Understanding orchid care takes a moment, but mastering watering takes three years of practice

Water is theorchid'ssource of life, and theorchid'svery foundation of growth. Wateringorchidsis the most important part of orchidcultivationmanagement. The ancients said: "Orchid careis easy to grasp, but watering takes three years of skill." These words make a great deal of sense; they show that watering orchids is a profound art that can only be mastered through long-term practice and exploration. The accumulated practical experience of our predecessors and the explorations of modern science have provided us with a shortcut, and their understanding of the issue of watering orchids is well worth learning, pondering and studying. I. Water is the source of life forthe orchidplant. First, water is an important component of the protoplasm of orchid plants. The water content of orchid protoplasm is generally above 80%; if the water content decreases, life activities are affected. If the protoplasm loses too much water, it will be damaged, leading to the death of the plant. Second, water is a raw material in the metabolic processes of orchid plants. The assimilation and dissimilation processes within orchid plants all require the participation of water molecules, such as photosynthesis, respiration and hydrolysis reactions. Third, water is the medium of the metabolic processes of orchid plants.CultivationThe nutrient elements in the substrate can only be absorbed by the orchid root system after dissolving in water, and various metabolites must also be transported with water to all parts of the orchid plant. Fourth, water enables orchid plants to maintain their inherent form. Only when the cells of the orchid plant contain a large amount of water can the cells expand and the plant stand upright, facilitating the reception of light and gas exchange; once an orchid plant loses water, it will wilt. Fifth, water can regulate the body temperature of orchid plants. Water has a high heat of vaporization and specific heat, as well as high thermal conductivity, which helps orchid plants maintain body temperature and dissipate heat. One of the important functions of watering orchids is to regulate the body temperature of the orchid plant. In short, water is the source of life forthe orchidplant and the very foundation of orchid growth, and appropriately meeting the water needs of orchid plants is the most important condition for orchid growth. II. Two pathways for supplying water to orchid plants There are two pathways for supplying the water needed by orchid plants: one is absorption by the roots of water in the growing medium, which is transported throughout the plant through the vascular system; the other is absorption by orchid leaves of moisture in the air to meet the needs of the orchid plant's metabolism. Once you understand this principle, you will know how to supply water to orchid plants. III. Methods of watering orchid plants The methods of supplying water to the roots of orchid plants are: pouring, sprinkling (drenching), and soaking. "Pouring" means using a watering can to pour water along the edge of the pot. The advantage of this method is that water will not get into the heart of the leaves; the disadvantage is that watering is slow and it is difficult to soak through, requiring repeated pouring many times to achieve a thorough soaking. "Sprinkling" means using a spray can or shower head to sprinkle water, wetting the entireorchid-growingenvironment so that water seeps from the surface of the medium to the orchid roots and moistens the orchid pot. The advantage of this method is that the water can soak through the entire orchid pot; the disadvantage is that water easily splashes into the heart of the leaves, so it must be used carefully, otherwise the heart will rot. "Soaking" means immersing three-quarters of the orchid pot together with the growing medium in water. The advantage is that the water can soak through; the disadvantage is that it easily spreads bacteria and is labor-intensive and time-consuming.Orchid-growingexperts often use these three methods in combination, with very ideal results. The methods of supplying water to orchid leaves are: spraying and humidifying. "Spraying" means using a sprayer to emit a fine mist that falls directly onto the orchid leaves, allowing the orchid leaves to absorb it into the plant through the stomata. "Humidifying" means increasing air humidity for absorption by the orchid leaves. There are also several methods of humidifying: first, using a humidifier to create mist and increase the humidity of the space; second, increasing the water surface area by placing more water basins under the orchid shelf, relying on water evaporation to increase the humidity of the space; third, artificially simulating rainfall to splash up water mist and increase air humidity; in addition, some use an oxygen pump placed in a water basin to help volatilize water vapor, and so on. IV. Water quality for watering orchid plants Wild orchids grow relying on rainwater, so the water used forcultivatingorchids should be natural and pure, preferably clean and slightly acidic (with a pH value of around 5.5). Generally, rainwater is best, river water is excellent, tap water is next, and well water must not be used. "Rainwater" contains many fertilizer components and is comprehensive; spring rain is especially good, thunderstorm rain is relatively good, autumn rain is next, artificial rain must be avoided, and acid rain is harmful. "River water and pond water" are formed by the collection of rainwater and are beneficial to orchids, but river water polluted by industrial wastewater must not be used. "Tap water" must not be used if it comes from underground; if it is drawn from a river, its essence is still rainwater, but after processing by the waterworks, disinfectant and clarifying agents are present, which are harmful to orchids and cannot be applied directly. There are two solutions: first, fill several vats with tap water, expose them outdoors to the sun, store them for many days, and rotate their use; second, put in a small amount of fruit peel such as orange peel or apple peel, store for one or two days and then use, which is effective in changing the water quality of tap water. "Well water" belongs to groundwater: first, its temperature is low, and sudden irrigation is unfavorable to orchid growth; second, it is somewhat alkaline, and well water contains more calcium and magnesium salts, so frequent irrigation is harmful to orchids. V. Timing of watering orchid plants Orchids "prefer moisture but fear wetness, prefer dryness but fear aridness." This saying of the ancients is very scientifically sound. "Wetness," "moisture," "dryness," and "aridness" differ in degree. Excessive moisture is wetness; "wetness" means too much water, which will suffocate and rot the orchid roots and cause death. Excessive dryness is aridness; "aridness" means too little water, which will cause the orchid plant to wilt, suffer stunted growth, and even dry up and die. "Dryness" and "moisture" mean moderate water content, which is the state favored by orchid growth. To understand the key issues of "dryness" and "moisture," one must carefully observe and experience them in practice and gradually accumulate experience before truly mastering them. There is no shortcut; nothing less than "three years of skill" will do. Generally speaking, when the growing medium on the surface of the pot is dry but not arid, and the hole at the bottom of the pot is moist but not wet, that is the best time to water the orchid plant. There is no need to wait until the potting medium is completely dry before watering, otherwise it will have an adverse effect on the growth and development ofthe orchidplant. VI. Watering orchid plants must be based on natural factors Watering orchid plants must be based on various natural factors that affect the transpiration of orchid plants, such as humidity, temperature, light, wind, season and weather, so as to make different water management measures. First, look at humidity. If the air humidity is low and transpiration is strong, water more; conversely, if the air humidity is high or even saturated and transpiration has almost stopped, water less or even not at all. Second, look at temperature. When the temperature is high, transpiration accelerates and water demand is great, so the frequency of watering should also increase accordingly; conversely, when the temperature is low, water molecules move slowly and diffusion is weak, so less water is needed. Third, look at light. Strong light accelerates transpiration and the diffusion of water molecules, so more water is needed; conversely, less water is needed. Therefore, with different light conditions and different shading levels, water management also differs: water more for those receiving sun and less for those facing away from the sun. Fourth, look at wind. Strong wind makes water evaporate quickly; weak wind makes water evaporate slowly. A dry southwest wind will enhance evaporation; on the contrary, a humid southeast wind will relatively weaken transpiration. Orchid pots placed in a drafty spot receive more wind and evaporate water quickly; orchid pots in a sheltered spot receive less wind and evaporate water slowly. Fifth, look at the season. Different seasons have different temperatures, humidity and light, and the transpiration of orchid plants also differs greatly. In the hot, dry summer, water more; in the plum rain season, water less or not at all; in the cold, overcast winter, do not water; in the early spring with lower temperatures, water less; in the mild late spring, which is the sprouting period, water more; in the dry autumn, water more. Sixth, look at the weather. Weather in nature is unpredictable, and different weather brings different light, temperature and humidity, so the transpiration of orchid plants also varies greatly. The basic approach is: water more on sunny days, water less on cloudy days, do not water much when rain is imminent, and do not water on rainy (or snowy) days. Accordingly, it is very difficult to have an accurate and unified management method for watering orchid plants, and the so-called saying of "watering once every few days" lacks a scientific basis. VII. Watering orchid plants must be based on the condition of the orchids The general principle for watering orchids is "do not water when not dry; when watering, soak thoroughly." However, in daily management the situation is complex, and one must analyze and treat each case according to the specific condition of the orchids. First, it depends on the growth season of the orchid. Orchids should be watered more during the growth period or bud pregnancy period, watered less or not at all during the dormant period, watered more during the sprouting period, watered less after sprouting, watered more when flower buds appear, watered less during the flowering period to prolong the flowering period, and after the flowers fade, watering should be stopped for several days to let them rest before watering again. Second, it depends on the growth condition of the orchid. Water more for orchids growing vigorously, water less for those growing poorly, do not water diseased plants, water less or not at all for orchids needing rescue, water more when there are many plants in the pot, and water less when there are few. Third, it depends on the moisture retention of the cultivation substrate. A substrate with fine particles and strong water retention (such as mountain soil and wood shavings) consumes water slowly, so the frequency of watering should be reduced; on the contrary, a substrate with coarser particles and weak water retention (such as "xian tu") requires more frequent watering. Fourth, look at the texture and size of the pot. More watering is needed for highly breathable clay pots, less for less breathable purple-sand pots and plastic pots; small pots dry easily and large pots dry slowly, so the frequency of watering also differs. Overall, watering orchids must be treated according to specific circumstances and must not be simplified in a uniform way. VIII. Time of watering orchid plants There is also a certain scientific basis for the timing of watering orchid plants. Generally speaking, watering in the morning is best. Generally, when orchids are outdoors in late spring and summer-autumn, it is advisable to water in the morning: first, after a night of cooling, the temperature of the growing medium in the pot is lower in the morning, and watering at this time will not harm the seedlings; second, if watered thoroughly in the morning, it will turn moist by evening, and at night the empty pot has no standing water, so air circulates in the pot, which is beneficial to the orchid roots' respiratory cycle and to orchid growth. Third, if watered in the evening, water evaporates slowly at night and easily causes standing water, while during the day when transpiration is fast the pot has already turned moist, creating the situation of "standing water in the pot when it should be dry, and lack of water in the pot when it should be moist"; fourth, in the evening the temperature of the orchid pot is still high, and suddenly watering with cold water causes a sudden temperature drop, which will affect root water absorption and disturb physiological balance; fifth, at night the temperature is low and the cellular activity of orchid plants is weak, so excessive water will cause bacteria to multiply and will also breed snails and slugs. But in winter and earlyspring, when orchidsare indoors, the watering time should be appropriately delayed, and it is best to water around nine o'clock in the morning after the temperature has risen, or at noon. Regarding the timing of watering, the principle to grasp overall is: watering orchids in the morning is best; water a little earlier when the temperature is high, and a little later when the temperature is low. IX. Amount of water for watering orchid plants "When watering, soak thoroughly" is a standard for measuring how much to water orchids. What is "soaking thoroughly"? The standard for "soaking thoroughly" is not only that water flows out from the bottom hole of the pot, but also that all the growing medium in the pot is soaked through. Often, when watering once, although water flows out from the bottom hole, the standard of "thorough" is still not reached. In order to soak the growing medium in the pot thoroughly, one may water in several portions or use the pot-soaking method. For dry granular growing media, it cannot be soaked thoroughly without pot soaking, but the pot-soaking method should not be used continuously; there must be a certain interval to let the orchids have time to breathe. In addition, in winter and early spring, the amount of water used should not be too great, and moistness is preferable. X. Several points to note when watering orchid plants There are also many points to note when watering orchids: First, pay attention to water temperature. Do not use cold water for irrigation in winter; the water temperature should be close to room temperature, preferably 8-10°C. Do not use hot water for irrigation in summer. If water is stored in a water tower, guard against water temperature being too high and harming the orchid plant and orchid roots; the water temperature must not exceed 25-28°C, and cold water must not be used suddenly for irrigation, so as not to harm the orchid plant. Second, pay attention to humidity. When air humidity is too high, reaching 90-100 degrees, by no means water or spray; daytime humidity is best at 70-90. Too much humidity will weaken the roots' role in absorbing water, affect the number of new roots, and cause the orchid plant to lose its driving force. Third, pay attention to protecting new shoots. During the period when new shoots are splitting, it is advisable to water at the roots, and to sprinkle and spray as little as possible, otherwise water will pour into the heart of the leaves and cause standing water and rot, resulting in losses. Fourth, pay attention not to give half-watering. Some people mistakenly believe that orchids cannot be watered much, and therefore dare not water, often giving half-watering, so that the potting medium remains wet on top and dry below for a long time, causing the roots to dry up and wither from lack of water. Fifth, pay attention to watering less with standing water. If water is stored in a water tower and left standing too long, the water molecules become chain-like; the longer the time, the harder they are to break apart, making it difficult for them to participate in metabolic activities and unfavorable for absorption by the orchid plant. Sixth, pay attention to watering with "revival water." After fertilizing in the evening, the orchid plant, through a night of absorption, can effectively absorb most of the nutrients, and at this time it most needs water, just as a person needs tea after a meal, so the next morning it is necessary to water with "revival water." It has two functions: first, to wash away the fertilizer liquid splashed onto the leaves; second, to wash away residual fertilizer in the pot to prevent fertilizer damage. Seventh, pay attention not to water too frequently. Orchids have a great tolerance for water and are relatively drought-tolerant plants, so being a little dry has little effect. On the contrary, being wet will not do; standing water for 24 hours will cause suffocation. In daily cultivation, the vast majority of people love orchids too much and water too frequently, causing root rot and even plant death. Eighth, pay attention to "acid rain." If rainwater is used, there are two kinds of rainwater that must not be used. First, acid rainwater must not be used to water orchids. So-called "acid rain" is formed when sulfides, fluorides and other acidic substances suspended in the air fall with rainfall; this water must never be used to water orchids. Second, water from artificial rainfall must not be used; rain shells contain chemical substances, and when these substances dissolve in rainwater and are used to water orchids, they will also corrode orchid roots. Ninth, pay attention not to spray water arbitrarily. "Spraying water" is necessary; in addition to supplementing water, it can also keep orchid leaves fresh, which is beneficial to orchid leaf respiration and photosynthesis. But water must not be sprayed arbitrarily: do not spray under strong sunlight; do not spray in high-temperature weather; spray less when there is no wind and drying is difficult; do not spray water containing impurities; do not spray when humidity is too high on rainy days, and so on. The above are the basic experiences related to watering accumulated by predecessors in the practice of cultivating orchids, and they are well worth learning from. However, there is never a fixed "method" for watering orchids; only through personal practice and the gradual accumulation of experience can one achieve mastery and apply it freely. Please correct any inappropriate points.