water

Does everyone use distilled or rain water for orchids? What is the problem using tap water? Thank you for answering.

I use tap for my orchids. I use rain or distilled for my carnivorous plants. They can't take tap.

I use rain water to water my orchids.

I have been using rainwater in the summer and tap water in the winter....

Joanne

I use rain water mostly and buckets of melted snow in winter (I carry them in and let them melt and get to room temps before watering). If I'm leaving at 7:30 AM (3 days a week), I use tap water which is well water here. I do notice that the well water leaves salt accumulations on the pots. The salts are the problem, although I've heard that pure rain water needs a touch of tap water for calcium.

I have noticed that there is a salt accumulation on the out side of the dishes that hold my orchid pots. So does that mean that the orchids are getting too much salt? They look very healthy, green and a couple of them bloom most of the time.

Mine that get "salty" don't look as healthy, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it I'd say.

Should I leach the orchids every 3 or 4 months to get the salt out? I only have 15 so it wouldn't be a real problem doing that. I thank all of you for your replies. Elaine

Can't hurt. I do this when it builds up.

Is distilled water good to use?

I have well water and it really leaves a salt accumulation. I use water collected from my dehumidifier for all my plants -- at least as far as it goes.

still or sparkling?

I put tap water in gallon containers and let it "settle" for at least 24 hours. You can also boil the water to spray the leaves of orchids and others that like humidity, (I was told this takes the calcium out of the water that leaves the nasty white spotting)...I don't know if this is technically what happens, but it does make a difference in how the water dries on the leaves.

I've changed my watering regime since I posted above. I'm using purchased reverse osmosis water for my two phrags, my new Masdevallia and my Paph. Bellatulum. The rest of my orchids get water that I filter using a Brita filter; my hope is that the Brita filter is removing some of the TDS (total dissolved solids). It's a faint hope, but I'm going to keep doing it until I know for sure it's a waste of time. I was thinking of trying to find a TDS meter; I wonder if you can purchase such a thing at a place that sells aquarium supplies....

Joanne

Kamikid, in Atlanta our tap water has been analyzed and considered favorable for orchids. Fertilizer recommendations specific to our water have been made based on this information.The Atlanta Orchid Society has a series on the subject if you go to their online newsletter. Perhaps your nearest local orchid society can supply you with the best recommendation. BTW, everyone does something different, but I fertilize regularly and leech about every month

JPlunket, nutmegnana has a well, not a still. On the other hand, we are spring fed in N. GA, and it's never sparkling, always still, though sometimes a little brown after heavy rains >:). To further convolute; we once found a car radiator, lots of copper tubing and a huge pile of corn silk and husks by our spring-fed stream near the spring so perhaps our still was sparkling, or perhaps just 'shining' (LOL)!

MaypopLaurel

Chaos, unless you condense and save the steam from the boiling water, you won't lose any of the calcium. You'll kill bacteria, maybe some spores, but boiling will actually concentrate (slightly) the calcium and many other elements in solution.

Kamikid, I have only ever used city tap water. My 'chids are city dwellers and I've lived in several cities. Some cities have water that is better/worse than others for orchids. Adjustments are usually made with the way you fertilize. Overall, the difference is probably negligible. Are you having a problem that is making you think it's the water?

JPlunkit, I here you on the Ca. and carbs vs. bicarbs is a viable thread though these 'discussions' can get wild and contentious.

Maypop

I water with rainwater as much as I can, but in between with well water. Sometimes I think the rainwater has more salts than the well water. Is that possible? I know my wellwater is full of salts because the windows that got misted cannot be cleaned easily.

Although I use our well water for many of my plants, I use only distilled - or lacking that, RO - since the well water here is very hard. I even stopped using it for the African violets and most of my succulents; why take a chance? If you have municipal water, just letting it stand in a bucket for 24 hours seems to work out fine. It's so frustrating purchasing distilled since Wal-Mart has increased the cost of a gallon 10 cents over the course of a year. I've been tempted to put rain barrels under the down spouts, but am concerned about whatever is in the composition of the shingles and might be toxic to the orchids.

- Lynn

Lynn, we collect the rainwater of the glass roof now, but in the beginning we did collect of the regular shingled roof. I still have a rain barrel standing there and I use that in Summer outside. I have not noticed any adverse effect using the water from the regular roof.

Thank you! I will at least use the water for the outdoor plants but am still a bit hesitant about using it for the orchids. I may try it on some of my least favorites to see how they respond. It's getting so costly to buy gallons and gallons of distilled, and also generate more plastic for recycling.

Have you thought about having Reverse Osmosis installed? I am going to get a system from-Firstrays.com
Go to his site and see what he has to say. Can help you decide on what water and fertilizer to use.
I've been buying R/O from the grocery store in 5 gallon jugs but it is a hassle, and would rather have it right at my sink. All of my houseplants including my orchids like the r/o. I cannot use my tap water as we have softened water...and it is deadly to plants.
Good Luck, Jill

Here is the correct address for Rays site
www.firstrays.com/free_info.htm

rosa, thanks so much for providing that site. I recently bought 2 orchids from a big box store and am not sure what I'm doing as yet, but the advice on that site is wonderful and explains the basics very well. I think I can do this and not kill the pretties. :) Thanks again

Cathy aka doccat5

Thank you Jill. I'll spend some time today looking things over.

- Lynn