Orchids

Question

One care-sheet says use filtered water but you say put it under the tap and let the water run through don`t sit it in water.My (London) Water is hard, I can`t use that surely? My orchid survived it`s flowering season being soaked in filtered water for 10 minutes or so and then drained each week.So am i doing the right thing.
And is it normal to loose a few leaves while it`s resting?I am continuing to water weekly and it has a feed-stick in.

Answer 1

Although it is best to use unchlorinated water for orchids, tap water will not hurt. All of mine receive tap water, and have been doing fine for years. Losing a leaf now and then, lets say one or two per month is acceptable.If you lose more than this then I would look to it being an issue. I would not put a feed stick in there, as this may be entirely too much nutrients for orchids. They do best with an orchid fertilizer at half strength every week or every two weeks. I could suspect if it is dropping leaves too often then this could be the cause.

They also like bright, but filtered light. Not direct light. They will lose leaves because of too little or too much light as well.

Answer 2

I think it`s in the right sort of light.Most care instructions say feed them when they are resting and mine is-that`s why it has a feed stick in. You think I should remove it and only feed every coupla weeks? I fed it less when it was flowering. It did well with flowers on when it got tap water and the occasional feed no leaves dropped then. But it`s lost half of the 6-7 it had whilst flowering -that`s not good is it?. And another is beginning to yellow from the stem!:-(