How to properly water orchids at home?

In the process of growing orchids, watering is relatively difficult to master. Many novice orchid growers focus on watering. Many friends did not understand the growth habits of orchids at the beginning and just simply The orchid's preference for moisture is understood to mean more watering. As a result, the pot soil will be in a moist state for a long time, and its fleshy root system will be extremely prone to rot in the moist soil for a long time.

If the pot soil is short of water for a long time, it will also cause the plants to become dehydrated and wither. Therefore, correct watering is a crucial part of growing orchids. So how to properly water orchids? Below I will give you a detailed introduction to the watering method of orchids.

1. What kind of water is better for watering orchids?

1. Use acidic hydration and neutral water

Most of the orchids we raise are usually placed indoors, so it is not appropriate to use some organic fertilizer water with peculiar smell for watering. . First of all, make sure the water quality is clean, preferably slightly acidic or neutral.

Everyone knows that the best water for growing flowers is spring water, well water or stream water. These waters are less alkaline and are best for growing flowers. But it is unrealistic to use this water to water flowers. Not only is it not available in cities, but even in rural areas it is impossible to get spring water or well water to grow flowers.

So the most commonly used water is tap water. The tap water in the south contains less alkaline, while the alkaline in the north is more alkaline. In addition, it contains a certain amount of chlorine. If you use tap water to water your flowers for a long time, it will cause harm. It is easy for the pot soil to form lumps, which is detrimental to the growth of flowers. In this case, when preparing the culture soil, you can add more organic matter or manure, which can have a neutralizing effect and effectively prevent the soil from forming lumps. Phenomenon.

2. Let the tap water stand for a few days before watering the flowers

Most of the water used to grow orchids and other flowers is tap water at home. When using tap water to water flowers, it is best to First put it in a bucket or a large pot and let it sit for 3 to 5 days. This can evaporate the chlorine in the water and make the water temperature close to room temperature and soil temperature. After pouring it into the pot soil, it will not stimulate the root system of the plant. . If you directly water the tap water immediately, the chlorine in the water will be detrimental to the growth of flowers. Furthermore, the water temperature and soil temperature are very different between summer and winter. After watering suddenly, the root hairs of the orchid will be stimulated, causing shrinkage, and finally leading to absorption. Blockage will also affect the absorption and utilization of nutrients. Therefore, it is recommended that when you use tap water to water your flowers, it is best to leave it for a period of time before using it again.

2. Reasonably control the watering time

1. Do not water newly planted orchids immediately

Be careful when watering orchids and repotting them. , many people water the orchids immediately after planting them, which is the so-called root water. It is not appropriate to water immediately after planting, because the roots of newly planted orchids need to be pruned when potting, and some old and rotten roots should be cut off. If there are wounds on the roots, watering them immediately can easily cause the disease. The roots are rotten, and the roots are still too weak to absorb water after new planting. Even if too much water is poured in, it cannot be absorbed and utilized.

So when potting, you can first spray the culture soil with water to make it slightly moist. Don’t rush to water after potting. You can sprinkle water on the plants to humidify the environment first, and then water normally after three days. water so that the plant can better adapt to the pot.

2. Watering interval

①. Watering should consider seasonal and environmental factors

Many flower friends will ask, how many days should you water orchids? Water once is the best. In fact, the answer to this question is not absolute. Because the specific watering should consider factors such as season, weather, environment, as well as the drainage of the flower pot, the water absorption of the culture soil, etc.

For example, in summer when the weather is dry and water evaporates quickly, it may be necessary to shorten the watering time to keep the pot soil slightly moist and not too short of water. In winter, plants have less water demand, so they cannot be watered too much. Generally, it is better to keep the pot soil slightly moist and slightly dry.

Also, different maintenance environments have different watering intervals. Generally, a ventilated and breathable environment absorbs water better, and the potting soil dries relatively quickly, while a dark and closed environment does not allow the potting soil to dry out. It dries out easily, and the plants have poor absorption and poor growth. Therefore, the specific watering time should be reasonably controlled based on different factors. Each time, the surface of the pot soil should be dry before watering. If the pot soil is wet or too dry before watering, it is not conducive to the healthy growth of the plant.

②. Which time period is best for watering?

Orchids are relatively delicate flowers. Not only do they have strict requirements on the surrounding growth environment, but it is also difficult to master watering correctly. . For example, if the watering time in spring, summer, autumn and winter is not arranged reasonably, its growth will be affected to a certain extent. Because the temperature of the pot soil is different in different seasons, it will also affect the water absorption function of the roots. In spring and autumn, it is best to water in the morning and evening when the air temperature, soil temperature, and water temperature are relatively consistent. The temperature is best at noon in summer. Watering must be avoided during high temperature periods. Otherwise, pouring cold water directly will suddenly stimulate the root system and cause poor absorption. Therefore, watering in summer should be done in the cooler early morning. In winter, the temperature is low, and watering in the morning and evening can easily cause frost damage, so it is better to choose the noon time when the temperature is higher.

3. Commonly used watering methods

There are several methods for watering orchids. The most commonly used methods are direct watering, pot soaking and spraying.

No matter which method you use to water your orchid, you must completely soak the pot soil and avoid "half-watering", which is very harmful to the orchid.

1. Direct watering method

Usually watering flowers mostly uses the direct watering method, which means pouring water directly into the flowerpot. The advantage of this method is that it can The water can soak into the potting soil as quickly as possible and allow excess water to drain away through the drainage holes. However, the culture soil of some orchid pots will be higher than the pot surface, so this direct watering method cannot be used. In this case, the soaking pot method is generally used for watering.

2. Soaking pot method

The soaking pot method of watering is to put the potted plants into a large pot or bucket filled with water, so that the water in the big pot passes through the drainage at the bottom of the flower pot. The holes spread from bottom to top, slowly nourishing the pot soil, thereby achieving the purpose of watering the orchid. This soaking method is often used in some bonsais. It is usually used when the culture soil of the pot is higher than the surface of the pot and it is easy to be lost by direct watering. The advantage of watering with the soaking pot method is that the pot soil can be completely soaked and the water is relatively sufficient. But it should be noted that the soaking time in the pot should not be too long. Generally, once the culture soil above is moistened, it can be lifted out of the large pot filled with water. If the soaking time is too long and the roots are soaked in water for a long time, root rot will easily occur.

3. Spraying method

Spraying is usually done by spraying water on the leaves to moisten the leaves when the maintenance environment is particularly dry, so that the plants can have a good health. growth environment. Spraying water on plants is usually done when they are not blooming. You can add a certain amount of water to the leaves and around the pots by spraying. When spraying water, be careful not to splash the water into the center of the leaves. During flowering, you can sprinkle water around the potted plants to humidify the environment. You should not spray directly on the plants to avoid causing the flowers to rot.

IV. Precautions for watering orchids

1. Watering must be thorough

Every time we water orchids, we must water enough , it is advisable to water until the water seeps out from the drainage hole. If you water too little, the water will not penetrate to the bottom of the pot. In this way, the root system at the upper part of the pot can get water, but the root system at the bottom cannot absorb water, so the root system will inevitably It will grow towards the upper part where there is water, eventually causing the orchid roots to arch out of the pot, which will be detrimental to the growth of the plant and also affect the overall ornamental quality. Therefore, every time you water, the pot soil should be completely soaked so that the roots can fully absorb the water and avoid watering.

2. Avoid water splashing into the center of the leaves

When watering orchids, be sure to pour the water from the roots into the flowerpot. If the water is poured too high, it will be easy to pour the water. After water splashes into the leaf center of the plant, it can easily cause the leaf center to rot due to poor ventilation and lack of light. Especially when the temperature is low in winter, if water is poured into the center of the leaves, it is easy to frostbite the plants. Therefore, special attention should be paid when spraying or watering. Try to avoid pouring water into the center of the orchid's leaves to avoid causing leaf center rot.

3. Avoid the pot soil being too wet for a long time

Orchids like a humid climate. You can usually increase the humidity of the environment by spraying around the potted plants. Do not interpret the love of humidity as If it likes water, it makes the mistake of watering it frequently. If the pot soil is too humid for a long time, the roots will be like soaking in water and will not be able to breathe normally. Over time, root rot and yellow leaves will appear. Therefore, watering should not be done too frequently. As long as the soil in the basin is kept slightly moist, wait until the soil in the basin dries before watering. Watering should be done all at once, so as to maintain sufficient moisture and prevent waterlogging. This is beneficial to the healthy growth of plants.