Orchids are gorgeous indoor plants, available in a variety of different colours such as pink, purple and white.

They’re common presents, and if you’re thinking of gifting one this festive season, it may help to provide some care tips along with the plant.

Growing orchids and keeping them in flower can be tricky, as they are notoriously tricky houseplants.

This is especially true in the winter when they need slightly different care than in the summer months.

Here are some common care mistakes to avoid when caring for orchids.

Overwatering

The pros at GardeningKnowHow said overwatering an orchid is a big mistake.

Too much water and the roots of your orchid will rot, followed by the “death of the entire plant”.

Ideally, this houseplant should be watered about once a week, but this can be reduced in winter if needed.

To check if it needs watering, see if the top two inches of soil are dry. If they are, then slowly water the houseplant.

Underwatering

While orchids don’t need lots of water to survive, they are used to little and often watering in their natural habitat.

Try to mimic their environment by placing the pot on some pebbles and water, or misting the leaves of the plant.

Unnecessary pruning

Unless your houseplant has yellowing or black air roots, it doesn’t need to be pruned.

However, many people see the roots and pull them out, thinking they need to be pruned, but this isn’t the case with orchids.

Sun exposure

Many houseplants love the sun, but orchids come from tropical regions in dense forests, so they don’t love full sun exposure.

If orchids are placed in full sun, their leaves will turn and the plant will die.

To create optimal conditions for an orchid, place your plant in an area of bright but indirect sunlight.

They are perfect bathroom or bedroom plants but can be moved in the winter to find the correct conditions.

Give them a couple of weeks to acclimatise to their new homes and they will begin to thrive.