Orchid Care For A Hot Summer

Summer is coming, and it looks like it’s going to be a hot one. Orchids can survive heat waves with some basic care tips. Check these helpful hints when temperatures soar.

  • Give orchids water when they dry out, but be careful not to drown your plants. High humidity is more important than repeated waterings in hot weather.
  • Place plants into shade. Move orchids away from windows and out of direct sun to prevent leaf scorching.
  • Keep humidity levels high. Most orchids can handle increased heat as long as it is matched by increased humidity. Raise humidity by grouping plants together, or placing plants in a humid area, like a bathroom or kitchen. Use a spray mister. Balance flowerpots on pebbles in trays of water, always keeping the pots raised above the water level.
  • Fertilize less in hot weather. In high heat, orchids can’t metabolize plant food.
  • Cool nights help a lot. If temps drop nightly, even cool growers can handle daytime heat waves for a while.
  • If hot weather is a regular feature of your climate, you can still grow orchids. Choose warm growers, like Vandas, Cattleyas, and Spathoglottis, shown in the photos below.
  • Always treat clean water as a valuable resource. Water conservation is an important consideration for all orchid growers.

Vanda orchid flowers and leaves, Foster Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiCattleya Chan Hsiu Jewel 'Shang Mei', orchid hybrid, Pacific Orchid Expo 2014, San Francisco, California Spathoglottis flowers, pink and yellow orchid hybrid, Foster Botanical Garden, Honolulu, Hawaii

Explore posts in the same categories: Fertilizing, Growing, Photos, Warm Growers, Watering

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