Orchid Fertilizer - Get The Scoop!!
A lesson in fertilizers
Orchids naturally, like trees, produce their own nutrients but in spite of this, orchids still need a little extra help in this area by feeding those with supplements with
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Different orchid mixes mean different types of fertilizers to use. You pretty much want nourishments manufactured to suit the orchid mix in your pot. For example, if you have orchids potted in a medium of fir or redwood bark, you should use fertilizers of 30-10-10.
Orchid fertilizer of 30-10-10 is one of the most popular of fertilizer formulas out there today. This formula is not only for orchids but for other plants as well. The numbers represent how many parts of each nutrient are available in the formula.
Is fertilizing difficult?
No! One must understand that orchid fertilizer is crucial in the care and up keep of your orchid. It helps your orchid grow big, beautiful, have vibrant blooms and not to mention big, gorgeous, leaves. You generally can purchase a solid or liquid fertilizer.
Again, this is one of those things where it is your choice. Be sure though to read the directions in using these formulas. The strength of the fertilizer varies with the season as to whether it is cold or warm and as to the growing stage of your orchids. In other words, if your orchids are actively growing you can cut down on your orchid fertilizer use.
Put yourself on an orchid fertilizer schedule, which can be once a week, bi-weekly, weekly. When you fertilize, be sure to measure the amount of fertilizer and avoid “free handing” the amount. If your orchid is not in its norm or having damages, do not fertilize and for the time being, just water your orchid until it is better.
If you are not sure about the orchid fertilizer you have or you have questions, ask for help, read packaging, and seek the advice of a garden professional since one can get easily confused with what to use and what not to use. High nitrogen content, low nitrogen content, high phosphorous, and so on… all these depend on what formula you want to obtain.
There are quite a few orchid fertilizer formulas out there. Truth of the matter is, the right fertilizer brings out the best in your orchids in terms of its blooms and foliage.
Should I go organic?
Some folks use cow or pig manure as their orchid fertilizer. This kind is good enough but they need more time to decompose and this you cannot attain in short time.
Micro…what?
Micronutrients are the other small amounts of nutrients in orchid mix and orchids, like people, need calcium, iron, magnesium and other nutrients.
A little background info
When we say nutrients in orchid fertilizer, it is not just the small “trace” ones like calcium, iron and many others. It refers to nutrient formulas of 30-10-10 or 10-10-10, and so on. The numbers represent how many parts of NPK - N is for nitrogen, P is for phosphorous, and K is for potassium- are present in the formula.
A higher content of nitrogen is best for leaf growth, higher phosphorous content is important for flower growth while higher potassium is excellent for healthier roots.
Have faith that with time, you can mix your own orchid fertilizer that works best for your orchids.