If you are able to dig up a copy of the June 2004 (I think that was the
date) "Orchids" magazine, there is an article by Dr. Bill Argo of Blackmore
Co. and a horticulturalist at MSU about a study that basically proved that
"Bloom Boosters" are unnecessary, and in my opinion, wasteful.

Their conclusion was that excessive nitrogen was the reason for slow- or
non-blooming orchids, and it was the diluting effect of the extra phosphorus
in the so-called bloom boosters that helped, not the extra P itself. Plants
really only need a tiny amount of phosphorus, so all of the extra is lost
into the soil and groundwater.

Based upon their study, they found that a steady diet of a moderate-nitrogen
concentration was far more effective than was the use of bloom boosters, and
they developed fertilizer formulas accordingly.

Basically, for a general collection, they found that a complete formula
fertilizer - one containing a vast array of macro-, minor-, and trace
elements, if fed at about 100 - 150 ppm N regularly, was highly effective.

I switched to their formula over two years ago, use it at 125 ppm N at
___EVERY___ watering, and my plants are doing great.

By the way, if you divide 10 by the % N in the fertilizer formula, it tells
you the teaspoons per gallon for about 125 ppm N, so if you round up or down
a bit for convenience, you're still in the range.

One last comment - watering first, then fertilizing is a waste. Doing so
saturates the velamen with pure water, greatly reducing the absorption of
nutrients from the fertilizer solution, and it was a methodology concocted
when it was common to feed infrequently and heavily, yet preventing burning
of the roots. Feeding regularly and in a more dilute concentration is far
safer and in my opinion, more closely replicates natural conditions.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


wrote in message
oups.com...
I wait until the flower spike turns yellow/brown & dried out before I
cut it off. Then I know it's not going to make more flowers on the
same stem. I have 2 kinds of fertilizer, the first being an ordinary
Schultz regular-plant fertilizer, which was all I had for ages here in
the middle of nowhere, & they did fine with it... & the 2nd is a
Schultz orchid fertilizer which is supposed to encourage bloom. This
is probably pretty amateur, but if it starts making a new leaf after it
blooms, I fertilize with the regular stuff for a while, then the orchid
stuff after the leaf gets to be a good size. Often they will make a
leaf or 2, then another spike, but I have had some start new spikes
right away before the old one has turned completely brown. I figure
that means they have enough leaves & are just ready to bloom again. So
it might not take 6 months for yours to rebloom.
I don't fertilize every time; you can get a buildup of salts from too
much fertilizer.
As well as good light, I am under the impression phals also need a
temperature drop at night to bloom, although not as fussy as some
orchids. So if yours is on a windowsill that gets cooler at night,
that might help too.
The more experienced growers here can probably give you more scientific
advice than me & set any of my errors right too.
Yes, they are addictive. I started with "just one" some years ago, &
now have 16 orchids; the only reason I don't have more is that I
literally have no more windowsill space. The last remaining spot
belongs to the kitty
Good luck with it.

Alison