How much water do orchids need?

Orchids need a tropical climate

Many types of orchids originally come from the tropical rainforest. There they grow on the trees and their roots hang in the air. This is the only way to ensure that these plants get the light they need for life. The orchids draw the nutrients they need from the surrounding air and rainwater.

In the tropics, sunshine is strongest around noon. The higher one orchid gets to feel the direct sun. Due to the great heat development, a heavy rain shower pelts down on the flora in the afternoon. The orchid gets completely wet without standing in the water.

Lovers of exotic plants can now buy orchids in garden centers, hardware stores and discounters. However, these plants are bred as hybrids. The best-known genus of all orchid species in this country is the Phalaenopsis.

The roots of the purchased orchid are in a special soil, which mainly consists of bark mulch, peat and styrofoam. This mixture is very air-permeable and can still hold water. That comes very close to the nature of this plant.

How much water an orchid needs

Since the roots of orchids are suspended in the air in their natural environment, you must take care at home that they are never in water. Otherwise the roots will start to rot within a few days and the plant will die. So make sure you have a drainage hole in the plant pot. Do not use a planter in which the water can collect.

Water the plant twice a week in summer and let the excess water drain off. It has proven useful to place the plant pot on a kind of grid after watering. This prevents waterlogging from building up. In winter, watering once a week is sufficient.

Also make sure that the ambient temperature is suitable. You don't have to bring humid tropical air into your living room, but it shouldn't be too cold either. Good humidity is more important. If the air is dry, you should also spray the plant with a flower sprayer.

How much water the plant needs to be watered with also depends on the size of the flower pot. The bigger the pot, the more liquid the plant needs. With a little experience, you can also use the weight of the pot to estimate how much water is left in the pot. Since the roots have hardly any weight, a "thirsty" orchid is very light.

The nature of the water is important

Not only the amount of water plays a major role in the care of orchids, the quality of the water is also of great importance. The irrigation water should always be room temperature and little salt. Collected rainwater is best.

If there is no rainwater available, you can also briefly boil normal tap water and use it at room temperature for watering. If you only have very hard tap water available in your region, you should treat the water with a water filter.

If the orchids are very dry because you forgot to water or were on vacation, the plants need a lot of liquid at once. Here you immerse the flower pot under water until the substrate is completely soaked. Then place the pot on a grid to drain.

If the orchids are growing, they need something fertilizer. Just keep in mind that this plant doesn't need as much nutrients. In the wild, it survives in a sparse environment.

Checklist for watering the plant

• Only surround the roots of the orchid with a special orchid soil.
• Use a flower pot with a water drainage hole.
• Under no circumstances should the flower pot be placed in a planter.
• The best way to avoid waterlogging is to use a special drip grid for placing the pot under.
• Do not use fresh tap water for watering, boil it or take rainwater.
• Water no more than twice a week in summer.
• Watering once is sufficient in winter.
• If the flower pot is very light, you should flood the plant completely and then let it drain.
• If the humidity in the room is very low, spray the plants regularly with a flower sprayer.
• Fertilize orchids only when they are growing.
• A partially shaded spot on the windowsill has proven itself as a location.

When caring for your orchids, always keep in mind where the plant originally came from. Then you will enjoy its exotic flowers for a long time.