How to judge whether orchids need watering (how dry should they be when watering is needed)

How to judge whether the orchid potting material has dried up and needs watering

Whether or not orchids should be watered is usually judged based on the following aspects.

1) Visual inspection

Usually, observe the color of the surface of the orchid planting material with your eyes. If the color is grayish white, touch the bottom of the pot with your hand. If it is dry and not moist, it means that the orchid should be watered.

If the surface planting material is dark brown, it means that the middle of the planting material is still moist. Do not water it immediately. It is not too late to wait 2 to 3 days before watering it.

2) Tap the pelvic wall

Use your knuckles to gently tap the upper and middle part of the orchid pot wall, and pick up the pot. If the sound sounds crisp and the weight of the pot is much lighter than before, it means that the upper and middle part of the pot is dry and needs to be watered.

If the sound is dull, the planting material is still moist and no watering is needed.

3) Finger digging method

Use your fingers to dig 3 to 4 centimeters deep into the planting material. If it feels dry, rough, hard, and has no moisture, it means the planting material is dry and needs to be watered immediately.

On the contrary, if the planting material feels quite moist, it means that there is no lack of water, so you don't need to water it for the time being. It's not too late to water the orchid after 2 to 3 days.

In short, in order to ensure that the orchid's water supply is just right, you should first replenish water in a timely manner according to the natural habits of different varieties of orchids in terms of how much water they need at each stage of growth and development.

Secondly, the size of the orchid pot, the texture, the coarseness of the planting material, and the speed at which the planting material dries and gets wet will be different, so they should be treated differently.

Then you should judge whether you should water the orchids based on the weather, temperature and humidity, the size of the orchid bush, and whether the seedlings are strong or weak.