I watered my orchid with softened tap water for two years just because it seemed gentler: the day I lifted it out of the pot, I saw what had built up in the bark
For two years, an orchid owner faithfully watered with softened water thinking it was gentler—until repotting revealed a crusty white buildup coating the bark. This sodium accumulation silently damages roots through osmosis, and it’s more common than most growers realize. Here’s what went wrong and how to fix it.