Bonsai Fertilizer for Orchids, Harmful? Ingredients listed in Percentages.

[cjgroen]

Would the following make up of nutrients be harmful to Orchids to fertilize in about one table spoon to one gallon of water?

Mg (0.5%)
Sulphur (4.0%)
Boron (0.2%)
Copper (0.5%)
Iron (6.0%)
manganese (0.5%)
Molebdenum (0.0005%)
Zinc (0.5%)
Nitrogen (5.0%)

I have this, and bought in bulk for my Bonsai trees, and want to get rid of it as it is starting to get up in age, and will use this as long as it is not down right harmful to my orchids, even if it has very little beneficial properties.

[bumpman]

Since no one has weighed in so far... the N % is low and there's no P or K listed, so you might want to use this along with a regular orchid fert. Just add the N% here to the N% of the other fertilizer to get an overall level. Remember that high N levels promote green vegetative growth rather than flowering. The micro's (the other elements besides N, P, and K) seem fine, except you'd want to test the pH of your substrate since you have 6% iron (iron sulfate?), used as a micro but also to keep pH low. Most orchids like pH between 5.5 and 6. Iron lowers the pH. What I would do is add this fert to a low N fert such as a 10-30-20 that also doesn't have too many micros. Then I would use a quarter tablespoon if you water weekly weakly or up to a full tablespoon for monthly fert. depending on the type of orchid and its substrate. Now all this is just my considered thinking (an ecologist and NOT an orchid master).

[opaline]

You could also customized the stated fertilizer by using slow release and or organic fertilizers. It wont kill unless by certain nutrient deficiency long term. Iron is present in bonsai fert due to the tendency for vegetative growth to become chlorotic i.e chloropyll insufficient leafs yellowing. With magnesium also would be stabilized.

Nitrogen content as a low percentage here could be used as bloom booster for orchids but you will need + source of phosphorus and pottasium. Tomato food is good here! Many organics around house - used tbags - nitrogen, water from cooking rinsing rice/ potatoes-potassium. Crushed egg shells calcium. Human vit/diet supplements can be used and not always has to be water soluble. Orchids and bonsais require weak strength fertilzers, too strong causes health probs.

Also with nitrogen at 5 % (n) the phosphorus (p) and potassium (k) will need increasing to a rough 05.15.20 (npk) count for bloom booster use.

If the nitrogen presence is urea sourced this is no good, not only risk salt build up in pot and toxicity but deficiency as urea state part of nitrogen cycle has not been delat with by bacteria and not useful by orchid until cycle complete. By that time it would have been washed out anyway.

Water source also a factor. Rain requires slighly more adjustments due to lack of nutrients and tap water, though not good in the long run is loaded with doses of everything. Too much too toxic for some growers depending on location.

NPK are the priority macro nutrients essential, Calcium although in the micronutrient class is also needed. Dont overdose!

[opaline]

to attempt a clearer perspective heres what I use
Tomorite - nitrogen is the lowest of NPK but still useful. When growing tomatoes any grower is concerned equally with the plant being healthy, strong,multi branched, good roots system, better immunity, healthy vegetation. With this lays the foundation for lots of flowers and prolific fruiting.= main objective.

Seaweed Extract tonic to help fill the gaps in the trace/micro elements.

Blood fish and bone - organic slow release for npk and more.

Superthrive occassionally.
Used tbag contents applied start of growing season.

Ground egg shells applied daily spread between all plants. Calcium needs to be available as the plant cant transport it around system and stays stationary. Deficiency symtoms here would be on newest growth.

If you took on a more variable approach with fertising you stand a good chance of providing sufficent nutrient quantities. A rotation of products would aid better.

I only increase nitrogen provision spring grow season and will be the highest score for this timeframe. After then it becomes the lowest count with potassium highest and phosphorus boutt the same or secong highest. All NPK is essential. T much nitrogen will give u lots of greenery as its been the plants most dominant nutrient avaiable and so eploits it, flowering will be low on the plants list.

Overdosing is equally serious as deficiency.

[Halloamey]

I would use it at the rate of just half a teaspoon to a gallon of water, since it is a trace mix with high concentrations of iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Since it does not provide any macronutrients you will also have to use another balanced fertilizer like 10:10:10 or 15:5:20 etc at the rate of 1g/l to provide the NPK.