How to Water Orchids the Right Way

Watering orchids is tricky in some ways as there are a lot of misconceptions about the amount of moisture they need. Most of them are tropical in origin so a common error is to water them as many times as possible. This is a common mistake among orchid growers. The fact is that too much watering will definitely kill an orchid. Orchids that spend most of their time at home just need to be watered once a week. Environmental factors which also affect how often the plant needs water include seasonality, pot size, and air temperature. Nevertheless, a once-a-week schedule should work fine for beginners. To have an idea on when to water your orchid, insert your finger inside of the pot and feel if moisture is still present. If it feels wet, there is no need to water the orchid yet. If it is dry however, then it is the time to water your plant.

The use of distilled water or rainwater in watering your orchid is advisable. You can water the plant on your sink or with a hose, provided that you immerse the plant completely. Try not to water the flowers to make them last even longer though. For orchids that are planted in tree bark or cork, give its roots time to absorb water because these materials make it harder for water to sink in. Tropical in nature, orchids are used to frequent heavy rain, so a good downpour would be good for them. In winter, some orchids require less watering or no watering at all owing to their nature. Watering early during the day is good practice so the orchid is dry by the time the sun sets. The natural climate in which you live will also be a factor in how frequently you should water your orchids. Water them twice a week during warmer conditions while once a week is acceptable during the cold months. Also, consider the size of your pot. Normally, the bigger the pot, the less frequent you water the plant.

In their natural state, orchids live in an environment with fifty to eighty-five percent humidity. Normally, diseases and pathogens among plants develop in high humidity and low temperatures which is why cultivators often keep the leaves of their plants dry at nighttime. On a warm and sunny day though, it is sometimes helpful to increase the relative humidity of the area by providing moisture in order for water vaporization to occur. Generally, plants are grown in soil and not in the media that orchids are normally grown in. This difference in the potting media will lead beginner orchid growers to adjust their watering habits. The common mistake of beginners is that after they first water their orchid, they water it again after a few hours thinking it's dry.

They form a habit out of this and end up giving too much water and eventually drown their orchid. The media used for cultivating orchids are created to absorb water quickly and quickly dry out too. Its looseness allows oxygen to easily flow into the roots and helps it to work more efficiently. When growers keep the potting media wet, the roots will rot and the orchid starts to wither because of its inability to absorb the moisture it needs. This happens quite frequently and makes a beginning grower think that the orchid needs more water. This over-watering mistake is what kills the plant in the end.

Charles Perkins is an orchid expert. For more information on watering orchids [http://www.orchidgrowingsolutions.com/water-orchids/], visit [http://www.orchidgrowingsolutions.com/].