All green plants need watering. But how to water an orchid at home, which, on the one hand, is hygrophilous, and on the other, is accustomed to growing not in the usual soil, but on stones or tree branches?
Most of the orchids that adorn indoor florist collections are epiphytes from the tropical regions of Asia, Australia and America. In nature, such plants, not finding a sufficient amount of nutrient soil, were forced to adapt to receive the main amount of minerals and water from scarce soil deposits on tree trunks and from the atmosphere. In the tropics, orchids meet all their moisture needs through frequent and heavy rainfall. And at home, natural precipitation should replace irrigation.
How to properly water an orchid? Does the plant have specific requirements for the water flowing to its roots?
Water quality for irrigating orchids
The quality of water, namely its composition and temperature, largely determines the well-being of a houseplant. If, under the open sky, the rainwater that the orchid receives contains almost no mineral salts or acids, then in the moisture that has passed through water pipes, you can find the entire periodic table, complex inorganic compounds, organics and even microflora. Such a rich "cocktail", falling on the roots of the flower and on the pieces of the substrate, settles and can have the most unpredictable, but rather negative effect on the plant.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is recommended to use soft purified water for watering orchids. Before watering an orchid at home from moisture, all impurities potentially dangerous to the flower should be removed.
For this purpose, ordinary boiling is used, during which:
- those present in tap water volatile chlorine compounds;
- salts precipitate, forming such a familiar whitish coating on the ground and the surface of the flowerpot;
- microflora is destroyed;
- the concentration of ferrous compounds decreases.
Deposition will not give such a result, since at normal room temperature it takes a long time to get rid of salts and all kinds of iron, and the microflora will only show itself in full force, causing the formation of a green suspension of algae or a cloudy film on the surface.
But the water filtered with the help of modern household filters is perfect for watering orchids and other indoor flowers. The residual content of minerals in it is so negligible that it does not affect plant health, and all hazardous impurities are quickly and efficiently removed.
If the grower does not have the opportunity to boil or filter the required volume of water, the concentration of calcium unnecessary for the plant can be reduced by acidifying the liquid. This is done with a small amount of oxalic acid or by passing through a layer of high-moor peat.
The main thing is that the resulting moisture after processing does not acquire increased acidity.
Using distilled water to water your orchid
Interested in how to properly water an orchid at home, lovers of these spectacular plants often ask about the use of distilled water. The purity of distilled water is very high, but using such a liquid for watering an orchid is excessive and incorrect. So clean water you can take:
- for breeding liquid dressings;
- for irrigation of the crown;
- for flushing the root system and soil from excess salts.
In this case, you can guarantee that after watering the orchid and other hygiene procedures, unpleasant whitish spots will not remain on the foliage and roots.
But to warm up the irrigation moisture to room temperature go a little higher - extremely useful. To moisturize the substrate of phalaenopsis, the most unpretentious and popular with orchid growers, for example, 30–35 ° C water is required.
How to properly water an orchid?
Unfortunately, it is the improper watering of orchids that most often leads to the weakening and death of flowering plants. A significant amount of moisture can accumulate in the succulent rhizomes, foliage or pseudobulbs of orchids, so the plants tolerate missing watering without visible harm.
Excess water, especially its stagnation in the pot, inevitably leads to the formation of foci of rot on the roots. Losing the ability to feed, the orchid weakens and may die.
If the orchid at home does not experience strong temperature changes and is shaded from direct sunlight, the plant can be watered at any time of the day. When the content of the flower provides for a cool night, it is better to postpone the moisturizing procedure in the morning. During the daytime, the substrate will dry out, and by nightfall the orchid will be in comfortable, safe conditions for it.
How often to water an orchid at home in order to protect the plant from both lack of nutrition and the risk of waterlogging? Watering frequency depends on:
- from the season;
- from life cycle plants;
- on the temperature and humidity in the room;
- on the characteristics of the method of growing the orchid and the substrate used.
How to water an orchid during flowering and the following dormant period? During the active growing season, plants need to be watered on average 2-3 times a week. As soon as a peduncle appears above the rosette of leaves, the soil has to be moistened more often, which is explained by the growing needs of the plant. But with wilting of flowers and a decrease in the colored zone at the ends of the rhizomes, the frequency of watering is halved and the substrate is monitored to dry out between procedures.
Do not water if drops of condensation are visible inside the pot between the pieces of soil, and the roots themselves are wet.
Throughout the year, the orchid receives the same portions of water, only the frequency of watering changes. And you can determine the need to moisturize the substrate not only by touch, but also by the weight of the pot with the plant. Dried soil is much lighter than wet soil.
Ways to water orchids at home
Some orchids grow successfully in a nutritious loose substrate, there are many species that prefer a coarse-grained mixture of bark, coal, moss and expanded clay. And some home orchids do without a traditional pot at all. How to water orchids with such different habits at home? The peculiarity of the growth and nutrition of orchids determines the variety of ways of watering them.
Watering orchids from a watering can and under running water
For all the unusualness of plants with thick roots and striving to get out of the pot, orchids growing in the substrate can be watered with a regular watering can. Let's apply the method for orchids that do without soil at all.
Watering is carried out very carefully, trying to ensure that moisture evenly falls on the entire surface of the soil or areas of the root system, but in no case accumulates inside the rosette of leaves. The procedure is continued until water flows out of the drainage holes. Then it is allowed to drain, and after a few minutes, another 2 to 4 waterings are carried out.
At the end of watering, the orchids are dried by removing accidentally trapped liquid from the leaves, axillary buds and from the center of the outlet with a napkin, cotton pad or cotton swab.
Submerging an orchid in water
The method is suitable for healthy epiphytic orchids and can be used for both moisturizing and feeding, if you add liquid agent for fertilization
The pot is placed in a container of warm water so that its edge is slightly above the liquid level, and the foliage and stem do not get wet. The time of exposure to moisture penetrating through slots and drainage holes depends on the type of plant, its size and the season. It is optimal if the pot stays in water for 5-10 minutes for the first time. Then it is removed, the excess moisture is allowed to drain and, if necessary, the procedure is repeated. After such watering, it is important to make sure that there are no accumulations of water in the soil.
Spraying the root system of the orchid
For orchids grown without a substrate at all, the root system is irrigated with warm soft water from a spray bottle as irrigation. The drops falling on the roots should be as small as possible, which will accelerate their absorption and not harm the tissues.
A video on how to water an orchid will be a good help for novice flower growers who have just recently discovered the diverse world of these luxurious plants.
Watering orchids by soaking in water - video
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Having a phalaenopsis orchid in the house, most of the novice florists do not quite understand what watering is - how often it needs to be done and how to determine the need.
This negatively affects the development and flowering of the plant, and sometimes it can destroy the stem.
Experts advise to be more attentive to the inhabitants of the windowsill, look closely at them.
Features and nuances
With non-standard cultivation
After insufficient watering, it is often necessary to reanimate Phalaenopsis orchids, which have no horses at all.
How to water them? What the plant will absorb required amount moisture?
As you know, epiphytic plants can absorb moisture from environment not only the root system, but also leaves.
It is in this way that the bole will eat during the resuscitation period, when it will completely lack roots.
The irrigation process is carried out in the following way:
- Standing is collected in the container acidified water;
- A plant is placed over a vessel with water so that it does not touch the water;
- As it evaporates leaves orchids will absorb the required amount of moisture;
This method will help not only to water the dried up stem, but also grow a new root system.
Sometimes tropical plants are grown without flowerpots, this gives a certain exoticism to the room.
In such cases, watering is carried out using a sprayer, the water should be warm at any time of the year.
If we talk about how often to water the phalaenopsis orchid at home, then this procedure repeat once or twice a week, depending on the temperature in the room and its illumination.
When transplanting
After transplanting a young or adult plant, water it not recommended for 7-10 days.
After transplanting, orchids are not watered for some time.
There are several reasons for this:
- Before transplanting, an adult plant is usually cleaned of the old substrate by the method of abundant watering, during this period the plant accumulates moisture in the roots;
- The filler is washed in a pot or bowl before laying and soaked for a short time in water, the substrate is saturated enough moisture for several days.
If you start watering the plant earlier than expected, the risk of root rot increases.
If foam is used in the substrate, watering is done more often. Moss and expanded clay will extend the stay of the plant without watering by 2-3 days.
Moss extends the time between waterings.
In dry microclimate
Dry air in the apartment can negatively affect the growth of the phalaenopsis orchid.
This microclimate can destroy the plant. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to regularly water and spray the stem.
Important! The intervals between waterings in rooms with dry air are reduced to 2 days per summer period and 4-6 days in winter. Spraying can be done daily, but before that, you should take a good look at the plant.
With dressings
For weakened boles you can water using materials prepared from scrap materials:
- With insufficient watering, the orchid leaves wither, you can fight this with the help of sweet water, which is watered with the stem. It is prepared simply: a teaspoon of sugar is diluted in a liter water and water the plant once a week. If you do this more often, you can provoke a violation of the microflora of the substrate;
- succinic acid will help the Phalaenopsis orchid cope with the adaptation period after transplantation, will facilitate the absorption of nutrients from the substrate. Watering with the addition of this drug is carried out once a month, this is quite enough to stimulate growth and distillation of peduncles.
In addition, others are often used at least effective means, this is a topic for a separate article.
Useful video
Watch the video how often to water the orchid:
Watch the video how to water using the immersion method:
Watch the video on how to water the phalaenopsis during the flowering period:
Watch the video personal experience a florist about watering phalaenopsis at home:
Conclusion
Watering for Phalaenopsis orchids important as for any other plant. Lack or overabundance of watering negatively affects the development and life of the trunk.
In contact with
Orchids amaze with their exotic beauty and sophistication. Lovers collect a whole collection of these flowering plants. The most unpretentious and popular orchid among flower growers is phalaenopsis.
To achieve stable flowering, you need to properly care for the flower. Great value for correct content the plant has timely watering. How to water an orchid at home, not all beginner growers know. Their main mistake is that they often irrigate the plant incorrectly.
- accelerate growth;
- heals the substrate;
- will improve the absorption of fertilizers;
- strengthens the immunity of the flower;
- will accelerate the process of photosynthesis.
- 1. If an orchid blooms in spring or summer, then irrigate it after 3 days. If the buds appeared in winter, then watering is carried out 2 times a week.
- 2. Every day the plant is sprayed with a spray bottle. Moisture should not get on flowers and buds.
- 3. The temperature of the hot shower should not exceed 60 degrees.
- 4. Cannot be rearranged flowering plant to a new location. From this, flowering may stop.
- in liter plastic bottle 1 tsp is added. castor oil;
- the bottle is closed with a lid and the mixture is shaken thoroughly.
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When to water the plants?
The orchid does not like a lot of moisture. It is recommended to water it once every 7 days. Only in summer, when the weather is dry and hot, the number of irrigations increases up to 2 times a week. When the soil is moistened, the leaves of the flower are wiped with a damp cloth.
Convenient when the orchid grows in a transparent pot. In this case, you can follow the roots, which change color depending on the presence of moisture in the container. If the color of the roots is green, then the plant does not need moisture. When the roots begin to brighten, then watering is necessary.
Soil moisture can be determined with a wooden stick. It is placed in the substrate for 15 minutes and then removed. If it turns out to be wet, then moisture is present in the pot and watering is not required.
Experienced growers determine the presence of moisture by the weight of the plant. A dry flower is much lighter than a moist one.
Watering methods
The choice of irrigation method depends on the condition of the plant, the composition of the soil, the volume of the orchid pot. Which method is better is hard to say. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
In addition, each florist prefers his own proven method. With any method of watering, the water in the pot should not stagnate. This leads to root rot.
Surface watering
When moistened in this way, water is evenly distributed over the surface of the substrate and aerial roots. The liquid should not get into the inner leaf axils and leaf rosettes. The presence of moisture in these places leads to plant disease and death. After watering, the excess liquid is removed with a paper napkin or piece of cloth.
Water the flower in a thin stream until water starts pouring out through the drainage holes. After all the liquid has drained out, re-irrigation is performed.
After the end of watering, the plant is dried and put in its usual place. The moisture will gradually evaporate over a few days.
Irrigation of roots
Root spraying is used when the plant is grown without a substrate. Water is poured into a spray bottle and the roots of the flower are sprayed. The droplets should be very small, in this case the moisture will be absorbed quickly. If the absorption of moisture has not occurred in 4 hours, then the roots of the plant rot.
Submerging plants in water
This method of moisturizing the substrate is suitable for young and healthy plants... It is often combined with top dressing. For this, fertilizers are dissolved in the liquid.
A potted orchid is placed in a container of warm water. The edge of the pot should be slightly above the water level. Soaking the leaves and stems of the flower is not allowed. The soil is moistened through the drainage holes. The advantage of this method is that there is little chance of hitting excess water into the substrate. If this is the first time watering is done by immersion, it should not continue for more than 10 minutes. In the future, this time is 15-20 minutes.
After the procedure is over, the pot is removed from the water. Excess liquid must drain, otherwise there is a high probability of root rot and mold formation. After each flower is moistened, the water should be replaced.
Hot shower application
It is helpful to use a hot shower to help the plant adapt after transplanting. A shower will help the flower feel good after moving it to a new location. This will moisten the leaves and wash off the dust.
It is important to observe during the procedure temperature regime... The water temperature should be at least 50 and not more than 70 degrees. More precisely, it is selected taking into account the acidity of the substrate.
Pallet use
If there are several orchids, then you can water them at the same time. To do this, flower pots are installed in one common tray, into which water is poured. Plants take in as much water as they need.
The advantage of this method is that it is easier to care for the flowers. The disadvantage of the irrigation method is as follows: if one plant gets sick, the rest will become infected from it.
Water quality
The health of a flowering plant depends on what kind of liquid is used to water it. Ideal option there will be rainfall or melted snow. If this is not possible, then filtered tap water is used.
The most simple option will be the use of cooled boiled water. It is not recommended to use distilled liquid for irrigation, because it completely lacks minerals useful for the plant.
The addition of oxalic acid will help reduce water hardness..
Adding to irrigation fluid succinic acid will do the following:
Regular watering alternates with saturation of the soil with garlic liquid. To obtain it, 1 chopped garlic clove is infused in 1 liter of water for 40 minutes. Garlic extract is used for the next watering. It is a fertilizer and protects the plant from pests and microbes.
Watering a blooming orchid
During flowering, more attention is paid to caring for the plant. At this time, he needs more moisture and nutrients. In order for the flowering to be bright and long-lasting, flower growers are advised to adhere to the recommendations:
The smallest oil particles are mixed with water. Watering is done immediately after the mixture is prepared.
An orchid is a capricious plant, but if you take care of it correctly and water it correctly, you can achieve stable flowering.
How not to flood an orchid
After reading in the accompanying memo that the orchid loves moderation in everything, I decided that this does not apply to watering the plant, since the rainforests, from which Phalaenopsis come from, are distinguished by high humidity. And the substrate in which the orchid grew seemed to me very unreliable. And I, with the best of intentions, generously watered and sprayed the orchid, and at the end of the month I was preparing to transplant it into a more suitable, in my opinion, soil. But I did not have time to do this, because the flower died. That's how my arrogance let me down. Not wanting to offend my mother-in-law, I grudgingly bought the same expensive orchid and sat down on the Internet to study the rules of caring for it. After rereading many articles on different sites, I realized how wrong my decision was to ignore the advice of experts. The flower managed to die from waterlogging, but if it had not rotted from it, I would have killed it by transplanting it into oily garden soil.
Conditions for orchids
What did I learn by conscientiously searching and studying information about phalaenopsis? They do not like direct sunlight, so it is best to keep the flowerpot warm under diffused light.
The room temperature must be at least 18 ºC. The optimum temperature for this orchid is 22-24 ºC throughout the year, except for the autumn months, when the flower lays flower buds for winter flowering, so in autumn the flower pot is moved to a shaded, cool room (optionally, on the balcony floor), where the temperature does not rise above 16 ºC and does not drop below 14 ºC.
Secrets of watering orchids
Watering your orchid should be moderate and reminiscent of rainforest rain. How to put it into practice? Buy glass vessel- small or large aquarium glass vase, decorate its bottom with beautiful stones, and place a flowerpot with an orchid in the center. Pour water not into a flowerpot, but into a glass vessel - about 1 cm from the bottom. The roots of the orchid through the holes in the flowerpot will take in the water in the amount in which they need it.
How not to water orchids
Never pour water on the growing point or flowers, otherwise the plant will get sick or rot. In a constantly wet substrate, fungal infections easily take root, from which the orchid can die. Aerial roots take moisture from the air, therefore, in the room where the phalaenopsis is located at home, you need to maintain high humidity... This can be achieved by daily spraying during the warm season. Just keep in mind that you need to spray water through a fine spray so that the moisture does not flow in jets and does not drip, but forms a misty cloud. It is not necessary to spray the plant itself, it is better to humidify the air around it.
When to limit watering of orchids
If you want your orchid to bloom in February or May, you need to place it in the shade, lower the temperature to 16 ºC, and limit watering.
Water quality for irrigating orchids
Only soft, settled water is used for irrigation. For this tap water settle for a day or pass it through a filter. Do not forget that the water temperature for watering plants should be the same as the air temperature in the room, or one to two degrees warmer.