| If you want vibrant blooms to cover your orchids, | | | | 5. Avoid plastic pots and or pots that are glazed on |
| there are several key things you must provide to | | | | both the inside and out. Plastic pots have all sorts of |
| them. One of those is the right amount and type of | | | | problems, from looking ugly to preventing the soil |
| water. | | | | from breathing. Glazed pots can also restrict airflow. |
| In their natural environment, orchids get all their | | | | Your best choice is a clay orchid pot, but if you can't |
| water from the rain, which is automatically PH | | | | get one, then use a normal clay pot that's unglazed |
| balanced for their needs and because of where they | | | | both inside and out or at the very least use a clay |
| grow, they don't get too little or too much. This | | | | pot that's not glazed inside. And be sure to do the |
| makes sense, after all, because they wouldn't grow | | | | dry out test mentioned above. |
| there otherwise. However when you remove and | | | | 6. Avoid getting water between the leaves and/or |
| orchid from its natural habitat and bring it into your | | | | new growth. Bacteria and fungus like wet places and |
| home, if you don't mimic the growing conditions it's | | | | the kind that can kill you orchid like cool not warm |
| designed for it won't do well. So here are the things | | | | temperatures. If you do get water between the |
| you need to consider when watering: | | | | leaves, dry them off. You can do that any number |
| | | | of ways, but a straw that you can puff air through |
| 1. The PH factor of the water. Natural rainwater isn't | | | | works well. Use care and GENTLY pull the leaves |
| loaded down with chemicals like chlorine and it is | | | | back, don't wrench them back. Your goal is to dry |
| usually a little bit acidic. Purchase a water testing kit | | | | away the water, not damage the leaves. In their |
| (they're cheap) and check your tap water. You want | | | | natural environment, the bacteria and fungus play a |
| a PH that hits between 6.4 and 6.8. If your tap water | | | | vital role and keep the orchids from taking over or |
| isn't the right PH, take a trip to the local nursery and | | | | choking out other growth, but in your home all they |
| pick up a PH balance kit. It'll contain substances that'll | | | | do is deprive you of a beautiful plant. So don't let |
| raise or lower the PH. Follow directions on the kit. | | | | them get a foothold. |
| 2. The mineral content of the water. You don't want | | | | 7. Wait until the sun's out before watering. If you |
| your water to be full of mineral solids and other | | | | water when it's sunny and the temperatures are |
| chemicals, because those can be as hard on your | | | | warm, natural evaporation will take care of drying out |
| orchid as they are on you when you drink them or | | | | the water that gets in between the leaves, and the |
| on your pipes as they build up inside them and | | | | temperature will be too high for the bacteria and |
| restrict water flow. Even acid rain isn't loaded down | | | | fungus to get started. |
| with minerals, and whether the orchid is a | | | | 8. Water early rather than late. You should do this |
| ground-growing type or a tree-growing type, it's | | | | with all plants, actually, including your grass. Plants |
| going to get the minerals it needs from its | | | | open their pores early in the day and absorb |
| environment. Check what percentage of minerals is in | | | | moisture, then close the in the afternoon and |
| your water - how hard or soft it is. You can usually | | | | evening, so you need to water when they're ready |
| get a kit to do that, though most water softening | | | | for it, not when the water will act like a magnifying |
| companies will do the test of you for free. If there | | | | glass and burn their tissue. This strategy also ensures |
| are too many minerals, plan to filter your water. The | | | | that your orchids have all day to dry out before the |
| recommended level of mineral salts is below 120 | | | | night temperatures fall far enough for the bacteria |
| parts per million. All your houseplants, not just your | | | | and fungus to get going. |
| orchids, will benefit from this because water that has | | | | 9. Do not water with cold or hot water. This is |
| too high a concentration of minerals in it can clog the | | | | common sense. Remember, you're trying to imitate |
| pores on the plant leaves. Be careful what you use | | | | the plant's natural habitat and rain is normally |
| to soften the water with, however. If you opt for a | | | | lukewarm. The only times of the year that rain is icy |
| salt system, go with potassium chloride NOT sodium | | | | is after the orchids have already gone dormant. |
| chloride. Sodium is poisonous to your plants, | | | | They'll go dormant at your house too, but you should |
| potassium won't hurt them. | | | | never water them with icy water. Leave a closed (to |
| 3. Don't over-water. Regardless of whether your | | | | prevent evaporation) container of water on the |
| orchids are growing in bark, a bark mixture, or | | | | counter until it comes to room temperature, then |
| anything else, the potting medium should never | | | | water with it. All pants are sensitive to the difference |
| appear wet to look at, should not feel wet to touch | | | | between room and water temperatures and a |
| the top of, and should at no time be soggy. | | | | difference of as little as 10 degrees can throw them |
| 4. Ensure that the pot you'll be using will provide | | | | into shock. Rather like what happens to you when |
| plenty of drainage. Before you actually plant an orchid | | | | you jump into a COLD swimming pool. |
| in the pot you're considering, test its drainage. Fill it | | | | 10. Carefully pour water over the soil and continue to |
| with the potting medium you'll be using, drench the | | | | do so until it runs out of the pot OR stick the pot in |
| soil with water, and then let it sit for a couple of | | | | a container and fill the container with water. If you |
| weeks. Check the soil every few days. You want the | | | | opt to use the second method, make sure that the |
| top to dry out almost immediately and you want the | | | | water level is lower than the lip of the pot, not over |
| soil to be moist but not stick together when you dig | | | | it. Leave the pot sitting in the container long enough |
| out a handful within just a couple of days. It should | | | | for the soil to turn moist. Then remove it from the |
| be very dry after two or three weeks. If not, then | | | | container and let it drain well before returning it to its |
| your pot isn't providing proper drainage and your | | | | normal growing spot. |
| orchids will get root rot. | | | | |