Paphs, Phals & Vuyls-Got my 20-10-10 Urea Free Fertilizer-now what?

[taradale]

Hey there again,
I got my Urea Free 20-10-20 fertilizer and have a few questions (don't want to kill another):

Fertilize Questions:
? Have 3 Paphs and 2 Phals in bloom or about to bloom - Is it ok to fertilize? I know it may sound like a stupid question, but there seems to be some disparity when there is a bud/bloom vs. a plant only.

? Also have 2 Vuyls, both in bloom. Will the 20-10-20 work for them?

I read the fertilize instructions and it says: "Must be dissolved in water before use. Dissolve 1 tsp per gallon of water. Use hose-end proportioners, sprinkler can or bucket to apply water copiously to saturate bark or other potting media every 10 days or 2 weeks...Use 20-10-20 Green, Urea free formula for paphs, phals and others year round."

Well here's my watering set up - to the sink, don't have proportioners or anything fancy like that. Since my guys and gals reside outside I've found that they are drying out quicker than they were inside. So I've been watering every 4-5 days. Which consist of soaking them in a coffee pot for about 15 minutes. Then back outside they go.

With the fertilizer I was planning on using the coffee pot again (which is a half gallon by the way - I was going to use 1/2 tsp) to dissolve the fertilizer than water (vs soaking) the plant and catch the extra water in a shallow dish, put back in coffee pot, then water the next plant. Foresee any problems?

? If I go by the anthem "fertilize weakly weekly" - should it be 1/4 tsp?

Thanks!!

[Ellen]

First of all, you don't need to worry too much about having an exact fertilizing schedule. I think the fertilizer you have should be fine for all the orchids that you mention. What I do is use 2-liter soft drink bottles (half gallon) with about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of fertilizer dissolved in water. You don't say how big your coffee pot is, but you could certainly use a comparable solution in that to soak your plants. I don't fertilize while plants are in spike, blooming, or dormant. My philosophy is "less is more". Right now, I do have one exception to this rule - a bunch of my phals have been blooming since last December, January, or February and the flowers are still going strong, but all are growing new leaves. I have started fertilizing them every 3rd or 4th watering with no ill effect on the flowers. I guess the bottom line is that it's OK to fertilize any time there's foliage actively growing.

[jerrymeola]

The expression of 'weakly weekly' refers to the fact that tropical plant fertilizers are too strong for orchids, hence, 'weakly'. You have purchased a fertilizer which the manufacture makes for orchids. The only difference between it and regular fertilizer from the same manufacture is the instructions.

They have already reduced the amount of fertilizer by recommending a teaspoon per gallon. For tropical plants the recommendation is a tablespoon per gallon or three times as much. You do not need to reduce it again. I point his out since you do not need to buy several different fertilizers just adjust the amount.

For those who soak their plants to water them (and it is a good way to water a smaller collection) you can fertilize every watering, if you wish, by reducing the fertilizer to a lower level to match your watering. If you water twice a week cut it in half or less, three times a week 1/3. It gives the plant about the same amount of fertilizer and does not make you think about whether it is time to fertilize. Commercial growers do this since their fertilizer is injected into the automatic watering system.

Equally since the fertilizing is automatic it is not adjusted for plants in flower or not. If the plant is flowering, it is healty and growing, and it can take as much abuse (loving care) as we give it.

if you see blackening leaf tips your fertilizer is too strong

[taradale]

Thanks everyone - good advice. The one that is driving me crazy is Tallulah (Paph Petula's Dream) - I've had her since Apr 26 and she is opening so slowly. I'm starting to see her slipper pouch - at this rate, by the time she's fully bloomed it'll be over a month a half (if I'm lucky). So I was thinking she's not happy with something in new environment and maybe a wee bit of fertilizer might make her happy.

It only took Wardii 2 1/2 wks to bloom, Freddy (may he RIP) about 2 1/2 wks also, and Paph Deperle 1 1/2 wks. Oh well, I'm sure she'll be worth it.

Kath-

[jerrymeola]

20-10-10 is a high rate of nitrogen for paphs. You would probably be better with a balanced 20-20-20. It depends on what potting medium is used. For sphag or other mixtures low in bark the balanced formula is better. If you mixture is old bark then 20-10-10 is ok.

paphs open whenever they want. I have had several that took months to fully open.