How do you water a Phalaenopsis orchid when you can't see the roots? Let me teach you the correct watering method

If you grow Phalaenopsis orchids, you have surely run into this frustration: you cannot see the roots, so how on earth do you water them? Don't worry, today we are going to tell you all the tricks for watering Phalaenopsis orchids.

Phalaenopsis is a bit different from other flowers. It is an epiphytic orchid, and its roots can not only absorb water and nutrients but also carry out photosynthesis. Sometimes you cannot see the roots because they are covered by the medium, such as sphagnum moss or bark, or because of the way the plant is potted. But not being able to see the roots does not mean there is no way to water.

First, you can look at the condition of the medium. If you use sphagnum moss, when it is dry the color becomes lighter and it feels loose and crumbly; when it is wet the color is darker and it is fairly firm. If you use a bark medium, when it is dry it becomes brittle and hard and the color is dull, while when it is wet it is a bit softer and the color is brighter. Through these changes, you can roughly tell when it is time to water.

There is also a simple method: weigh the pot in your hand. Before and after each watering, hold it in your hand and feel it, and remember the weight after watering and the feeling of it getting lighter as the moisture slowly evaporates. Over time, once you pick up the pot you will have a good idea, and you will know whether it needs water.

The watering method also matters a lot. If you cannot see the roots, the soak method works quite well. Find a container a little bigger than the pot, fill it with clean water, put the Phalaenopsis in it together with the pot, and let the water slowly seep in through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot; wait until the surface of the medium is a bit moist and that is enough. Watering this way lets the moisture spread evenly through the medium, so root rot is less likely.

The watering frequency is not fixed either; it depends on the season and the environment. In summer, when the weather is hot and moisture evaporates quickly, you may need to water once every two or three days; in winter, when temperatures are low and moisture evaporates slowly, watering once a week to once every ten days is fine. If the indoor humidity is high, you should water less often; if the humidity is low, you need to water more.

Growing Phalaenopsis is a bit of a hassle, but as long as you master these little watering tricks, even if you cannot see the roots you can still grow your Phalaenopsis well and get it to produce beautiful flowers that add plenty of life to your home!