Watering Your Orchids - The 6 Mistakes to Avoid

By Katie Shepherd Katie Shepherd
Level: Basic PLUS

Katie Shepherd is an orchid expert and gardener. I hope you enjoy my articles and find great tips and advice on growing orchids.

When it comes to watering your orchids, it is relatively easy, but there are essential steps every grower must take?to water successfully.? Majority of the time, people do not know how to properly water?orchids and this typically leads to the blooming failures.? By knowing the basic mistakes others make when watering orchids you can avoid the same pitfalls to growing these exotic flowers.

Orchids are tropical, so they must need more water.??Many growers assume that due to orchids growing in a tropical climate, they are probably?used to a large amount of water.? Majority of the tropical orchids actually grow in trees.? They are not exposed to the tropical rain storms and are able to adapt to what they do receive.The potting material appeared dry so I have to soak it for long periods of time.? You should never have an orchid plant sit in standing water.? This can actually kill your plant by causing it to grow fungus or contract plant diseases.? Your potting material should always be damp between sessions, but never wet.Watering at night without proper lighting.? You should never water an orchid at night unless you have an artificial lighting system.? Watering orchids at night will prevent your plant from absorbing the water and will become soggy.? With a soggy plant you can get fungus growth and plant diseases that will actually kill off your flowers.The flowers are blooming; therefore it does not need it.? Just because your plant is growing does not mean you should not water your orchids.? Take a look at the roots of your orchid (if visible).? Your roots need to be green.? If they are silver looking, they need more nutrients.? If your roots are mushy, then they have too much.Using only bottled water.? A lot of at-home growers have heard you do not water orchids with tap water.? These days, tap water is just fine for watering orchids.? If you have a water purification system, be sure that there are no chemical or salt additives to the water filters. ?This can greatly affect your plant's ability to blossom.Using water from water softeners.? A lot of people assume that using water from a water softener is actually good for your flowers.? Depending on the type of water softener your home uses, you could actually be hindering your orchid's growth.? Water uses an?ion-exchange to soften is fine for watering orchids, but water softening through?chemical softeners can actually damage your plant's integrity.

By knowing these common mistakes and tips for watering orchids, you will have a full and exotic bloom that many at-home growers are struggling to do.

This article has been viewed 3 time(s).
Article Submitted On: September 12, 2010

View the original article here