Watering/fertilizer

[mtequine]

Hi All,

Have been missing out on being here and reading for most of the fall/winter...going through a divorce. YUCK. Anyway, due to the circumstances of said issues, I find myself, my orchids, my aussie puppy and my two parrots renting a house in town.

SO, I no longer have my full house-fancy schmancy water filter available. I'm on city water, have been here just over a month. (also no longer have kick butt southern windows either....but, life goes on). I do have one of those hook on the faucet water filters that is supposed to help with chlorine, etc.

Of course, since I didn't know I'd be getting a divorce and moving out of my house, I ordered a HUGE container of MSU fertilizer for RO water last summer. Am I safe to use that with my psuedo filtered city water w/sink faucet filter?

While we're on the subject of fertilizer-I have about half my plants ( some oncids, some phals, one epicat, one den) in semi-hydroponics. I know that people suggest to fertilize those every time you water. I've been lazy, and haven't been fertilizing much at all, maybe once a month at the most for my "normal" media plants as well as my semi-hydro plants. What do you all do?

Thanks!

MtEquine

[Mehera]

You have been missed! I am so sorry to hear of the disruptions in your life. Hope you are OK.

Don't know about MSU fertilizer, but it does seem that our orchids don't need as much fertilizer in the winter anyway, so I bet they are fine in that respect.

[Diane]

Re the divorce - been there, done that. Like you said, life goes on. I have never used the MSU fertilizer of either type. I think Gin uses it, but she is in the middle of an ice storm right now so may not be able to answer for a while.

Nice to have you back.

[mtequine]

Thanks Diane and Mehera....glad to be back. Getting to be mostly ok now, but it's taken about all I've got! Who knew how hard such a thing could be. Yikes.

Good point on it being winter and fertilizer needs going down. Most all the plants look pretty good-and I have several with new growths and a few with bloom stalks...AND a paph that is blooming for me for the first time! Yeah! So I must be doing a few things right.

Will see what Gin says when the ice storm goes away. I'll take a few days of Montana below zero weather over an ice storm ANY day!

Thanks again...

MtEquine

[Mehera]

I've been thinking about why I find time with my orchids to be therapeutic. I have definitely noticed that I crave their company more when things in some part of my life aren't going so well. I like to just sit among them in the sunshine and notice each new little growth, each new root tip, each swelling bud--their tough insistence to keep on keeping on. They are all about life going on. They need me and I need them. I'll bet it's the same at your house. Good luck and hang around here with us when you can.

[Tmai]

Been there done that too. A couple of times. It can beat you down. Hang in there. Mehera has a good point - orchid therapy! Glad to hear from you, you were missed. Good luck.

[Piper]

Hugs to you! Sorry you've had this tough spell. It's hard to believe at times, but during one difficult period my life, a friend sent a card that said:

"Hang in there, there's something special waiting just around the corner for you!" That was a comforting thought. Just because I couldn't see it, didn't mean it wasn't there.

As for your fert, do not use RO MSU fert with tap water. The chlorine filter isn't the same as RO. You'll really muck up your plants. Find a greenhouse (or maybe Gin) you can sell your fert to. Then get MSU tap water fert if you choose. I'm lazy about fertilizing as well, so I usually sprinkle Osmocote time-release fert into most of my pots. It tides them over in between my fert sessions.

Good luck with all the adjustments, and don't be a stranger!

McJulie

[mtequine]

McJulie-thanks...for sharing the quote from the card. A few weeks ago, I definitely wouldn't have believed that. While I still can't see that cool stuff around the corner, I know it's there. Progress. Thanks also for the advice to ditch the MSU/RO fertilizer. Good to know.

Tmai-yes-kind of feel a lot like it must feel to be drug behind a truck on a gravel road, or stomped on, or something. BUT, this will all be worth it. Already feeling better, know it's the right thing. What do they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger?

My Paph Maudiae x Mauidae "napa valley" opened up today-have been watching that bloom stalk grown and get ready to finally open these past months-even through the move I managed to not break it off or drop the pot. Therapuetic, definitely...maybe even symbolic.

Glad to be back here, among friends and learning more about these cool plants.

MtEquine

[Diane]

It's hard, really hard, but I look back now and can hardly believe that person trapped in the bad marriage is the same person I am now! Just hang on to the good parts, let go of the bad, and FULL SPEED AHEAD! We are all here if you need us.

PS what about horses?

[mtequine]

Thanks Diane-good advice.

I still have my horse-she's boarded at a training facility where she's always been. Dressage/horses are a big part of who I am, not something I'm willing to sacrifice!

MtEquine