Okay, so, I tried growing orchids in water, and let me tell you, it was a bit of a journey. I’ve always been into plants, and I’ve got a bunch of orchids that I usually grow in bark or soil, you know, the usual stuff. But I heard about this thing called “water culture” for orchids and I thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
First, I had to pick an orchid. I read somewhere that not all orchids are into this water thing. I chose one that I had a couple of, just in case things went south. I also grabbed some containers, those clear ones so I could see what’s going on with the roots and all.
The first step was to get the orchid ready. This was a bit tricky. I gently took it out of its pot and cleaned all that old bark from the roots. Took my time because I didn’t want to break them roots. I wanted to make sure that there was no trace of any old potting medium left, I’m trying to start from zero to avoid rot or any kind of mess.
Then I put the orchid in the container. I filled it with just enough water to cover the bottom of the roots. You don’t want to drown the whole thing. I placed the orchid so that its roots were just touching the water. I’ve heard that some people go full submersion, but I wanted to play it safe.
Next up, I set up a spot with good, indirect light. Orchids love light, but they don’t want to be baked in the sun all day. I kept them in a room with indirect sunlight, and I made sure that the temperature was always between 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
The real waiting game started after that. I watched those roots like a hawk. Changed the water every week, and sometimes I’d add a little bit of fertilizer, but just a tiny bit. The water had to be clean at all times, otherwise, it was going to rot, not good for roots.
The hardest part was keeping the humidity up. Orchids are like, they need their moisture in the air. So I put some water-filled trays near them, like a little humidity setup. Orchids love humidity, so I placed some containers filled with water near them. This helped increase the humidity around the plants.
After a few weeks, I started seeing new roots growing, and they were all white and healthy-looking. That was a good sign. It was slow, but it was happening. I was feeling like a proud plant parent. I felt like I was on the right track!
Months went by, and the orchid started to do really well. It even flowered! I was so stoked. I mean, who wouldn’t be? Seeing that orchid thrive in just water, it was pretty cool. I was actually able to get my orchid to flower. All this from just water!
So, yeah, growing orchids in water is totally doable. It’s not just plopping a plant in water and hoping for the best. You gotta put in the work, but it’s worth it. Just make sure you’re patient and keep an eye on them, and you might be surprised at how well they do. It is a rewarding experience. And there you have it, my little experiment with water culture orchids. I definitely recommend giving it a try. It’s a bit of work, but it’s super rewarding to see them grow and bloom.
