Potting Ideas for Orchids

Wire Egg Baskets

• If you prefer to use pots with an antique look, wire egg baskets make an impressive planter for your indoor garden. Look for these baskets at your local antique shop, flea market or country estate auction. Choose a planting medium such as moss or a fibrous material such as osmunda or tree fern fiber so it doesn't fall through the holes in the basket to create a mess. You don't have to fill the entire basket with the material, just make sure there is plenty surrounding the orchid's roots. Be sure to set the basket on a dish to catch water as it drains.

Coconut Shell

• When using a coconut for planting, you get the added bonus of two pots in one. Use a hacksaw to cut the coconut in half, then drain the coconut milk. Set the halves in the sun for about an hour to dry out, then scrape out the coconut meat with a spoon. Eat the coconut meat if you like. Trim just enough off the bottom of each coconut half to flatten the bottom so it doesn't roll around. Bore a few small holes in the bottom of each shell as well to ensure it drains well. Then add your coconut chips or other media and plant the orchid.

Sports Lovers

• Orchid lovers who also have a penchant for sports will go crazy for this clever potting idea. Cut off the top third of an old, deflated soccer ball, football or basketball'. Poke a few drainage holes in the bottom of the ball with a knife. If the ball is dry-rotted, it probably has enough holes for drainage so you don't have to add any more holes to the bottom. Pour some water in the ball first to see what happens. Fold the bottom of the ball to shape a flat base so it stays in place on a table. Next, fill the ball with your choice of planting media, such as peat moss, bark chips, perlite or cork. Plant the root of the orchid among the media, then push the media around the stalk for support.

Old Boots

• You might think there is no possible use for your old, tattered work boots, but they get new life when used as pots for orchids. They work even better if the material is dry-rotted or there are holes in them, as this allows excess moisture to drain easily. Simply fill the boot with your choice of planting material, then add the orchid. Boots are taller than tennis shoes, which serves the added duty of helping to hold the flower upright. Try potting a pair of orchids, then use them to decorate your mudroom, where they'll fit right in among the rest of your family's shoes.