How to water an orchid?
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It is often said that the Orchid (Phalaenopsis) is a capricious diva. It is given as a magnificent gift, and two months later, only a dry stem remains in a pot.
Yet, the orchid is a robust plant... if you stop treating it like a geranium. Its secret? It doesn't grow in the ground, but clings to trees!
Forget everything you know about traditional watering. Here's how to keep your orchid blooming for years.
1. Understanding the Beast: The Secret of the Roots
In tropical nature, the orchid is an epiphytic plant. It lives attached to branches, with its roots in the open air, drinking rainwater and capturing moisture from the air.
Its roots are covered with a special membrane (the velamen ) which acts like an ultra-absorbent sponge.
The consequence: If you smother these roots in regular potting soil or leave them soaking in water, they will rot in a few days.
2. When to water? Look at the color!
Whatever you do, don't throw away the clear plastic container! It's your dashboard.
- Green Roots: The plant is hydrated. Do not water it!
- Grey/Silver Roots: The sponge is dry. It's time to give it water.
3. The royal method: Basining
Forget about using a watering can to pour water over the top. The water flows too quickly and doesn't soak into the bark.
The technique:
- Fill a cachepot or basin with water (ideally non-calcareous).
- Submerge the plastic pot for 15 to 20 minutes .
- Take the pot out and let it drain completely.
- Put it back in place. There should no longer be any water at the bottom.
4. The vital step: Misting
Your orchid often has "aerial roots" that grow out of the pot. They seek moisture in the air. In our dry homes, they eventually dry out.
The solution: Spray the aerial roots and the undersides of the leaves in the morning. This action replicates tropical mist.
The Orchid's indispensable tool
To hydrate the aerial roots without wetting the heart of the plant (risk of rot), an ultra-fine mist is needed.
- ☁️ Micro-diffusion: Hydrates without dripping.
- ✨ Design: An elegant brass object that sits next to your most beautiful flower.
5. STOP! Never use ice cubes!
A tip is circulating on the internet: "Put two ice cubes per week on the roots" .
That's a very bad idea. Orchids are tropical plants. They hate the cold. Ice water causes thermal shock that can kill the roots instantly.
Always use water at room temperature (and if possible non-calcareous, such as rainwater or filtered water).
6. SOS Orchid: The yellow leaves
If the leaves turn yellow and become limp, it's not thirst... it's often drowning!
Remove the plant from the pot, cut off the rotten roots (brown and soft) with disinfected scissors, and repot in a new special orchid substrate.
The alternative to a bath
If your pot is too heavy to move into the sink, you can water from the top, but with absolute precision so as never to wet the heart of the leaves.
- 🎯 Long Spout: Allows you to glide water directly onto the bark.
- ✨ Copper-plated stainless steel: A healthy and durable tool.
In summary
A bath every 10 days, mist every morning, and lots of love.
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Ciccolini
Est ce le pot doit être immerger complètement ou juste à hauteur du pot