How Do You Know When To Water Orchids

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The topic of how to h2o orchids has acquired much confusion for many people. Throughout the years, I've helped many clients be successful with orchid care. Proceed reading to permit me show y'all three methods that I use, and that you can be successful with, when information technology comes to watering your Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchid.

What is the best way to water an orchid?

In this post, I will go through in detail 3 means to water your orchid and some important information that you need to know about each one:

Stream water through the pot until the potting medium is thoroughly soaked.
Requite your found a good soak in a cachepot or bucket for a period of fourth dimension (this is best for very dehydrated plants).
Place your plants outdoors during warm weather, or during periods of pelting.

Notice I did not include ice cubes as a method to water your orchids. I'll explain why afterward.

watering-orchids — An exceptional blossom spike on 1 of my Phalaenopsis orchids

Any method you use, water quality is an of import consideration, and if you have treated h2o from a water softening unit of measurement, practise not utilise this to water your orchids.

Virtually of these units exchange calcium and magnesium with sodium, and sodium is toxic to plants.

The American Orchid Society also advises against using distilled water to water your orchids.

If y'all are using RO water or distilled water, you'll need to add together fertilizer to replace necessary nutrients. Many orchid enthusiasts have great success using the MSU Orchid Fertilizer (link to Amazon) that is particularly formulated for these cases.

I personally take been using tap water for years without any bug and I live in a hard water region (though rain water would exist superior if you can collect it) and I supplement with Dyna-Gro Grow fertilizer with well-nigh every watering (1/4-/12 teaspoon per gallon).

Now let's talk nigh the actual watering methods:

1. Stream Water Through in Your Sink

This is the simplest method that y'all can use for routine watering of your found. Take your plant to the sink and stream lukewarm water through the pot so that you thoroughly soak the potting medium (whether you're using orchid bark or sphagnum moss).

Be sure to moisten everything well!

Water temperature is important, then avert using water that is too cold because this can shock your plant.

Think, these are tropical plants and are used to warm weather condition, and then make sure you apply tepid h2o and not cold water.

Allow all water to drain away through the drainage holes, and you're washed.

This method is corking if your plant is in practiced condition and not terribly dehydrated. If y'all've neglected your found and your orchid bark or sphagnum moss has gone terribly dry out, I recommend using method #ii in the next department.

I also like to wet the unabridged plant in society to rinse dust off the leaves and moisten any aerial roots that otherwise would non get any attention. This volition too help deter and help to launder abroad whatsoever pests.

Once I'm done, I turn the found upside down and gently milkshake information technology in society to dislodge any water that may have collected in the crown of the constitute (where the leaves join together in the middle of your institute).

If y'all have stagnant air with poor air circulation combined with water lodged in the crown of the plant, this could encourage crown rot.

If it'southward impractical to turn your institute upside downwardly, I sometimes just take a deep breath and blow out whatever water that has accumulated in the middle of the plant! Whatsoever works for you.

two. Soak Your Orchid for More Intensive Watering

You can use this method for routine watering as well, simply it is especially benign if your potting medium has gone actually dry and y'all need to exist able to increase the water retention to previous levels.

When bark or even sphagnum moss (whatever your orchid happens to exist growing in) goes completely dry, it is sometimes difficult to "re-moisture" and this method will assist achieve that.

Depending on how dry out your plant is, simply slip your plant into a decorative pot or basin of water, and let information technology soak for at least 15-30 minutes.

This volition not rot out your constitute. I've seen some sources saying that soaking your institute longer than five minutes will crusade your plant to rot and information technology'southward only non true! You're not leaving your orchid in h2o for days.

In fact, if yous have a severely dehydrated plant with shriveled roots, you can use this method to soak your institute even overnight and exercise this at to the lowest degree weekly until information technology starts to revive.

One time your soak is done, accept your found out of the exterior pot, let the water drain out, take the exterior pot and empty the h2o in the lesser of the pot, skid your plant back in and you're done.

I've used this method many times and have never had root rot before, equally long as you have a dry out period in between watering.

3. Allow Mother Nature Water Your Orchids

I ofttimes take my orchids outdoors for the summer and place them in the shade for a few months. There are many benefits to placing your orchids outdoors:

Rainwater is a superior form of water for your orchids or any houseplants. And as well this…
The air circulation is very beneficial for institute growth.
The natural temperature drop in the evening oft triggers more than blooming. Don't permit your plants to exist outside if there are extended periods beneath 55F (13C). They exercise not similar cold temperatures.

About of my orchids are growing in clear plastic pots with drainage holes that are slipped into ceramic, decorative containers with no drainage hole.

After a good rain, if your decorative pots have no drainage holes, water will accrue and you'll accept to empty information technology out.

In the photo below, I lifted my clear plastic pot (with drainage holes) and allowed excess water to bleed abroad, and and then I dumped the backlog water out of the exterior ceramic pot and placed the constitute back in.

How do you lot know when to water your orchid?

Moth orchids do non like to become completely dry. If your potting media has gone completely dry out, go alee and water immediately otherwise your institute will starting time to suffer.

The downside of moth orchids that is that they only grow one or two new leaves per yr in many cases, so if you are not attentive with watering, you can go droopy orchid leaves and yellow leaves rather quickly.

Here are some additional watering tips:

Stick your finger in the bark mix or sphagnum moss. If it feels wet, don't water. If it is just barely damp, you tin probably wait another day or 2. This is my personal, preferred method.
If you don't want to use the finger test, you tin can either use the pencil play a trick on. Stick the sharpened end of a pencil deep into the potting medium. Leave it in for a few minutes, and if information technology has darkened, in that location is enough moisture. If it appears the same color, become ahead and water. You tin can fifty-fifty employ a bamboo chopstick or wooden skewer as an alternative.
If your home has very low humidity, your potting media (also as the aerial orchid roots) volition dry out more quickly so keep an eye on things! In a more humid environs, your potting media will have longer to dry out.
If your orchid is growing in sphagnum moss, water whenever the peak inch or two has dried out.
If your orchid is growing a bark mix, I call back it's OK to utilise a watering schedule. I never use a strict watering schedule for plants growing in soil/potting mix, simply you would be condom to do a one time a week watering schedule for orchids growing in a bark mix.

Looking to purchase a special orchid? One of my favorite and almost convenient ane-cease-shops to buy practically whatsoever plant is Etsy. Check out the Phalaenopsis orchid selection (link to Etsy) today!

Why you should not use ice to water your orchids

The natural habitat of most Phalaenopsis orchids is warm and tropical so ice makes no sense.

In fact, if ice that comes in contact with an orchid's roots they'll quickly become damaged. At that place are several reasons why this can be dangerous, and I've written a detailed blog post that described why you shouldn't water orchids with ice.

Lastly…are you having a hard time getting your orchid to rebloom? Check out my postal service to help you out:

How to Brand an Orchid Abound a New Fasten – one Footling Known Underground

How do you h2o your orchids? Comment below. I'd love to hear!