Fertilizer Questions

[opaline]

Very well said, Matt!

cheers,
BD

Thanks Boss!!!!

[Dorsetman]

These plants have got a built in guide to watering !
Look at the roots, then soak the plant. The roots turn green, right ? When they are green they are full of water. Then as the plant dries out, the roots turn back to white, and just before they get there, you water again... easy- peasy.
Never mind whether you plant in rock or sphagnum or old socks - if you follow this guide for Phalaenopsis, you just can't go wrong
Incidentally here , where I live , in this hard water area, I can grow good phalaenopsis just by putting them under the kitchen cold tap every week, then draining well. No feed ! Never mind warming the water ( that bit is un-natural - rain water is always colder than the air before it rained, since the rain falls from a thousand or two feet up in the sky where it is that much colder. Never mind the chlorine - that is a mild disinfectant- won't do any harm.
You can fuss too much !

p.s. Want to get thoroughly confused ? Just ask a dozen orchid growers, "what is the best way." .. you will get 12 different answers. They are all right ( for them). You have to find out what is all right for you. Best of luck !

[Jose R. Nieves]

That is a great advice Geoff. Will take a new look at my roots, well, my orchid roots!
Jose

[HHLL38]

You have to find out what is all right for you. Best of luck !

Thanks, that's the bit I need to work on, finding out what's best for me.

I watered them all, put them in the sink and ran the water right through the pots. This eased my "is my media well draining" concerns, the water ran right through!

Next i'm going to buy some liquid fertilizer, MSU, Dyna-gro or Grow More. I'm leaning towards 20-20-20 Grow More and perhaps some Pro Tekt from Dyna-Gro as a supplement, anyone have any experience with these products?

[espranch]

I have used Pro-Tekt...it forms a very thin coating that over time is supposed to put a thin layer on the orchids. If I remember correctly, it must be sprayed onto the plant, to prevent bugs from getting established. As a growth fertilizer, I use 30-10-10 or 20-20-20. A couple of months before bloom are due, I use blossom booster...Peters 10-30-20. Works for me & my orchids! Betty :-)

[HHLL38]

I got Dyna Gro 7-9-5 and Pro Tekt, should I follow the weakly weekly regimen with this fertilizer?

[espranch]

I would...But that is strickly up to you! By the way, I don't fertilize cymbidiums in the Winter at all. Just my opinion...Betty

[rosie]

Thanks, that's the bit I need to work on, finding out what's best for me.
I watered them all, put them in the sink and ran the water right through the pots. This eased my "is my media well draining" concerns, the water ran right through!

Remember, no water in the crown of Phals. Rot for sure. If any water, blot with a cotton bud or tissue.

[HHLL38]

The sickly one has a leaf turning yellow, probably not going to make it.