Orchids – particularly the popular indoor variety Phalaenopsis – are often easier to care for than people realise.
However, getting them to re-bloom and produce those stunning flowers that first captured your heart can be a bit tricky. One orchid owner, struggling with this very issue, anonymously sought advice on the Gardening UK Facebook page, asking if their plant was “beyond saving”.
They explained: “Advice please! My orchid was doing too well, it had beautiful flowers before I left for a week’s holidays, came back and the flowers were dying. I’ve made sure not to overwater it. Is this normal or is it beyond saving?”
Fellow group members reassured the worried owner that the orchid could indeed be saved, with one suggesting a specific watering technique – submerging the orchid in water.
This is a common struggle for many orchid owners and can deter some from owning the plant. April Wright shared: “My orchid lives in water on the windowsill so they can take a lot of water and it constantly blooms.”
However, Marco Spadaro disagreed, cautioning: “Orchids don’t like constant water. Half a cup once a week is plenty. If you leave orchids in water for days the roots will rot and become full of water.
“While some studies suggest it’s doable and they like it. The roots still need access to oxygen and light. So I’m unsure how reliable it is keeping orchids submerged,” one person commented. In response, April posted a picture of her thriving and blooming orchid, saying: “No idea but as you can see it’s been living like this for a year now very healthy plant.”
Not all of the roots are submerged in the water in the photo of the orchid, which is crucial as their roots need access to oxygen and light, reports the Express. April added: “Yes, some roots aren’t submerged but the roots are quite healthy and it’s been constantly blooming for a year – but thanks for that information.”
Marco found it “very impressive” that the orchid has been blooming for so long but emphasised the importance of allowing the roots to breathe.
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