Orchid Care: Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I water?

The simple answer: Once every four to seven days depending on season and dryness of the home. Allow the plants to approach dryness, gauged by pot weight or by the pencil trick (the point of a sharpened lead pencil, when inserted into the medium, will darken with moisture if the plant has enough water), and apply sufficient water so that it drains freely through the container. Never allow any potted plant to sit in its own water. Flowering plants may require more-frequent watering to make up for the greater burden of the flowers.

Plants will require less water when not in active growth (generally winter months), and more while growing (generally spring and summer months). Increased frequency of watering will not make up for a poor root system. If roots are not plump and alive, repotting may be called for, or the plant may have been recently repotted by the vendor, in which case it will require raised humidity to compensate for the lack of supporting root uptake.

Last, plants with thinner, softer foliage will generally require more water than those with harder, more succulent leaves. Plants with pseudobulbs (such as dendrobiums and cattleyas) generally need to dry out more between watering than do those without (such as phalaenopsis).