How does humidity and air movement affect orchids?
Orchids do not like ‘wet feet’ but they do very much like humidity. As a result, when grown inside a home orchids are often placed on humidity trays. These trays allow water to collect in the base while the plant is suspended above the water. Commercial trays are available or a tray can be created from a cake pan filled with stones or inverted pot saucers, anything to allow the orchid pot to be above a pool of water. In this way the orchid benefits from the evaporation of the water. Orchids also like to be gathered close together as this also helps to raise the humidity among the plants. This is invariably a balancing act because orchids also like air movement but constant movement of dry air will dry out the plants. Too much moisture and too little air movement and the plants may become susceptible to rot. Achieving a good balance of humidity and air movement is one of the goals of successful orchid care.
