That tree...

...is as big as ever...

and it is not the only thing growing. All of my orchids are making new flower spikes. Some of them are rebudding on last years stems as well as producing new stems and I am fiddling with them every morning trying to get the new stems to grow towards the supports.

My favourite method if the new stem is fairly close to a stick is a rolled up post-it note slipped over stick and stem; as the stem grows I move it upwards, the stem grows straight up towards the light coming in at the top of the tube,

and as it gets longer and stronger I use squeezy hair clips to hold it in place.

This one was some distance away, so I have been coaxing it into the right direction with a strip of folded kitchen roll. You an see where this plant is sprouting from last year's old bare flower spike as well as making a new one.

Specialised orchid pots cost an arm and a leg; my solution to growing on babies is to use plastic water bottles...the bottom half of the bottle holds water and the neck of the top half rests in the water. The new roots grow down towards the moisture and it is easy to see their progress.