Watering Your Orchids

Watering Your Orchids



 Once you get the hang of it you will be a pro at watering. Most
orchid plants are epiphytes (air plants) and we are used to
watering plants in soil. Air plants have pseudo pods which take
up the water and hold it for the plants to drink. The root
system looks dry but may not be. If there is enough water you
will notice the roots have plumb looking parts which are the
pseudo pods. 



 Here are some guidelines that you can use for watering:


 water more often if water less often
if   there is more light the is
less lights   temperatures are higher
temperatures are lower   humidity is
lower humidity is lower   there is
more air movement less air movement  
plant has thin leaves and growth plant has thick
leaves and growth   it is mounted on a slab or
in a basket it is in a pot  





Over watering is the most common mistake of beginners.
The plant shows water which may e covering the root system. If
this occurs it means the roots are not getting the oxygen it
needs and may go on to die. You will also notice some of the
leaves may be turning yellow and drop off (also a sign of under
watering). The pseudo pods will have furrows which run the
length of them. The leaves will become thinner, won't fully
expand and will wilt. 



 Under watering is usually the case if the plant is in a
direct sun for long periods of time. Some of us will only mist
the plant instead of watering. The signs of under watering are
essentially the same as over watering. The thinner leaves of the
plants especially Miltonias will have accordion like leaves. 



 The treatment for over watering is to re pot as soon as
possible. As re potting is taking place cut off the roots that
do not look healthy. Re pot in a coarser medium. This will allow
the plant to get the support it needs. Be sure that the plant
dries out before being watered next.



Occasionally you plant may not have any viable roots and may not
respond to re potting. If this is the case then I would
recommend that you place the plant and container in a clear
plastic bag and loosely tie it and place it in indirect light.
The humidity will help.



 Occasionally with over watering you will notice that the roots
and then the rest of the plant may turn black. This is "black
root" disease. Use a fungicide on this and probably you can save
it.

For under watering the main stay of treatment is to water more
frequently. If the plant feels loose in the pot then re pot it.
Once you do this you will notice that there will be less wilting
and greener healthier leaves. If there is still some wilting the
plant will need more humidity. This can be accomplished by
placing the plant on a tray that has pebbles in it and is half
full of water. Remember you do not want the roots to sit in
water.