Overwatering is the primary way people kill orchids but using a few ice cubes prevents this. Freezing water kills bacteria, so the water in ice cubes is pure. Watering with ice-temperature water will give the Phalaenopsis the “cool drop” that it needs to set a new bloom .
Using ice cubes to water phalaenopsis orchids is a relatively new technique for beginning orchid growers. The idea is to prevent overwatering. Orchids don’t like to sit in water, and if left too wet, will quickly contract one or more of several orchid diseases.
Why do people put ice cubes in their orchids?
They do it because it is a slow way to water the orchid-as the ice melts, and prevents people from overwatering. Really has nothing to do with cold water etc.
You might be thinking “Does watering orchids with ice work?”
So, to sum it up, here are three reasons why we know watering your orchid with ice works: 1. The pre-measured amount of ice cubes helps prevent overwatering. Giving your orchid too much water is one of the quickest ways to kill it.
In the cheap pots and dense moss that comes with mass-produced orchids even minimal watering makes the pot become overly soggy and will kill the orchid in short order. The ice cube idea is to provide minimal water in the orchid’s suboptimal conditions.
How to water Phalaenopsis orchids in bark media?
The results from the experiment show that ice cubes are a practical way to water Phalaenopsis orchids grown in bark media. The recommendation from Green Circle Growers, which we used during the experiment, was three ice cubes, once a week. The ice cubes should be placed on top of the media, avoiding direct contact with the leaves.
How do I know if my orchid is overwatered?
If your orchid has ‘wrinkled, flaccid leaves’, it’s under-watered, so increase the number of ice cubes. An orchid that has silvery-gray roots or roots that are going brown, is overwatered. Underwatering is much easier to fix than overwatering, so increase the number of ice cubes slowly.