Angela Slater, gardening expert at Hayes Garden World – a leading UK home and garden retailer – revealed to Express.co.uk the best care for orchid houseplants.

The most common type of orchid, a moth orchid – typically sold at stores throughout the UK – has a resting period of six to nine months.

During this resting period, where only the bare stalks remain, its watering schedule has to be adjusted to ensure beautiful blooms come spring.

“The resting period needs less water than the growth period,” said Angela, adding that there is a “trick” to knowing when orchids need watering.

“The trick to watering phalaenopsis is to wait until the thick roots go silver then to dip the whole pot into tepid water for a few seconds; this is enough to turn the roots green again.”

She added: “All orchids can be watered in this manner – just wait until they are slightly dry.”

Watering the plant with fertiliser is a recommended strategy for every “second watering”.

Angela explained: “The resting and growth periods need different feeding regimes.”

Some fertilisers are specific to promote flowering, whereas others are needed to promote the growth of leaves.

“Feed phalaenopsis [moth orchid] a dedicated flower fertiliser every second watering,” Angela recommended.

“Dissolve it in a tub of water and keep this for every second watering,” she emphasised.

An orchid should not be fed fertiliser with each watering session, as this can lead to a build-up of toxins.

Angela elaborated: “If you feed at every watering, you can get a build-up of salts which can become toxic for the plant.”