4/5/2023 0 Comments Making orchid album![]() Finger Testīefore watering your orchid, check the moisture content in the pot. This gives the crown time to dry off during the day before nightfall and prevents crown rot. If you find that the faucet is too messy, use a narrow spouted watering can, to avoid the water-sensitive crown.Ī Few Tricks to Determine When to Water Orchids (and When to Hold Off) Time of Day MattersĪlways water your orchids in the morning. Even if watering from above using a faucet isn’t your primary means of watering, it is good to use this method at least monthly to flush the salts. The biggest benefit of this method is that it is an excellent way to flush the orchid potting medium of fertilizer salts. Also, avoid soaking the orchid’s water-sensitive crown. When using this method be sure to use a drain catch for any escaping wood chips. To water orchids potted in bark, another method is to water from above by watering your orchids from the faucet. Keeping their leaves dry helps to prevent bacterial growth on their leaves, resulting in spotted leaves. TIP: Oncidiums especially benefit from being watered from below as these orchids are prone to leaf spotting. If you decide to use this method and water from below, prevent disease by using the same pot with the same orchid each time you water. This way the orchid roots soak up the needed moisture while keeping the crown, which is prone to rot, dry. To water your orchid from below, set the orchid in a water-filled pot. In fact, orchids are potted in tall, narrow pots so that the center of the pot dries quickly. It is essential that the orchid gets good drainage and doesn’t say wet in the middle. Remember: proper drainage is the most important element of an orchid potting mix. If you live in a dry climate as I do, add a couple of cubes of wool rock to the potting mix to increase water retention. I highly recommend an orchid mix from Bonsai Jack. The right potting mix is one of the most important parts to growing happy orchids. No matter which way you water–from below or above–if you pot in bark be sure that when you water, water copiously. There are at least two ways to water orchids that are potted in a bark based potting medium, watering from below and watering from above. If there is one thing that orchids don’t like, it is to sit in water. Several minutes later the moss will have absorbed the water.įir bark is a popular potting medium because it is well-draining. To water, wait until the ball feels almost hard, and then set the kokedama in a bowl of water. If your orchids are potted kokedama style with a wiffle ball center, you can soak the kokedama in water and you won’t have to worry about rotting the roots. I’ve had a lot of success growing Phalaneopsis orchids kokedama style wrapped in moss with a wiffle ball center. This way the moss provides a layer of moisture around the roots, not a thick ball. The wiffle ball eliminates the problem of having a rotted, wet center. This is going to sound really strange, but when I pot kokedama style I wrap the roots around a wiffle ball, then I loosely wrap sphagnum moss around the roots. If you are growing Phalaenopsis orchids, the best way that I’ve found to grow them in moss is to pot them kokedama style. If the moss is even slightly squishy it is moist. TIP: Because Phalaenopsis orchids do not have any water storage they like their potting medium to be slightly damp. How to Water Orchids in Moss Without Using Ice Cubes The danger is that by soaking an orchid potted in moss in water the inner core of the moss stays constantly wet, resulting in rotted roots. Sphagnum moss is absorbent – very absorbent. The orchids that most of us grow are tropical plants. Besides, freezing temperatures, in the form of ice cubes, are not orchid-friendly. The downside is that it can instead lead to underwatering. Using ice cubes to water orchids came about as a means to prevent overwatering. If you need help watering your orchids, CLICK HERE to access your FREE cheat sheet.ĭespite Popular Advice – Do Not Water Orchids with Ice Cubes Click here to learn more.įREE CHEAT SHEET – Tips for Watering Orchids Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. This article unlocks effective watering techniques. ![]() Knowing when and how to water orchids is an important factor in becoming a successful orchid grower. Otherwise, for orchids without water storage, without pseudobulbs, keep the potting mix barely damp. For orchids with water storage, pseudobulbs, water when the potting mix is approaching dry. To master watering orchids, it is essential to water from above with fresh, pure water. Don’t be surprised if it takes a while to get it right, but don’t give up. Learning how to properly water orchids took a lot of experimentation and fine-tuning. I have experimented with lots of different ways to water orchids.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |