Diving is better than watering - tips for the perfect water bath
Beginners who water their orchids like a normal houseplant will reliably hunt down the beauty of the tropical flowers. In their habitat, most orchids thrive as epiphytes in order to use their aerial roots to extract the water they need from the short and heavy downpours. By bathing the root network now and then, the water supply comes close to the natural framework. How to do it right:
- In the summer, immerse the pot with the roots in a vessel with soft water once a week
- Bathe the orchid so that there is no water in the leaf axils and in the heart
- Dive until no more air bubbles rise
also read
- How often should you water orchids?
- The optimal irrigation for orchids - how to properly water the beauties
- Hanging orchids correctly - this is how exotic window decorations succeed
Water the plant less often in winter. Under the influence of reduced lighting conditions and cooler temperatures, the orchid usually reduces its metabolism. Therefore, before every water bath, check whether the root ball has actually dried.
As a rule of thumb, orchids with bulbs should be allowed to nearly dry out before the next watering. Orchids without bulbs, such as the popular Phalaenopsis, on the other hand, should be kept constantly slightly moist without getting waterlogged.
Tips
If you add a liquid orchid fertilizer to every third water bath during the growth and flowering period, the nutritional requirements of your orchid are covered in an uncomplicated way. Between November and February, most orchid species get by with a little fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks.
