Do u have a water softener?

[RNCollins]

Hello everyone.

I'm interested in hearing what others who have a salt water softener in their home do when watering their orchids. I have 10 orchids so I've been using bottled water. I'm wondering if I need to use distilled water. I don't think I would be able to hook up a reverse osmosis system.

What do the rest of you do??

[camille1585]

Never use softened water to water orchids, or any other plants for that matter. The salt will slowly kill the plants.

Why aren't you using tap water? New York supposedly has some of the best quality tap water in the country. And in general, unless the tap water is extremely hard, it is perfectly suitable for the majority of orchids. The exception being those orchids that tolerate very little minerals and need some sort of pure water. Bottled water is not necessarily better, some can have quite high mineral contents.

If chlorine is the issue, simply draw the water in a bucket or other open container the night before you will water the orchids, and the chlorine will evaporate.

[billc]

I use rain water except in the dead of winter. Then I'll go to the supermarket and get the RO water out of the machine. Does your house have an outside spigot? Most of the time that isn't plumbed into the softener.
FirstRays countertop RO system looks to be fairly simple to use, you may want to explore that.

Bill

[RNCollins]

Originally Posted by billc

I use rain water except in the dead of winter. Then I'll go to the supermarket and get the RO water out of the machine.

Bill

Bill, which supermarket sells RO water? I think we live near each other?

The reason why we had to install a water softener was because we had very hard water. We also have coliform in our well. So we also needed to install an ultraviolet Light to kill the coliform.

For the past couple of years I was using the softened water to water my orchids, even getting one phal to bloom. This summer I switched to bottled spring water. Now two Phals have spikes and overall most roots look healthier.

I'm trying to learn more about the pH of water, TDS, ppm, etc. I just ordered a TDS/ppm tester on Amazon to test the bottled water. Ray's info on his website has been helpful. I'm a beginner so I'm eager to learn all I can to grow healthier orchids.

[Vanda lover]

When we lived in Ontario I would buy r/o water, use rain water or melted snow, or water from our dehumidifier. Now I can use tap water. It tastes wonderful!

[Ray]

There are ways around difficulty in hooking up an RO system. THESE, for example, are designed to be temprarily connected to a hose outlet of fuacet for smaller-scale users.

A general word of caution, sparked by Vanda-Lover's last comment: DO NOT, for a moment, equate the taste of water to its purity. Much of the best tasting water in the world is absolutely loaded with minerals, which is not what your orchids are looking for.

That is not to say the pure water necesarily tastes bad, mind you...

[Vanda lover]

That is true, Ray. The orchids are happy will our water but I do give them rainwater if I have it.

[Leafmite]

I have a water softener as well. I collect rain water (and snow that I melt and let reach room temperature) when available and then buy distilled water (because I also have carnivorous plants). Good luck!

[billc]

Originally Posted by RNCollins

Bill, which supermarket sells RO water? I think we live near each other?

The reason why we had to install a water softener was because we had very hard water. We also have coliform in our well. So we also needed to install an ultraviolet Light to kill the coliform.

For the past couple of years I was using the softened water to water my orchids, even getting one phal to bloom. This summer I switched to bottled spring water. Now two Phals have spikes and overall most roots look healthier.

I'm trying to learn more about the pH of water, TDS, ppm, etc. I just ordered a TDS/ppm tester on Amazon to test the bottled water. Ray's info on his website has been helpful. I'm a beginner so I'm eager to learn all I can to grow healthier orchids.

The Hannaford's in Vails Gate has an RO machine. I think it's .45 per gallon with your own container. I think I saw one in the Price Chopper in Newburgh off of 84.

Bill

[RNCollins]

Originally Posted by billc

The Hannaford's in Vails Gate has an RO machine. I think it's .45 per gallon with your own container. I think I saw one in the Price Chopper in Newburgh off of 84.

Bill

That's great! I work in New Windsor and live in Pine Bush...maybe the Hannaford's in PB has one too.