ANNE SWITHINBANK’S MASTERCLASS

How do I grow indoor orchids? Anne offers her top tips

1 Check for shrivelled, dead roots and brown leaves, caused by overwatering, dry air in warm rooms, or old compost that has started to rot.

2 Feed healthy, actively growing

orchids with orchid fertiliser, or quarter-strength general-purpose feed at every other watering or so. Mist feeds are useful.

3 Potting on is usually

out in spring and when plants are not flowering, to replace decaying, water-retentive compost. Remove old compost and trim dead and long roots.

4 Pot the plants back in the

same (cleaned) or slightly larger container using special orchid compost. Aerial roots that grew outside the pot should stay outside. Prune roots shorter rather than trying to fold them in.