Watering orchids may sound uncomplicated, but there are some tricks you should follow in order to make your plants thrive and bloom.
People often assume that wilting orchids or plants need more water.
This can actually lead to the opposite, because instead of helping your orchids, you may do more harm than good.
Here are a few mistakes people do when watering orchids: I water my orchid often because they are tropical plants.
- Wrong! Most orchids are tropical plants, but they are tropical plants that live in trees.
In their habitat, they are exposed to drenching rains that may last hours or days, but many of them also adapt to a dry period with little rain fall for weeks.
I fill the orchid pot with water since it looks really dry all the time.
- Wrong! Orchid plants should never be allowed to sit in still water.
In many cases, the plant should completely dry between waterings.
I come home late at night and that's the time I could water my plant.
Besides, there is not much sun so my plant can absorb all the water.
- Wrong again! Watering at night is not recommended because it encourages the build-up of moisture rather than moisture absorption, which can then result in root rot.
Fungal diseases are quite common in orchid roots that have been submerged in water.
My orchid looks fine and doesn't need water.
I'm assuming this because even though its roots are silvery white, it's okay because its leaves are still green.
- Wrong! Consider your orchid's roots as a water indicator.
Pay attention to the signs shown by your plant.
If their roots or parts of their stem are mushy, it indicates that there is too much water.
If their roots appear silvery white, it means they need more water.
If the orchid looks dehydrated and parched, it means there is too much heat.
I've been told I cannot use tap water for my orchids, only rain water, or else - my orchid will die.
- Wrong! Nowadays, most people just use tap water, and this is fine.
However, be aware that treated water may have higher salt content, and some water is high in calcium.
If you see deposits forming on your plants, you should seek out a new water source.
I don't use an automatic sprinkler because my orchid may be overwatered.
- Wrong! If you have an automatic sprinkling system at home, you may want to turn it on for five to eight minutes whenever you are watering your orchids.
Many orchid keepers use this setting for their own orchid gardens.
The water in my home is softened by a water softener, but I am sure that this will not have an impact on my orchids.
- Wrong! That will all depend on how the water was softened.
If the softening was accomplished by an ion-exchange method there is no problem.
However, if the water was softened using chemicals, you do not want to use it on your orchids.
But, unfortunately, most home water softeners use sodium hexametaphosphate as the softening agent.
These are toxic to plants in the quantities used for softening water.
Plants watered with these can start new growth, and will grow to two to three inches, then stop.
Using softened water with sodium hexametaphosphate may take less than several weeks to kill your orchids.
Remember these tips on watering orchids, and take note of everything written here so you won't make the same mistakes as others did.
Good luck!
People often assume that wilting orchids or plants need more water.
This can actually lead to the opposite, because instead of helping your orchids, you may do more harm than good.
Here are a few mistakes people do when watering orchids: I water my orchid often because they are tropical plants.
- Wrong! Most orchids are tropical plants, but they are tropical plants that live in trees.
In their habitat, they are exposed to drenching rains that may last hours or days, but many of them also adapt to a dry period with little rain fall for weeks.
I fill the orchid pot with water since it looks really dry all the time.
- Wrong! Orchid plants should never be allowed to sit in still water.
In many cases, the plant should completely dry between waterings.
I come home late at night and that's the time I could water my plant.
Besides, there is not much sun so my plant can absorb all the water.
- Wrong again! Watering at night is not recommended because it encourages the build-up of moisture rather than moisture absorption, which can then result in root rot.
Fungal diseases are quite common in orchid roots that have been submerged in water.
My orchid looks fine and doesn't need water.
I'm assuming this because even though its roots are silvery white, it's okay because its leaves are still green.
- Wrong! Consider your orchid's roots as a water indicator.
Pay attention to the signs shown by your plant.
If their roots or parts of their stem are mushy, it indicates that there is too much water.
If their roots appear silvery white, it means they need more water.
If the orchid looks dehydrated and parched, it means there is too much heat.
I've been told I cannot use tap water for my orchids, only rain water, or else - my orchid will die.
- Wrong! Nowadays, most people just use tap water, and this is fine.
However, be aware that treated water may have higher salt content, and some water is high in calcium.
If you see deposits forming on your plants, you should seek out a new water source.
I don't use an automatic sprinkler because my orchid may be overwatered.
- Wrong! If you have an automatic sprinkling system at home, you may want to turn it on for five to eight minutes whenever you are watering your orchids.
Many orchid keepers use this setting for their own orchid gardens.
The water in my home is softened by a water softener, but I am sure that this will not have an impact on my orchids.
- Wrong! That will all depend on how the water was softened.
If the softening was accomplished by an ion-exchange method there is no problem.
However, if the water was softened using chemicals, you do not want to use it on your orchids.
But, unfortunately, most home water softeners use sodium hexametaphosphate as the softening agent.
These are toxic to plants in the quantities used for softening water.
Plants watered with these can start new growth, and will grow to two to three inches, then stop.
Using softened water with sodium hexametaphosphate may take less than several weeks to kill your orchids.
Remember these tips on watering orchids, and take note of everything written here so you won't make the same mistakes as others did.
Good luck!