How do you fertilize?

[bellc]

I've had orchids for just under a year, about five Phal orchids. I keep them all year in my master bathroom. Our climate is dry in the southwest, but this bathroom gets a fair amount of humidity. I used to spend too much time fussing over the orchids and only used bottled water to water them weekly, but for months now I've used tap water.

They've thrived so much that I forgot somewhere along the way to fertilize them. Now that they're dropped all their flowers, they are healthier than ever before and they've always been in great shape. Perhaps its their ?growth? season, as new leaves and roots are growing abundantly.

I haven't fertilized at all for about 6 months and then used a 1/4 houseplant solution. If they're doing so well on tap water, should I still fertilize? If so, what is your favorite fertilizer solution/concentration and how do you fertilize? Thank you!

[mayres]

I fertilize my phals every other watering - and due to the type of media I use I only water about every 1-2 weeks depending upon the time of year. Seems to work for me. Unlike plants with pseudobulbs, phals do not have water and food storage parts so I would think they should be fed at least part of the year. I use a standard commercial orchid fertilizer (Gubler's Orchid Fertilizer) - there are a lot of choices available. It has been noted that you can use many fertilizers not specifically formulated for orchids but if you do, you should use 1/2 strength or less. Be sure and flush well every few months to dissolve potential buildup of minerals in your media. I have seen phals in a grower's greenhouse that was enormous - he told me the leaves that were not regularly fertilized were the small ones (still large by my standards) - but it was all relative - so maybe the good growth you have experienced would just be that much better had you applied a little of the correct nourishment previously. Instead of good and bad we have good and better? :-) Enjoy!
mike

[arleneg]

I fertilize all of my orchids every other watering. Since our water is softened, I get water from outside faucet which is used for watering the yard. For fertilizer, I use MiracleGro for indoor houseplants and use 1/4 to 1/2 strength.

Hope that helps.

[atcrosby]

I feed mine weakly weekly. I use 1/4 of the recommended dose each week along with a couple of drops of SuperThrive. It seems to be working with my orchids and I have good luck so far. I use DynaGro for the plants.

Just be sure to wash out the fertilizer on a regular basis so that the salts don't accumulate. Once a month I let the water wash through the mix keeping everything nice and healthy.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

For most of my 45 years of growing orchids I fertilized very litttle. When I was more attentive, which wasn't too often, I used fish emulsion, and if you look at the specs, there isn't much of anything in fish emusion. I have been much more regular with the fertilizer in the last year or so. But, you know? I haven't seen all that much of an improvement. However, talk about water quality, I converted over to RO water a couple/three years ago, and had the worst case of spindly growths, and flower stems/spikes that wouldn't stand up. I changed over to MSU (Michigan State Universty) fertilizer for RO water, and the situation got better, but not completely. Now I have gone back to using well water (500ppm) about half the time. Will see if that helps. Seems the Calcium and Magnesium are really important to orchids. Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

Cynthia,

Calcium and magnesium are critical for all plants not just orchids. Here in Florida the manufacturers add it to all the fertilizer mixes. This is not always the case it other parts of the country where the chemicals are not flushed from the soil as fast.

My orchid trees (a twenty foot tree with orchid shaped flowers not a real orchid) show the deficiency quickly by becoming lighter green and the veins in the the leaf become very distinct. My Passion Fruit are doing the same this week. Out comes the Epsom salt and the problem is quickly cured.

Bellc

use a balanced fertilizer 20-20-20 rather than the high nitrogen mixes called 'orchid fertilizer' 30-10-10. Buy a good brand with trace elements. You will see magnesium listed on most packages. You can add Epsom salt to your watering routine by watering with a tablespoon per gallon of Epsom salt every second or third month. They do not need a great deal but total lack will harm the plants.

Use fertilizers at 1/2 teaspoon per gallon or less for orchids regardless of the instructions on the package. "Orchid fertilizers" recommend 1/2 teaspoon per gallon but other packages recommend higher amounts depending on what they are recommended to fertilize. All fertilizers are basically the same (trace minerals can vary). You can use any package of fertilizer for orchids if you reduce the strength.

This is a good time to mention slow release fertilizers. For the home hobbyist, it is not necessary to use. Commercial growers often use them to boost growth, and also use injectors in automated watering systems.

If you decide to use a slow release fertilizer use ThemaCote (also called Dynamite) rather than the more common Osmocote. Osmocote is a temperature release fertilizer and ThemaCote is a water release formula. A temperature release fertilizer can add too much to quickly in hot weather.