What is the best way to water my Ghost orchid?
The manner in which you water the Ghost orchid will depend somewhat on whether or not your plant is in an active growth phase. If so, you should apply water to your plant’s soil and, if the weather is warm, perform occasional overhead watering to allow the plant to absorb moisture through its leaves. By contrast, in winter, and when the weather is cool or wet generally, you should stick to watering the soil directly rather than including overhead watering as well. You’ll know your Ghost orchid needs more water if its roots and leaves become thin and dry or show discoloration. Ghost orchid receives too much water will look mushy and limp. You should grow your Ghost orchid in a pot and ensure that the potting mix you use has fantastic drainage. During the growing season, you’ll need to water this plant multiple times per week. However, each watering should drain quickly through the growing medium to prevent any standing water. The amount of water you give will change based on the size of the pot you use. Generally, pots that are a bit larger will need water less frequently, while smaller pots will have a slightly more frequent watering schedule. Rainwater and distilled water are the best kinds of water to use for this plant, and it is best if the water you use matches the temperature of the air as closely as possible.
What should I do if I water my Ghost orchid too much or too little?
Allowing your Ghost orchid to sit in soil that remains too moist for too long is one of the most common ways to kill this plant. While these plants need water frequently during active growth, they also need to live in a growing medium that drains water rapidly. When this plant experiences overwatering, it will become mushy and develop root rot. If that occurs, you should be prepared to use a pair of sterile pruning shears to cut out any roots that show signs of rot. After doing that, you should then repot your Ghost orchid, ensuring that the container allows for drainage and that you fill the container with a fast-draining potting mix. However, Ghost orchid doesn’t typically respond that well to excessive repotting, so it is crucial to get your watering rate right. Underwatered Ghost orchid will begin to shrivel and feel dry to the touch. If this occurs, it is likely because the soil is drying out faster than you expected, which means you should increase your watering frequency.
How often should I water my Ghost orchid?
During the active growth stage, which spans the spring and summer months, you should plan to water your Ghost orchid about once or twice per week while increasing that rate to three times per week or more in the case of long periods of hot and dry weather. In the winter, you will also need to water your Ghost orchid, but not nearly as much. A watering frequency of two to three times per month should be enough to keep your Ghost orchid alive during the coldest months. However, if you keep your Ghost orchid indoors during winter, you should account for the fact that indoor growing locations can cause the soil to dry quicker than usual, which may mean you need to increase the number of monthly waterings. You can use the fall as a time to gradually reduce your watering frequency from the summer rate of multiple times per week down to your reduced winter watering schedule.
What should I consider when watering my Ghost orchid in different seasons and growth periods?
There are two important growth phases that you should consider when planning the watering schedule for your Ghost orchid. The first of those periods is the active growth period, which happens in spring and summer, and which calls for watering this plant multiple times per week. The second important growth period is the rest period that the Ghost orchid should experience for about two to three months each year during winter. During that time, your plant will need far less water and fertilization than normal. Water about once or twice per month during this time. During the fall, you should begin to gradually reduce your watering frequency from multiple times per week all the way down to the once or twice per month rate that is appropriate for winter.
How should I water my Ghost orchid differently if I grow it indoors?
The Ghost orchid requires a growing environment that is relatively humid. Unfortunately, most indoor growing locations will lack the level of air moisture that this plant prefers. This causes the plant and its soil to dry out more quickly than it would when growing outdoors. To combat this effect, you may want to include a humidifier in the room where you grow your Ghost orchid. You may also need to water it a bit more frequently as well. However, while Ghost orchids do prefer humidity, they also require adequate air circulation as well, to prevent excessive moisture build-ups and the diseases that can result. Consider including a fan in the room where you grow this plant as well to ensure proper air circulation remains present.
How much sunlight does Ghost orchid need every day?
Although this plant doesn’t particularly like a lot of light, it does need some throughout the day to photosynthesize and therefore grow properly. Full shade plants like Ghost orchid don’t need a full eight hours of sunlight per day, but they do need access to at least six hours of indirect sunlight every day in order to grow at a healthy rate.
What kind of sunlight does Ghost orchid need to thrive?
Ghost orchid is a shade-loving plant that requires lots of shade. During the hottest parts of the day, this plant needs to be protected from direct sunlight; however, it can tolerate partial sun during other parts of the day. Morning sun is ideal for Ghost orchid, but it can tolerate small amounts of afternoon sun if it’s not too hot in one spot for the entire afternoon and evening.
How can I protect Ghost orchid from sun damage and overexposure?
There are a few tricks to planting Ghost orchid that can prevent you from having to take extra measures to protect it from direct sun. You can try strategic shade planting using buildings or trees to plan where to plant, or even layer using taller plants that can tolerate bright, direct light all day. Otherwise, you can try using shade cloth to build a sunshade over your Ghost orchid facing toward the sun during the hottest parts of the day.
What happens if Ghost orchid gets inadequate sunlight?
Unfortunately, too little sunlight is still possible, even though this plant loves the shade. You might notice leaves straining to grow towards better-lit areas, leaves that grow progressively smaller, and even generally-stunted growth. In these cases, you can try moving Ghost orchid if it’s in a pot, or move other foliage out of the way so that some of the sunlight can reach into your Ghost orchid.
What happens if Ghost orchid gets too much sunlight?
Ghost orchid can be damaged fairly easily from sunlight overexposure. When its leaves are exposed to bright, direct sunlight for multiple hours per day in the same spots, you may begin to notice some yellowing and/or brown discoloration at the leaf tips. The leaves in heavily burned spots may also start to curl under or in. These are signs that your Ghost orchid is being cooked in the sun, and needs a little bit more shade to be happy.
Does Ghost orchid need different sunlight care for different growth stages?
In some climates, sunlight for plants coming out of dormancy may be a bit much. When your Ghost orchid is in its early stages for the year, it shouldn’t be exposed to much sunlight. The new, tender leaves are far more susceptible to sunburn than mature ones, so be sure to shade your plants properly if they aren’t already protected from direct rays of sunlight. It’s important to keep the first foliage intact, as this will be the primary source of energy the plant as it puts on new growth for the year!
What is the optimal temperature for Ghost orchid?
Ghost orchid prefers cooler weather, and has a specific temperature range you can keep it within to maximize growth. For Ghost orchid to be as healthy as it possible can, you could keep them between the temperatures 65~75℉(18~25℃). Ghost orchid can handle higher and lower heat levels, but whenever possible, try to keep the area you grow them in within several degrees of 65~75℉(18~25℃). If you can’t keep Ghost orchid precisely within that range, it doesn’t mean they will stop growing. Ghost orchid can handle a higher and lower range before they begin to suffer damage or reduced growth. On the higher end, that temperature would that would fall between 75~85℉(25~30℃). On the lower end, Ghost orchid can handle temperatures as low as 5℉(-15℃). The higher temperature range is the most important to observe, as Ghost orchid prefers cooler environments. Letting temperatures get above the upper range may cause growth to slow, and having Ghost orchid above 85℉(30℃) could result in the plant dying.
Does Ghost orchid require different temperatures for different growing phases?
Too much heat early in the growing stages of Ghost orchid may give it an unhealthy appearance, so it's important to keep your growing space between 65~75℉(18~25℃). You’ll want to stay in the colder part of this range as Ghost orchid, but make sure not to go below -5℉(-20℃). Extremely cold temperatures can hinder growth at any stage for Ghost orchid, though they aren’t nearly as damaging as extremely hot temperatures. If temperatures are kept high during the budding stage, Ghost orchid may not flower at all.
Three tips for keeping Ghost orchid temperature under control
Tip #1: Grow in the Coldest Room of Your Home If you plan to grow Ghost orchid indoors, make sure to choose the coldest room of your home. This will usually be on the side of your house that doesn’t experience the harsh heat that the sun can produce in the middle of the day. At the same time, you’ll need to ensure the room does get a healthy amount of sunlight. While you’ll want to spare your plants from the brightest and hottest part of the day, zero sunlight can drastically reduce Ghost orchid ability to grow. Tip #2: If Ghost orchid Doesn’t Flower Properly, It May Be Too Hot The growing season for Ghost orchid, spring and early summer, can occasionally come with high temperatures. These fluctuations can negatively affect the growing stage of Ghost orchid, causing flowering buds to change into non-flowering buds. These buds will open partially, or in some cases not at all, causing Ghost orchid to lose some of its aesthetic quality. It's important to stay in the range of 65~75℉(18~25℃), for that reason, so your Ghost orchid can flower to its full potential. Tip #3: Avoid Frost While Ghost orchid can tolerate lower temperatures, as low as -5℉(-20℃), it will not do well if it encounters significant frost. If left out in the colder temperatures of late fall or winter, Ghost orchid will begin to show the signs of frost damage. To recognize the signs of frost damage, you’ll look for several key aesthetic changes. First, parts of Ghost orchid will begin to wilt. Then, those sections will start to become discolored, eventually turning brown or black as they die. Any parts of Ghost orchid that turn these colors cannot be saved, and will have to be pruned if you intend to keep the plant alive.
Does Ghost orchid need different temperatures for different seasons?
It's important to keep the temperature of your growing area steady regardless of season. If you live in an area with harsh winters or very hot summers, it may be best to put your plants inside. That way, you can keep them in a cool room where Ghost orchid would be able to grow in the best possible conditions. If you do leave your plants outside, make sure to observe the temperature closely. If the summer’s get especially hot in your climate-zone, make sure that your plants aren’t exposed to temperatures above 85℉(30℃). This will dehydrate and damage Ghost orchid quickly, and before long, they will begin to die.
What is the best way to maintain the right temperature for Ghost orchid?
If you intend to place Ghost orchid outside, you’ll want to make sure that it has shade from the heat of the midday sun. While Ghost orchid does need plentiful sunlight to grow to its full potential, direct sunlight can cause a rise in temperature and damage certain elements of the plant. Choose an area that has shade providing structures or tall trees that can shield Ghost orchid from the hottest parts of the day. If your climate isn’t appropriate for Ghost orchid or you don’t have the proper space in your garden, you can also plant them inside. Controlling the temperature is much easier indoors, and having proper fans, ventilation, or an A/C unit will allow you to stay within the optimum range of 65~75℉(18~25℃).