You might be tempted to overwater your orchids when trying to maintain their elegant, butterfly-like blooms. Do you have any questions about whether or not you should use ice cubes to water an orchid? Among those who enjoy orchids, the argument is fierce. But the answer is yes. We will look into this issue for you in this article. Please keep reading.
3 Myths About Watering Orchids With Ice Cubes
Myth #1: Watering Orchids With Ice Cubes Will Kill Them
The study compared watering orchids with ice to using a traditional watering method. Researchers observed the root systems, leaf yield, flower longevity, and display life in both sets of orchids and discovered that the results were consistent in both.
In other words, watering with ice had no negative impact.
Myth #2: Watering Orchids With Ice Cubes Is Unnatural
Tropical plants like orchids do well in hot, humid climates. There are countless varieties of orchids that can be found all over the world, including in South America, Central America, Asia, and Hawaii.
As they cling to trees and collect water that drips from their leaves, many of these orchids can be found in the rainforest. Ice cubes can be used to water orchids in a manner that resembles the slow trickle of moisture that occurs from leaves in tropical climates.
So even though ice isn’t present where most orchids are found in nature, the method of watering orchids by slowly melting ice cubes still makes sense.
Myth #3: Watering Orchids With Ice Cubes Is Just A Marketing Scheme
Some skeptics of the ice cube watering technique have even claimed that we encourage people to kill their orchids so they’ll buy more.
In actuality, overwatering is one of the most frequent threats to an orchid. Knowing this, we created the ice cube watering technique to make it simpler for customers to take care of their orchids and keep them alive for a longer period of time.
When you water your orchid with ice cubes, you can be sure it gets the exact amount of water it needs—neither more nor less.
Why Watering Orchids With Ice Cubes Works
This infographic concisely explains why we support the ice cube watering technique.
In conclusion, the following three facts demonstrate that watering your orchid with ice is effective:
Overwatering has been avoided thanks to the pre-measured ice cube quantity. One of the quickest ways to kill an orchid is to overwater it. By using ice cubes as your watering method, you can give your orchid the precise amount of water it requires to thrive without having to guess how much to use.
The “slow-drip” method aids in the roots’ gradual water absorption. It is possible for your orchid’s roots to gradually absorb the water they require when the ice cubes melt and leak moisture into the media. This keeps water from building up in the orchid’s bottom.
The ice watering technique is straightforward to recall. It is simpler and simpler to remember to water your orchid if you establish a routine of giving it three ice cubes each week. You’ll be able to predict exactly how much water your orchid requires and when.
How To Water Orchids With Ice
Place three ice cubes on top of the orchid media (typically bark chips or sphagnum moss) instead of thoroughly wetting the pot your orchid is in, then letting the extra water drain out.
Just be sure to keep the ice away from any leaves or roots that are sticking out of the pot. The roots and media will absorb the water as the ice cubes melt. (Normally, after watering ice cubes, no extra water drains out.)
Your plant won’t be harmed by the cold because the ice melts fairly quickly. The scientists discovered that while the cubes melted, the temperature of the bark media only decreased by a few degrees, not by enough to damage the roots.
Of course, factors like humidity, light, room temperature, and the type of growing medium (moss retains moisture longer than bark chips) can affect how much water your orchids need.
According to the university studies, you should start by giving your plant three ice cubes once a week and monitor it to see if this seems to be giving it enough water. It’s simple to tell by looking at the roots.
According to Boonekamp, roots that are vibrant green have sufficient moisture while roots that are silvery need moisture. The leaves are another clue. Plants that aren’t getting enough water will have limp, wrinkly, dull green leaves.
Using ice cubes to water orchids makes it difficult to overwater them, but it’s still a good idea to check the media first. In the moss or bark, bury your finger about an inch deep. Do not water if you detect moisture just yet. Don’t check again for a few days.
How Often Should You Water Orchids?
Water the orchid as soon as it requests it. Because orchids can use indoor humidity as a water source and that fluctuates throughout the year, maintaining a routine of a set number of days is ineffective.
Winter brings with it a tendency for homes to have dryer air, necessitating more frequent watering. Summertime humidity makes it harder to water as frequently.
They require less watering because of the summer humidity where I live. If you live in the desert, you might need to water more frequently than I do in the summer because it gets so dry.
What will happen if you forget to water the orchid and it becomes dry? To test this, I am currently conducting an experiment (I will post the results in a couple of months). A phalaenopsis that has been sitting on my desk for more than a month without any potting soil or water still looks fantastic. Without water, I’m confident it will be fine for another month or two.
Don’t worry if you neglect to water your plants for a few days or if you go on vacation for a few weeks. Your plant will flower more quickly if it stays dry for a long time.
Read More: Can I Put Ice Cubes In Beer?