The Orchid Garden

How often should I water

Question:

I’m new at growing orchids and I’ve been watering mine once a week. They’ve been in an atrium surrounded by the house with an open screen on the roof allowing light and rain to hit. I’ve now moved them to an east facing area of our front porch where their only source of water will be my watering them. Should I still only water once a week. I live in Florida by the way and we’re on the river, so it always humid here. Thanks! June

Response:

I’m new at growing orchids and I’ve been watering mine once a week. They’ve been in an atrium surrounded by the house with an open screen on the roof allowing light and rain to hit. I’ve now moved them to an east facing area of our front porch where their only source of water will be my watering them. Should I still only water once a week. I live in Florida by the way and we’re on the river, so it always humid here. Thanks! June

Here are my rules to water by: 1) If in doubt DON’T! 2) Stick you finger in about an inch and if in doubt DON"’T! 3) Stick you finger in about an inch and if it is dry WATER! 4) The above does not apply to mounted orchids as there is nothing to stick your finger in! Hope this helps. — Gideon Singer In Beautiful Vancouver BC Web site: members.shaw.ca/gsinger

Response:

Where in FL?  We’re here too.  Mine grow on the lanai, so I adjust to the weather’s schedule.  Anyway, a lot depends on what kind of orchids you’re growing, and what kind of media they are in.  For example, I like to keep my Phals moist (not sopping), and never let them dry out completely, but Dends and Catts I water less.  Rule of thumb, once weekly is fine, but it would help to know what you’ve got.  What’s your feeding schedule? Welcome to the wonderful world of orchid addiction……<S Diana

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m new at growing orchids and I’ve been watering mine once a week. They’ve been in an atrium surrounded by the house with an open screen on the roof allowing light and rain to hit. I’ve now moved them to an east facing area of our front porch where their only source of water will be my watering them. Should I still only water once a week. I live in Florida by the way and we’re on the river, so it always humid here. Thanks! June

Response:

I’m not sure what types I have! LOL I keep buying them by color! I have one or two that look like the typical corsage orchids and I have a dendrobium? sounds like that and a ""P" something. I need to get a book! LOL Right now only two of my latest purchases are blooming and some of the others don’t have tags, so I won’t know what they are until they bloom again and I get a book on orhicds! I repotted them a couple of days ago when a local orchid grower told me that he doesn’t use moss because it never dries out and that it rotted his wooden planters in two years. So, I bought a bunch of wooden planters and repotted all of them in bark and I have them hanging on the inside of my east facing front porch. I’ve been fertilizing them once a month, but then another grower told me he rarely fertilizes, and yet another grower told me he fertilizes every week with about 20% dose of fertilizer. So I father that there isn’t a singl steafast rule on this. Regards, June

Response:

OOPS, you asked where I am in Florida. I’m in Cocoa, on the Indian River, so there a lot of moisture in the air. You said you’re watering once a week. What medium are you using. Does it hold the moisture that long or is that all that is needs. Thanks! June

Response:

There are as many theories and preferences about how and when to fertilize, what medium to use, etc, as there are enthusiasts!  We’re south of you, in Port St. Lucie. For me personally, I prefer to have my Phalaenopsis in spaghnum moss.  I plant them in plastic pots, and for the purpose of hanging them on pillars outside I put most of the plastic pots in clay pots.  Those orchids that look like corsage orchids are almost certainly Cattleyas.  For my Catts I like rock or aliflor (ceramic), and it works well for me;  I use the same stuff for my Dendrobiums.  I don’t care much for bark, but so many people use it with great results, so who am I??  For babies (small seedling plants) I’m finding that a mix of fine coconut husk chips, peat moss, and perlite seems to hit the proverbial spot. Anyway, as I said, if you ask ten people you’ll get ten different answers, or at least some variations.  If what you’re doing is working, go for it. BTW, there’s lots of good info at FirstRay’s.com along with supplies, plants, etc. Those are three of the "basic" orchids.  Of course there are many thousands more, and untold hybrids.  You might want to get Ortho’s "All About Growing Orchids".  Inexpensive, good info, and not so technical that you’ll pull your hair out. Enjoy! Diana

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OOPS, you asked where I am in Florida. I’m in Cocoa, on the Indian River, so there a lot of moisture in the air. You said you’re watering once a week. What medium are you using. Does it hold the moisture that long or is that all that is needs. Thanks! June

Response:

Dear Diana, Thanks for all your input. I’m saving your note for future reference. Thanks! June

Response:

Filed under: Dendrobium Orchid

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