Do not water orchids too often
Many orchids shouldn't be too dry or too wet, while others should stay dry in between. The latter group includes the popular Phalaenopsis, which you only water when the substrate is dry to the touch. In general - the instructions apply to many species of orchids, but not all - you should water the flowering plants about once or twice a week. How often you actually have to water, however, depends among other things on these conditions:
- Orchid species
- used substrate / use of substrate at all
- Location (full sun or partial shade, window or terrarium, bathroom or living room ...)
- Ambient temperature and season (heating air in winter!)
- Humidity (orchids above a heater need more water ...)
also read
- Watering orchids correctly - tips for proper watering
- The optimal irrigation for orchids - how to properly water the beauties
- How do I care for orchids when they are growing?
How you can tell that your orchids need water
Don't wait for your orchids to droop with leaves and flowers before watering. At this point the roots may already be damaged by the persistent drought. You should therefore regularly check with your fingers whether the substrate in the pot is still moist or already dry to the touch. If it is dry at a depth of about two centimeters, water the orchid thoroughly. The substrate should be moistened deeply and right down to the bottom of the pot, whereby excess irrigation water must run off. So wait a few minutes after watering and pour away any water that has run out of the planter. If you keep the humidity high, for example by spraying the orchids regularly or by always having a bowl with water on the heater, you will need to water the plants much less frequently. Orchids are able toto be able to absorb and process liquid from the environment through their leaves.
The main rules for watering orchids
Most windowsill orchids are likely to receive far too much water rather than die from lack of moisture. You should therefore water the flowers sparingly or less frequently, but more vigorously. Frequent watering in small sips, on the other hand, is not recommended, since with this method too little water reaches the roots below in particular. Also make sure that:
- do not use cold tap water
- Descale and warm up tap water before watering
- If possible, collect and use rainwater
- alternatively, mix decalcified tap water and distilled water
- do not use mineral or sparkling water for watering
Tips
Orchids can be watered perfectly by sticking three to four fiberglass wicks in the pot, bundling them through the drain hole on the bottom of the pot and hanging them in a container with water underneath. The irrigation is done by capillary forces and is well suited for the vacation time.
