That advice about not watering orchids from the top seemed wrong until I tried it

A lady at the local garden center in Portland told me to stop pouring water onto my orchid crowns because they rot that way, so I switched to an ice cube method for 3 months. Turns out she was right, the leaves perked up and I finally saw new root growth after months of nothing. Has anyone else stopped top-watering their phalaenopsis and seen a difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

eva_lewis16d ago

Switched to bottom watering my phal orchids about six months ago after killing two from crown rot. Just let them sit in a bowl of water for 15 minutes once a week instead of pouring ice cubes or dribbling water into the leaves. Night and day difference - the roots went from shriveled to plump green within a month, plus new leaves started growing way faster. Crown rot is nasty once it sets in because the leaf bases turn mushy and the whole plant can collapse. Bottom watering takes a little more time but it stops water from pooling in the crown and makes the roots work to absorb moisture. Feels like a cleaner way to water them now that I see the results.

parker_foster5315d ago

Respectfully disagree here, top watering is way more natural for orchids since in the wild they get rain from above and it flushes out mineral buildup. I've had the same phals for years just giving them a good soak under the faucet and letting them drain, never had crown rot because I just tilt the pot and wipe the leaves after. Bottom watering might help avoid rot but it also leaves salts and fertilizer sitting in the pot, which can mess with the roots long term.