The best times to water orchids are in the morning and in the evening

Today I saw a fellow orchid grower ask when is the best time to water orchids. This question seems fairly simple, but once you go into detail there are too many factors involved, and to be honest, when it comes to watering there is no such thing as "best" - it all depends on the grower's methods and approach. After all, as long as the orchid grows well, the method does not really matter.

Generally speaking, in the hotter seasons, such as summer, it is best to water orchids in the morning and in the evening. Beginners should never water at noon, though I have also heard of expert growers watering orchids at noon to cool them down - this mainly depends on the individual's level of skill, and beginners are not advised to try it. Later on, once you have more plants, you can give it a try.

When the weather is cold, Chinese orchids are basically dormant, and cold and damp conditions are bad for the orchid roots' respiration. It is best to water at the highest temperature of the day, just after noon. In fact, orchids as plants are very tolerant, and office workers have the most free time in the evening, so watering in the evening is not a problem either.

The question above of when to water orchids refers to the watering operation carried out when watering is needed; it does not refer to how often to water orchids. Below, let us look at when to water orchids.

The topic of when to water flowers goes back a long way and applies to almost all flowers, and the principle is basically the same: do not let water accumulate. To address this condition, flower growers have invented a great many methods to check, such as the tapping method, the stick method, the weighing method, and so on. To be honest, these methods are fine for one or two pots, but over time they become tiresome.

And after growing flowers for a long time, most people can water based on experience and have no need to check at all.

First of all, we need to know that watering flowers does not require checking the calendar - that would be like rote memorization, with no substance. We only need to remember: do not let the flower soil accumulate water, and it is better to let it be a little on the dry side.

Generally, the soil we use for growing orchids has fairly good drainage, so there is basically no need to worry too much about water accumulating (for ready-made purchased ones, or those grown in deep ceramic pots and the like, be careful not to let water accumulate). Instead, you need to be careful not to give only a half watering. When you pour a ladle of water and it comes rushing out the bottom, that does not necessarily mean it has been watered through. My advice is to wait a few minutes and water again, so that the potting soil can be thoroughly moistened.

We can feel the potting soil with our hands to see whether it is still moist or already dry. If it feels only slightly moist, you can repeat the previous watering operation. Generally, in summer water evaporates fairly quickly, and watering twice a day is fine, while in winter, because water evaporates slowly, watering once every few days is also common.

In short, remember: being a little dry occasionally will not kill the plant, but if the potting soil accumulates water over the long term, once the roots rot it becomes quite troublesome.