Watering is one of the main elements of orchid care. After its acquisition, all flower growers wonder how to water an orchid at home. After all, this flower is whimsical and requires competent care.
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How to water an orchid at home?
Timely watering is the guarantor of the harmonious development of the plant. The intake of a sufficient amount of liquid will prevent drying and deformation of the rhizome.
How often to water the plant?
Watering the orchid is recommended 1 time in 7 days. Frequent watering can lead to stagnation of moisture in the soil, which will contribute to decay of the rhizome. In hot weather, you can increase the amount of watering up to 2 times a week.
The frequency of watering depends on the following factors:
- Ambient temperature and humidity. The hotter and drier the air, the more watering is required. You can combine soil moisture with spraying the leaves of the plant.
- The volume of the flower pot. In a large capacity there is more soil, therefore, it needs to be moistened more often.
- Soil composition. If the soil quickly passes moisture, then the flower should be watered more often than usual.
It is not recommended to water the orchid too rarely: less than 1 time in 8 to 10 days. This will inhibit the development of the plant, and make flowering rare and not abundant.
When to water?
Drying the topsoil is not an indicator of immediate watering. The outer earth dries faster than the rest of the soil, which may still be wet. If the flower pot is transparent, then you should observe the condensate on its walls. If condensation is present, then watering must be delayed.
The color of the roots is an excellent indicator of soil moisture. If the roots are bright green, then it is too early to water. The shade of the rhizome has changed to light - you can not delay with watering.
Soil moisture can be estimated by sticking a wooden skewer into the edge of the pot for 13 - 18 minutes. If after removing the skewer the tree became wet, then there is no need to water the orchid.
Experienced gardeners can determine the urgency of irrigation by the weight of the soil in the pot. Dry substrate is much lighter than wet.
It is necessary to water an orchid in the early morning. You can not water when the plant is under direct sunlight. It is not recommended to water a flower standing in a draft.
What water to water?
The quality and temperature of water for irrigation determines the harmonious development of the flower. The best option is moisturizing running spring water. It should be stored in plastic bottles in a dark, cool place and warmed to room temperature before watering.
Snow melt water is ideal for irrigation. To obtain it, pure snow is collected far from roads and enterprises. Snow is left in the room until completely thawed. Watering is done with melt water at room temperature.
In urban conditions, you can water the plants with soft, purified water. Tap water must be boiled to remove harmful impurities and microflora from it. Chlorine compounds will evaporate, and salts will settle to the bottom. After boiling, it is recommended to strain the water through cheesecloth.
Filtered water is suitable for watering orchids. It does not contain suspensions, chlorine and salts.
If the grower does not have the ability to filter, or boil tap water, acidification of the liquid will help reduce the amount of harmful impurities. A few drops of oxalic acid are added to the water. You can let the liquid pass through a peat layer of 5 cm.
Watering flowers with distilled water is not recommended. It practically does not contain living organisms, which is detrimental to the root system of the plant. Such water can be used to wash the soil, roots, spraying leaves and buds.
Water settling promotes the reproduction of harmful microflora and reduces the quality of the liquid. Watering orchids with water like this is undesirable; this can lead to yellowing of the leaves.
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Methods of watering orchids
You can water orchids in several ways. Their choice depends on the degree of soil moisture, soil composition, the general condition of the plant.
Hot shower
Hot showers are used to adapt new plants and reanimate weakened orchids.
Shower technique:
- It is not hard to water the orchid with cool water.
- After 35 - 45 minutes, put the flower in the bath and pour over with hot water. Water temperature can be 45 - 55 degrees. Duration under a hot shower: 15 - 25 seconds. Pour water over everything: a pot, a stem, leaves from all sides.
- After a shower, leave the plant in the bath for 8 to 12 hours, wrap around and dry.
- Put the orchid in the same or new place. After scalding, the flowers feel good in unusual new places, do not get sick, do not fade.
Watering the orchid is recommended 11 to 13 days after a hot shower. Sick and young plants do not scald. Blooming orchids are washed gently under a hot shower, without affecting the flowers and buds.
Orchid root spraying
Orchids, which are grown without a substrate, are saturated with moisture using root spraying. Pour soft water into the spray bottle and carefully spray the rhizome. The smaller the drop of moisture that enters the roots, the easier and faster the liquid is absorbed into the root cells. Moisture absorption must occur within 2 to 3 hours, otherwise the tissues of the root system may suffer.
Spraying is not recommended immediately after feeding the plant.Do not spray flowers located in cold and damp rooms, as there is a likelihood of developing gray root rot.
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Watering orchids by immersion
Immersion watering is ideal for healthy adult plants. It can be used as soil fertilizer, having previously mixed the necessary preparations in water.
Place the flower pot in an enameled basin. Gently pour warm water into the basin so that it covers the edge of the pot for a few millimeters. When immersed, the stem and leaves of the orchid should remain dry.
Water penetrates through drainage slots and slots, moistening the substrate. For the first time, watering by immersion should not last more than 6 - 8 minutes. In subsequent times, the time can be increased to 11 - 13 minutes.
After the procedure, the pot is removed from the basin with water and put on a towel to drain excess fluid. If the soil is not sufficiently saturated with moisture, the procedure can be repeated. It is important to prevent the accumulation of fluid in the soil, otherwise it can lead to decay of the roots and the formation of mold.
Surface watering with a watering can
Water the plants very carefully, making sure that moisture is evenly distributed over the surface of the soil or aerial roots. The accumulation of moisture in the internal outlets of the leaves is unacceptable, this can lead to orchid disease. The liquid from the sockets is removed with cotton, paper towels or canvas.
Surface irrigation is continued until fluid begins to seep through the drainage slots. Water is allowed to flow out and re-irrigated.
After watering, the plants are dried and put in their usual place. Within 2 to 4 hours after the procedure, it is recommended to avoid airing and drafts.
Surface watering is combined with spraying leaves or a hot shower.
How to water an orchid during flowering?
Watering orchids during flowering is different from usual. The plant needs more moisture, nutrients and trace elements.
Flowering will be long if you adhere to the following recommendations:
- If the orchid blooms in the spring-summer period, then you need to water the plant 1 time in 3 to 4 days. If the flowers bloomed in winter, then watering should be arranged no more than 2 times in 7 days.
- A flowering plant must be sprayed from the spray bottle with warm water, avoiding the ingress of liquid on the buds and flowers.
- It is not recommended to put a blooming orchid under a hot shower for more than 60 degrees, inflorescences may fall due to temperature differences.
- After watering, you can not rearrange the flowering plant to a new place: flowering may stop.
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Watering the orchid during flowering should be neat and careful.
You should not move the pot, and without unnecessary need to touch the flowers and buds. You can not water the plant with new methods that have not yet been tested: this can be detrimental to the flower.
Proper watering in winter: how many times to water
How often to water an orchid in winter? In winter, the flower is watered no more than 1 time in 12-14 days. Lowering the temperature and low illumination can contribute to the accumulation of excess fluid in the roots. This can be prevented by installing artificial lighting and a constant temperature heater.
Dry air can cause orchid leaf disease. They should be sprayed with warm water 1 - 2 times a week.
In cold weather, you should minimize the hot shower, as this procedure has a large jump in temperature. If the place where the pot with an orchid is standing is cool, then the steamed roots of the flower can freeze in growth and become sick.
Watering is recommended in the daylight. Water should be at room temperature.
How to water an orchid after a transplant
Transplanting is stress for any plant. Orchids do not differ in good survival, so watering after transplanting should be delicate.
Immediately after placing the orchid in a new pot, it is necessary to moisten the soil with plenty. This will allow the roots to become saturated with moisture. A flower pot is placed in a basin with water for 32 to 36 minutes. After this, the plant is dried and placed on a light windowsill.
The orchid does not tolerate excess moisture, so it is important not to flood the plant. It is recommended to transplant the flower into dry soil, spilling it with water immediately after orchid planting. You can combine watering with fertilizer flower, this will increase the percentage of survival.
Proper watering of orchids is the key to plant health. Observing simple recommendations for moistening the soil, the grower will keep the plant beautiful and strong, increase the period of its flowering.
