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Orchids add beautiful pops of vivid color to their surroundings and many people choose to have these rainforest beauties in their homes. However, these delicate plants have special watering needs. For this reason, many people unknowingly overwater or overwater their orchids. In this article, I will show you how you can tell if your orchid is having problems based on the amount of water it is receiving, and also how you can revive your orchid if it is not feeling well.
Overwatering orchids is the most common reason these houseplants don’t bloom as strongly as they should. There is a common misconception that rainforest plants, like orchids, need a lot of water. However, this is not true because while rainforests receive a lot of rain, only a fine rain haze reaches the forest floor due to the thick canopy of leaves above. So in reality, the wild orchids clinging to the trunks of giant rainforest trees only get a hint of water. Now these are the most common orchid overwatering symptoms to look out for.
Excessive watering
Mossy roots. These will look dark and will look and feel very soft.
Limp the leaves. These will usually have yellowing or darkening spots or patches.
Decaying leaves. At the base of the leaves, near the plant, you may see signs of rot or growths on the underside of the leaves.
general. Overall, the plant will appear to be struggling, weak, and dull.
However, there are well-meaning but overprotective orchid owners who have heard of the evils of overwatering and therefore keep their plants on a strict ration of a few ounces of water once every two weeks. In most cases, this results in another problem as serious as the first, and that is lack of watering. One of the most distressing things about an underwatered orchid is that its symptoms are almost identical to those of overwatering. Thus, fearing for the life of their precious orchid, these water-avoiding owners further refrain from supplying the much-needed liquid, and the poor orchid languishes far from thirst. Here’s how you can tell under-watering from over-watering.
Insufficient watering
Estate. The biggest difference in helping you decide will be that the roots will be thin, dry, and wrinkled rather than the mushy roots of an overwatered orchid.
Leaves. You may have growths, yellow spots, or feel thin and dry.
Decay. There may be leaf death and rot as with overwatering, but the leaves will wrinkle and pinch instead of being wet and rotting.
general. A poorly watered orchid will appear stunted, flabby, and scrawny and will lack the robust green leaves of a healthy plant.
To do
Once you know which of these problems your plant is suffering from, you can take these steps to save it while there is still time.
Excessive watering
Take the suffering orchid out of its pot and cut off all the rotten roots. Depending on how advanced your plant is, this can be quite a brutal process and the plant can appear quite devoid of roots afterwards. If this happens, you should put the root end of the orchid in a plastic bag and put the bagged orchid in a warm place but out of direct sunlight. This will induce moisture and stimulate new root growth. Transplant your orchid into pots that provide better drainage and reduce watering to once every 4-7 days. Monitor the health of your plant and adjust your irrigation schedule to suit your needs. Remember to always water during the day so your orchid has plenty of time to dry on the warm day before dark. Your orchid will slowly pull out new, thick leaves and begin to bloom again.
Insufficient watering
Take the orchid out of its pot and cut off the dead roots. If all roots are dead, follow bagging procedure explained above. Transplant the orchid into pots that hold more water and increase the frequency of watering. Over time, your plant will start to develop new healthy green leaves, but old, wilted ones will stay that way. This is normal for orchids recovering from a prolonged period of drought.
So there you have it. Now you can watch out for the symptoms of any of these common problems and successfully avoid or combat them. With the right watering habits and proper care, you can expect to have robust orchids in no time!