How to Water Orchid Plants

We owe it to orchid and other flower growers, at least in part, for the recent movement to make full use of the water that reaches our homes, especially that which comes down as rain. If you are growing orchids, this is a subject you might wish to investigate.

Orchids, similar to most other plants, have specific likes and dislikes as to the water given them to nourish their roots. Most of them do not like hard water. Unfortunately, the water that comes out of the taps in many places is too hard for orchids to thrive at their best. Rarely will hard water actually kill them. It might stunt their growth, though, or keep them from ever blooming as wonderfully as they might otherwise.

A saving grace about orchid plants is the fact that they possess thick, fleshy roots that can stand up to hard water better than many other sorts of plants. Hardwood plants, for instance, with their fine roots, are easily ruined by water that is overly hard. Nontheless, you should avoid using hard water on orchid plants if you can possibly avoid it.

There are filters you can purchase to add to your water line that will make your water less hard while blocking many impurities that would be bad for humans and plants both. But nothing is better than good old rainwater when it comes to your orchids! After all, this is the form of water that Mother Nature supplies to plants the world over.

A number of companies manufacture rain barrels that are great for catching and holding rainwater until you need it. Many homeowners set up the barrels below the rainspouts coming from their roofs. With some planning and work, you could set up several rain barrels to channel water directly to your orchid plants. Then your watering chore, assuming you live in a fairly rainy area, becomes virtually hands-free.

Whatever water you use, don't apply it to your orchids if it has a chill on it. For example, I would never use water taken from an outdoor faucet on a cold winter's day, without first allowing it to come to room temperature in my home or greenhouse. Cold water can result in spots on the plant, rot the new growths and injure the roots.

Some orchids will get benefit from water with some lime mixed in it. In years gone by, people noticed that imported Cypripedium orchids often were covered with chalky lime deposits due to the plants having grown in limestone rock crevices where water trickled down upon them. So if you have a Cypripedium, you could experiment with adding lime to its water, a little at first and then more if you determine that the plant is responding well to it.

The art of orchid cultivation is a fascinating subject. Orchid growing is not as difficult as some people make it out to be, but you need to arm yourself with solid information before plunging in to this rewarding pastime. 

The most complete guidebook to 21st-century orchid cultivation, beyond question, is Orchid Care Expert by a Mr. Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded over the Internet. Howard's wonderful guide will furnish a complete education on the subject. As well, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing library of articles on many topics of orchid cultivation.