Epsom Salts

[Bolero]

Hi guys,

I have been using Epsom Salts and occasionally Chelated Iron as well. I usually use them at about half strength like I would with fertiliser.

I was thinking that maybe these could be used at full strength.

What do you think? Anyone had experiences with these compounds and can tell me the right amount for cattleya hybrids and cymbidiums?

Thanks

[Ron]

I have been using Epsom Salts and occasionally Chelated Iron as well. I usually use them at about half strength like I would with fertiliser.

I have been using epsom salts on my Cymbidiums only.
Been using it for years, recomended to me by a big Cymbid grower.
I use it about 3 times per year, spring mid summer and early autumn.
1 teaspoon per 10 Lt of water and just spray or pour over the leaves etc.
Keeps the leaves green and upright.
As for the Chelated Iron, never used it.
Cheerio
Ron

[mehitabel]

I've used epsom salts occasionally on phals like violaceas with thin, fragile, pale leaves. Used it on catts in my catt days as well. Seems to toughen up and green up the leaves. Not as noticeable on the old leaves, but a big effect on the new leaves as they come in. I've used it diluted in water, and also pinches of it put dry on top of the medium to be watered in by the watering next time. I stopped precise measuring after a while and just used what seemed like an appropriate amount. No harm to anything.

I hadn't used chelated iron til a few weeks ago. I read in Bob Gordon's *Survey of Growers* that chelated iron toughened up leaves and could even have a greening effect on leaves yellowed by too much sun. Have plenty of those, and saw it was being offered and recommended at Norman's Orchids. So tried it.

It did have a medium immediate effect -- much less than it used to have when I used it on jasmines years ago, where it instantly greened up everything from pale yellow to deep green. I don't think that's because it had no effect, tho, but because phal leaf colors maybe don't vary as widely or get as pale as jasmine leaves do. Also, with the jasmines, I repeated the dose a couple of times a week til I got the greenup. I didn't do that with the orchids.

I did use it at the full strength recommended on the bottle. I never even thought about extra dilution, I just used it at the strength that Norman's recommended, since he's an orchid specialist. There was no harm to anything. I don't know about the full strength app of another iron product, tho.

I found the iron a little messy-- it runs thru the pots red, and stains rugs that get a little dripped on, even after a couple of waterings. And I keep thinking -- oh oh, what if the police ever go thru my light room with one of those black light wands-- they'll think they've found "blood" all over and dig the whole basement up looking for the body That messy run-thru didn't happen as much in the jasmine days, I guess because the run-thru is so much less than with orchid medium.

However, I do intend to use these again, maybe every three or four months or so when I get around to it.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but what I do when I'm not sure about the dosage is just start small and gradually up the dosage a little.

Hope this helps some, and hope you'll share your experience with it, too.

[E-Jag]

I've been using epsom salts for a couple of years. I use it on all of my orchids at a strength of 1/2 tbsp per gallon every 3 months. Among most vendors at shows it is highly recommended.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by E-Jag

I've been using epsom salts for a couple of years. I use it on all of my orchids at a strength of 1/2 tbsp per gallon every 3 months. Among most vendors at shows it is highly recommended.

I've heard this as well. I've never tried it....

[Stelios]

won't they make the medium more to the alkaline side of things? I think it could work for some species but not for all. I think a fertilizer with trace metals could work as well.

I use them in the bathtub when i have sore joints. But now that i think of it, thermal water might be something to test on orchids. Next time i'll be in my home town i will get a container of vichy water and start an experiment.

[Bolero]

Thanks guys, I thought I may not have been using enough but maybe I've been using too much. I was using double what you guys use.

So I will ease up a bit. I have leaves yellowed from the sun and for other reasons I can't work out. I have one plant where every single leaf has turned yellow and my guess is that it is due to growing in the coconut. Just a feeling the medium doesn't agree with it so when I move it back to bark I can work on greening the leaves. All the other catt's around it are nice and green.

[Ron]

I have one plant where every single leaf has turned yellow and my guess is that it is due to growing in the coconut. Just a feeling the medium doesn't agree with it

Pronblem is with coco nuts nuggets etc is they do not compost them.
I soak for several days and the water comes out very stained from the taniums.
I use extra fertilizer for the first month or so after repotting to age the mix and avoid nitrogen draw down.
That is why the leaves turn yellow, nitrogen draw down.
My penny worth
Ron

[Bolero]

Originally Posted by Ron

Pronblem is with coco nuts nuggets etc is they do not compost them.
I soak for several days and the water comes out very stained from the taniums.
I use extra fertilizer for the first month or so after repotting to age the mix and avoid nitrogen draw down.
That is why the leaves turn yellow, nitrogen draw down.
My penny worth
Ron

Thanks again Ron, I think you are right. I do soak mine as well but I hadn't been adding enough fertiliser i think. I am changing mediums and using more fertliser when soaking the bark so hopefully that fixes the problems to some extent.

I have a plant Slc Mango Spice crossed with something else which has healthy green growths but all the leaves are a bright yellow and it gets the same light as everything else so I think you are right about the Nitrogen issue.

[tansyflower]

You could try some Thrive (the yellow crystalline fert), as this is very high nitrogen. Really greens up ferns and such. Probably wouldn't use it long term though on orchids.