Orchids are the UK’s favourite houseplant, but many homeowners are making a major mistake when it comes to watering the popular bloom, one gardening expert has warned.Katherine McPhillips, Ketsuda Phoutinane Spare Time Content Editor and Vita Molyneux Travel reporter
14:57, 23 Jul 2025
Orchids will thrive with the right care(Image: Sanja Baljkas via Getty Images)
In the heat of summer, it might seem straightforward to spot when orchids need a drink, but incorrect watering can harm these delicate houseplants. Gardeners who adhere to a strict watering schedule could be making a significant blunder.
The humid British summers can slow down evaporation, potentially leaving more moisture in the compost than anticipated. Ron McHatton from the American Orchid Society has highlighted that overwatering is a common cause of orchid fatalities.
However, he offers a simple technique to gauge the right time for watering your orchid.
Orchids should be watered just as the compost starts to dry out. Sticking to a fixed watering routine can introduce too much moisture, which may encourage fungal growth, rot, and diseases.
Determining if the compost is too dry is incredibly easy; you can either stick your finger into the medium or opt for a cleaner method by using a wooden skewer, reports the Express.
Orchids need careful care(Image: Elizabeth Fernandez via Getty Images)
Ron advises: “Inserting a skewer, chopstick, sharpened pencil, or your finger will help you determine whether the medium is dry enough to water.”
He adds: “When many grains of organic matter stick to the skewer, moisture is adequate for an orchid that does well when kept evenly moist. For orchids that require continuous moisture, it is time to water.”
Since wood absorbs water and changes colour when wet, it serves as a quick indicator to check if an orchid needs watering.
Not only are they practical and kind to the orchid, but wooden skewers are also a bargain, as you can usually pick up a pack of wooden barbecue skewers from your local supermarket during the summer months.
How to check if orchids need watering
Go gently and be careful not to push the skewer too deep as you could risk harming the roots.
Leave the wooden skewer in place for roughly 10 minutes, then take it out. If the skewer is damp, has compost clinging to it, and the wood has darkened, then the pot is adequately watered, so it doesn’t need more.
Check the soil frequently(Image: Mark de Leeuw via Getty Images)
However, if the skewer looks the same, feels dry, and the wood stays a light colour, then the soil has dried out and needs a drink.
Make sure to thoroughly stir the orchid soil until water is freely draining from the pot’s drainage holes.
Regularly check on your orchid in the summer, especially during a heatwave, but it typically needs watering once or twice a month.
If you make the effort to properly hydrate your orchid as temperatures rise, the plant will grow healthier roots and is more likely to flower regularly, with blooms that last longer.