Phalaenopsis Fertilizer Questions

Phalaenopsis Fertilizer Questions#288372

By Raistlarn -  Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:31 am
Posts:  300
Joined:  Tue Nov 01, 2016 2:20 am

- Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:31 am #288372

Hi guys/gals. I bought and repotted a few phals a few days ago, and I have a few questions about fertilizers. I currently use very dillute 16-16-16 Maxsea at 1/4 tsp to 1 gallon RO water for my carnivorous plants. I was wondering:
Can I use this fertilizer at this strength for my orchids?
Can said fertilizer be used as a weekly fertilizer?
Final question is; how long should I wait after repotting the orchids before I start to fertilize them, especially since I had to trim most of the root system off of one plant.

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Re: Phalaenopsis Fertilizer Questions#288412

By Adelaide -  Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:35 pm
Posts:  538
Joined:  Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:05 pm

- Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:35 pm #288412

I use 20-14-13 BetterGro orchid food on mine, directions say 1 tbsp to a gallon. I'm sure the maxsea solution you're using would be fine. I have phals that bloom with no fertilizer but twice daily distilled water misting (in a frog viv) and I have phals blooming that I rarely water/fertilize at all.

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Re: Phalaenopsis Fertilizer Questions#288423

By evenwind -  Fri Mar 17, 2017 3:58 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
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- Fri Mar 17, 2017 3:58 pm #288423

Maxsea is a great fertilizer for orchids and your "weekly/weakly" schedule is exactly what is typically recommended. I'd also give it one week a month of pure water as a flush.

The thing to be careful of with a balanced fertilizer like Maxsea is that IF you're using bark and that bark is starting to get old, then you should switch to a high nitrogen fertilizer (the first number in the 16-16-16) since ageing bark will absorb nitrogen.

As for when to start fertilizing, I usually wait until I see the first signs of new growth. At a minimum, just be sure the damaged roots have time to heal - a least a week or two.

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Re: Phalaenopsis Fertilizer Questions#288426

By Raistlarn -  Fri Mar 17, 2017 4:01 pm
Posts:  300
Joined:  Tue Nov 01, 2016 2:20 am

- Fri Mar 17, 2017 4:01 pm #288426

Ok thank you for the responses.

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