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I forgot to water my orchid for 5 weeks! I got it from a store and it… | The Orchid Oasis | Planta community

Dogsallday4ever

I forgot to water my orchid for 5 weeks! I got it from a store and it say to put 3 ice cubes in a week. I quickly but 3 ice cubes in. What should I do now?

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3 comments

  1. MeasomerPi

    I would remove the ice cubes. Instead I would soak the pot for 10 to 15 minutes if it is planted in bark (which is what it looks like from the photo). If it is in sphagnum, I would just pour water on top until it drains out the bottom. Let the media dry before watering again. If it is in a clear pot, look at the roots. Green are wet. Silver are dry. Don’t worry if the plant drops its blooms. It might be trying to divert resources to leaves and roots since it has experienced drought conditions. Luckily the leaves look firm and smooth so it’s probably fine. They are remarkably tough plants.

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    • Dogsallday4ever

      Thanks

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  2. GreenLeaf

    Ice cubes aren’t great for orchids. The water is too cold and it doesn’t necessarily get to all the roots. Their roots are like sponges. A good way to water is to submerge it up to the base of the stem and let it soak for 5-10 mins 1x/week then fully drain all the water (adjust frequency based on your growing conditions, might be a bit more or a bit less). Keep and eye on your roots, they’ll be green when hydrated and more whitish when needing water. It looks pretty beautiful for missing 5 weeks of watering!

    5 likes