Can you water orchids with warm water in winter? There is more to watering flowers with warm water than you might think

Orchids

A flower enthusiast watered orchids with warm water in winter. Some flower enthusiasts, upon seeing this title, might be quite shocked. Orchids have always been watered with cold water, so how could warm water be used? Is this not contrary to common sense and a serious breach of the rules? Guess how it turned out? The result was truly a bit unexpected. Let's take a look at this flower enthusiast's experiment with watering orchids using warm water:

1. The effect of watering orchids with warm water

Everyone knows that the water and nutrients needed by orchid leaves are mainly supplied by the orchid roots and pseudobulbs. When orchid leaves carry out photosynthesis as well as respiration and transpiration, cell activity is relatively fast, and the orchid roots need to provide sufficient water and nutrients for the orchid to grow well. Generally speaking, the temperature of the orchid roots is always lower than the average temperature of the upper part of the orchid plant. If the temperature of the orchid roots is too low, it is difficult for the orchid roots to provide sufficient nutrients to the orchid leaves, thus affecting the growth of the orchid leaves. Watering orchids with warm water can raise the soil temperature, so the organic fertilizer components in the soil can decompose faster, promoting the absorption and division of orchid root cells and providing sufficient nutrients to the orchid leaves.

2. Which kind of warm water to use

The warm water that can be used to water orchids is, first, heated water that has not yet boiled. The temperature of this water can be adjusted as needed to the required temperature. If the water temperature is too high, an appropriate amount of cold water can be added to adjust it. Second, well water. According to thermometer tests, in winter the natural temperature of well water is 10-13°C higher than the temperature of water placed on the ground outdoors. According to experiments, when winter is not too cold, watering orchids with well water can raise the soil temperature, and it is also relatively convenient to use. However, in severe cold, it is better to use heated warm water to water orchids, because in severe cold the natural temperature of well water cannot reach the required water temperature.

3. Controlling the water temperature

Experiments show that in winter the temperature of warm water used to water orchids should be between 30-40°C. If the water temperature is below 30°C, it cannot effectively raise the soil temperature; if the water temperature is above 40°C, it will scald the orchid roots and affect the growth of the orchids.

4. Experimental results of watering orchids with warm water

Observation showed that commonly using warm water at 30-40°C to water orchids in winter can make orchid roots strong, leaves lush, and flowers vibrant, and can also promote orchid types that bloom in winter to flower earlier. From observing the orchid roots exposed on the surface soil of the orchid pot, no signs of orchid roots being scalded were found; from the appearance of the upper part of the orchid plant, no abnormal phenomena in the orchid leaves caused by scalding of the orchid roots were found either.

So, is the result different from what you thought? Most people would definitely think the orchids would die, but the result was indeed unexpected. Not only did the orchids survive, they are doing quite well!