What Kind of Water Is Best to Use on Orchids?

We should appreciate orchid and other flower cultivators, in part, for the burgeoningpush to make full use of the water that reaches our homes, in particular that which falls as rain. If you are growing orchids, this might be something you should look into.

Orchids, like other plants, have specific likes and dislikes as to the water provided them to nourish their roots. Most of them dislike hard water. Unfortunately, the water that comes out of the faucets in many places is too hard for orchids to respond as well as we might like. Rarely will hard water kill them. But it may stunt their growth or prevent them from blossoming as gorgeously as they might.

A good thing about orchid plants is the fact that they possess thick, fleshy roots that can stand up to hard water better than many other types of plants. Woody plants, as an example, with their fine root system, are too often ruined by water that is too hard. Nontheless, you should try to avoid using hard water on orchid plants if you can avoid it.

You can buy filters that attach to your water line to soften your water while taking out various types of unwanted impurities. But nothing is better than good old rainwater when it comes to doing right by orchids! After all, this is the way nature waters plants in the wild around the world.

A number of companies manufacture rain barrels that are ideal for collecting and holding rainwater until you want to use it. Many people set the barrels up beneath the rainspouts coming from their roofs. With some planning and work, you could set up several rain barrels to direct water right to your orchids. Then the watering chore, assuming you live in a fairly rainy area, becomes virtually hands-off.

Whatever type of water you decide to use, don't use it on plants if it is chilly. For example, I would never use water that I got from an outside tap on a cold winter's day, without first bringing it to room temperature in my home or in the greenhouse. Chilly water can lead to spotting, rot young growths and badly damage roots.

Some orchids will get benefit from water with some lime mixed with it. In years gone by, people noticed that imported Cypripedium orchids often came to them covered with chalky lime deposits owing to the plants having grown in limestone rock crevices where the water trickled down on them. So if you have a Cypripedium, you could experiment with adding lime to the water, a little at first and then more if you determine that the plant is responding well to it.

The art and science of orchid cultivation is a fascinating topic. Orchid growing is not as difficult as some people like to make it out to be, but you must arm yourself with accurate information before plunging in to this rewarding pastime. 

The most complete guidebook to 21st-century orchid cultivation, in my opinion, is Orchid Care Expert by master orchid grower Nigel Howard, which is available to be downloaded over the Internet. Howard's well-written guide is a thorough education all to itself. And, you will find it perfect for novices as well as the more seasoned orchid cultivators. Additionally, spend some time at this Orchid Secrets site, which contains an ever-growing database of articles on a broad range of topics of orchid care.