Orchids, like any other plant, must have water if they are to survive. But the right amount of water and the right kind of water, is crucial. Too much or too little, and they’ll die. Water that is too acid or not acid enough will kill them. Water that is too cold or hot will cause problems.

Perhaps your sink water is just fine for watering your orchids with, but how do you know? Should you be providing orchids with steaming hot water? Do they actually do best with ice cold water? What about mineral laden water, or water than has no minerals in it at all? What kind do they need? We think of water as a simple substance but it’s actually fairly complex, and the kind you provide to your orchids will have everything to do with whether they are healthy or not.

Incorrectly watering their orchids is one thing that causes most people problems with their plants. The average person will pour water into the orchid’s pot every time it looks a little dry, soaking the soil frequently and causing the roots to rot. But because they don’t know the roots are rotting, and all they see are wilting, drooping leaves, they think it’s not getting enough water and pour in more. So the flowers fall off, the plant keels over and it dies.

Orchids can get root-rot very easily because their roots are designed like little sponges, soaking up the water when it rains and then releasing it into the plant as things dry out. In their natural habitat, that works perfectly. In captivity while being watered wrong, the roots wind up rotting.

The Top Five Tips You Must Follow To Keep From Killing Your Orchids:

1. Don’t over-water. In order to prevent root-rot, you must allow your orchid’s roots to dry out. That means the soil must dry all the way out between waterings. Instead of watering by the calendar, purchase one of those water gages and stick it into the pot. When it shows dry, then water again.

2. Make sure that the pot you’ll be using provides plenty of drainage. Orchids are not swamp plants and can’t handle standing water. If the pot doesn’t drain well, then the soil in it will imitate a swamp and your orchids will drown.

3. Avoid plastic pots. Plastic pots restrict the airflow, thus restricting evaporation, and can also contribute to root-rot because of soil that’s too damp.

4. Water early in the morning so that the plant has a chance to absorb the moisture before the sun’s heat starts making it evaporate and before the water on the leaves turn into magnifying lenses and concentrate light into damaging intensity.

5. Pour water over the soil until it runs out of the bottom of the pot. Saturate it well and then then let it stand and drain completely before putting it back in the window or on its table to grow.

Author Bio: Want more orchid watering tips? Click here for tips on watering orchids, proper orchid lighting, fertilizing orchids and of course, how to make orchids bloom.

Category: Gardening
Keywords: orchid watering,orchid yellow leaves,orchid problems,caring for orchids indoors