Water Orchids More During A Heatwave
Some readers may wonder why I’m posting a reminder about heatwaves at the start of autumn, but SF Bay Area locals understand. For us, the warmest months of the year are September and October. True to form, our cool, foggy weather gave way to warmer temps on schedule this year, and we’ve had a few heatwaves. Our humidity drops as the heat rises, leaving us with desert-like dryness. That dry air presents as much danger to orchids as the high heat itself, so both problems need to be addressed. Follow these tips to help your orchids survive a heatwave:
- Move plants into shady areas until the fog returns.
- Water all orchids on warm days, even if it’s not their regular watering day. For my cool growers and intermediate growers outside, I water them all daily if temps rise above 80°F (27°C,) sometimes multiple times on hotter days.
- To raise humidity levels, spray down leaves, walls, patios, decks, flowerpots, and other surfaces. As it evaporates, the water adds moisture to the air. Remember, high humidity for leaves, flowers, and exposed roots is what’s important. Avoid oversoaking the potting material.
- Other methods to raise humidity include grouping plants together, or placing plants in humid areas near a water feature. Using a spray mister helps. Placing flowerpots atop pebbles in trays of water is effective, as long as the bottoms of the pots are always kept above the water level.
- Don’t remove sunburned leaves until cooler weather returns. Those burnt leaves are protecting lower leaves. Check the photos below for examples of sunburned orchids leaves. Burns usually start out as white patches, but then turn brown or black over time. Now get to watering!
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