Watering during vacation

[Rid]

I’m leaving town for a week, and the forecast calls for rain during the first 4 days or so.

I understand this is too much water typically, but can it have a significant negative impact on orchids if only watered this way for one week?

Most all of my orchids should be drying out/approaching dryness before watering. So far this summer, I’ve been watering every 4-5 days or so.
Ridley

[SouthPark]

This depends on what kind of orchids they are, and growing media. If air-circulation is good, and plants are growing in media such as scoria rock, with good drainage, orchids like cattleya can have absolutely no problem with even a week of heavy rain dumped on them.

[camille1585]

It depends on a few things. What kind of orchids? What kind of substrate?

If you are concerned about too much water, you can move them someplace sheltered from the rain (even if the light is suboptimal) water then before leaving, and they should be fine. If you water every 4-5 days, 7 is not much extra.

[Rid]

They are all in coarse bark, charcoal and perlite.

I have a patio table with an big umbrella that would probably keep them happy.

[IngieBee]

@Rid I think the biggest danger would be the type of orchid, such as the phalaenopsis. This orchid usually grows upside downish in trees, so water wouldn't get inside the core, where the leaves attach. But the way we grow them, upright, water will collect at the core and probably start rotting. Other orchids that grow upright would be fine, and probably love the rain, but again, it's about type and temperature as well

[Rid]

Originally Posted by IngieBee

@Rid I think the biggest danger would be the type of orchid, such as the phalaenopsis. This orchid usually grows upside downish in trees, so water wouldn't get inside the core, where the leaves attach. But the way we grow them, upright, water will collect at the core and probably start rotting. Other orchids that grow upright would be fine, and probably love the rain, but again, it's about type and temperature as well

Thanks for the info. I don’t have phals so far but that’s good to know. I’ve been wondering why some of these highly evolved plants can’t survive overhead watering!

[IngieBee]

Yah, they are so tough yet have these deadly vulnerabilities. My sister has had these cymbidiums in pots, planted in 16+ year old potting mix, that just get hose water in hot dry Southern California, and they bloom like crazy with huge sprays of flowers every spring! They love the rain, when it comes and the cold in winter and heat in summer. They'd be very hard to kill.

But many other orchids die around here if you look at them wrong! So yah, they are all so different! 😝

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Rid

Thanks for the info. I don’t have phals so far but that’s good to know. I’ve been wondering why some of these highly evolved plants can’t survive overhead watering!

They're being grown in artificial positions - especially Phals. Phals grow sideways off tree trunks or tree branches. The water does not typically have the opportunity to collect in the crown. Water usually dribbles out of the crown because of the way they are positioned.

In cultivation people like to pot them erect (this is unnatural). That's why crown rot is so prevalent in Phals for a lot of (not all) inexperienced orchid growers. They're put in the wrong position.

If you want to grow a Phal correctly, let it "lean" sideways off one side of the pot. This is one reason why I tried to steer you away from Phals as a total newbie. I knew you'd have this question in mind. This was everyone's question, (including mine - that's how I know). It wasn't until I saw photos of how they were growing in the wild that I understood the answer to the question.

To answer your original question...

If you are off to vacation for 1 week, go on vacation and have fun. Keep your orchids away from the rain if it is forecast to rain for multiple days in a row. Come back and grow as usual. Drying out for 1 week for your Catts and Dens won't put a dent on their health. They're used to this in the wild. That's what those fleshy canes or pseudobulbs are for.

If you're off on vacay for 2 - 4 weeks, then I'd be a bit more concerned.

[IngieBee]

CROWN! I just couldn't think of that word, LOL 🤣