Wendy,

What I mean is that you'll find no elemental nitrogen, phosphorus pentoxide
or potassium oxide in the box or bottle. Instead, you're likely to find
more complex chemical compounds.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the explanation Ray. Not sure what you mean about "even though
none of them is in the package as those chemical species"?
"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
| For some reason, the N-P-K numbers on a fertilizer label are expressed
as
| weight percent N, P2O5 and K2O, even though none of them really is in
the
| package as those chemical species.
|
| Gravimetrically, N = 100% N, P2O5 = 44% P, and K2O = 83% K, so a
10-10-10
| fertilizer might be looked at as 10 - 4.4 - 8.3.
|
| --
|
| Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
| http://www.firstrays.com
| Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!
|
|
| "Wendy" wrote in message
| ...
| Always an interesting topic. I remember reading somewhere that
fertilizer
| with the
| numbers 15-15-15 or 20-20-20 are not balanced?
| Why not? Are the numbers not a % of the amount of N, P & K
| Cheers Wendy
|
| "Eric Muehlbauer" wrote in message
| ...
| | I always use a high N formula, on bark, coconut husk chips, even
| | sphagnum.....with no loss of blooms (although I sometimes switch to
a
| | high P bloom formula as bloom season approaches). I use Dynagro,
Jerry's
| | Grow for a few plants (catt's and phrags). Since N is used at a
faster
| | rate by plants, there is really no need for a balanced formula...you
are
| | just getting excess P and K wasting away or building up as the N
gets
| | used up. Although I do sometimes use bloom boosters, I believe that
the
| | same effect can be achieved by reducing or stopping the fertilizing
| | entirely, as I do for some paphs in the winter. Take care, Eric
| Muehlbauer
| |
|
|
|
|