Should You Add an Extra Ice Cube to Your Just Add Ice Orchid?

One of the things Just Add Ice Orchid owners love about these beautiful Phalaenopsis orchids is our easy watering system. As a general rule of thumb, watering your Just Add Ice Orchid with 3 ice cubes provides the ideal amount a water to keep your orchid plant properly hydrated and healthy. However, there may be times when 3 ice cubes won’t quite do the job and you will need to add an extra ice cube or two to the pot of your Just Add Ice Orchid to ensure that it receives the optimal amount of water.

People who live in dry climates year-round or who spend their winters in the Southwest and take their orchids with them may regularly need to increase the number of ice cubes they use to water their orchids. You may also need to adjust your orchid’s ice-cube watering schedule if you must leave your Just Add Ice Orchid home while you travel during the holidays, especially if you will be gone on your orchid’s regular watering day. If you live where it’s cold and snowy during the winter, you may occasionally need to increase the amount of water your orchid receives to combat the lack of humidity caused by winter air and forced-air heat.

Because overwatering is the primary cause of orchid failure, we recommend that you wait until you see one of the following signs of dehydration before adding extra ice cubes to your plant:

• Leaves that look crinkled or puckered.
• Drooping leaves while the orchid is still in peak bloom.
• Shrunken or shriveled roots.

If your Just Add Ice Orchid shows signs of dehydration, add one additional ice cube per day until it looks perky again, then return to your regular week watering schedule.

Photo by: Kevin Saff