book on Indoor plants - The indoor Plant Spotter by Dr. D.G.Hessayon, no less! I have owned this book for over 20 years and don't recall referring to it that often, but it came up with the goods today!

The paragraph found, it commenced:

'Each type has it's own special needs .... Special orchid compost and feed, placed on a tray of wet pebbles is how it likes to live.

Hey, I don't like it that much! So what next? There was another Orchid that got left behind because it was dead - Hmmm .. a good enough reason to leave it I suppose, so I emptied both out of their pots and mixed the two Orchid composts together to make one fresh lot for the surviving plant. It then got re-potted and secured to a stake (because it was flopping onto the windowcill) and is now living in my kitchen. I will buy orchid feed at some point if it survives, but at the moment the poor thing was soaking when I took it out of it's pot.. Dr. D. G. Hessayon says it should be dry and I have to follow his guidelines as I personally know nothing about them.

It was only last week I threw away some house plants as I don't really have the room for many here, but we are where we are, and we'll see what happens to 'Happy Rose'. I have done my bit for the survival of house plants in this house - done my best as it were! Ah, the struggles of a retired amature.

No comments on where I have gone wrong please blog followers, I know my limitations and what's done is done now ......... as they say!