What is the best time to water orchids?

Today I saw a fellow orchid grower ask when is the best time to water orchids. This question seems fairly simple, but when you get into the details 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 doesn't matter.

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Generally speaking, in seasons with higher temperatures, such as summer, it is best to water orchids in the morning and evening. Beginners should never water at noon, though I have also heard of experienced growers watering orchids at noon to cool them down. This mainly depends on the individual's 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 damp cold is not good for the orchid roots to breathe. It is best to water at the highest temperature of the day, after noon. Actually, orchids, as plants, are very tolerant. Office workers have the most time in the evening, and watering in the evening is fine too.

The above discussion of when to water orchids refers to the watering operation carried out when watering is needed, and does not refer to the frequency of watering orchids. Let's look below at when to water orchids.

The topic of when to water flowers goes back a long way and covers almost all flowering plants, and the principle is basically the same: don't let water accumulate. Regarding this condition, flower growers have invented plenty of methods to detect it, 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.

After growing flowers for a long time, most people can water based on experience and don't need to test at all.

First, we need to know that watering flowers doesn't require checking the calendar - that's like rote memorization, with no substance. We just need to remember: don't let the potting soil accumulate water, and it's better to err on the dry side.

Generally, the soil we use for growing orchids has good drainage, so there's basically no need to worry too much about water accumulation (for ready-made products, such as deep ceramic pots, be careful not to let water accumulate). Instead, you need to watch out for half-watering: you pour a ladle of water and it comes rushing out the bottom. This doesn't necessarily mean it's watered through. It's recommended to wait a few minutes and water again, so the potting soil can be thoroughly moistened.

We can feel the potting soil with our hands to see whether it is moist or dry. If it feels only slightly moist, you can carry out the same watering operation as last time. 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 won't kill the grass, but if the potting soil accumulates water for a long time, once the roots rot it becomes quite troublesome.