Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 17-03-2011, 09:02 PM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 535
Default Feeding an orchid

I have a Phalaenopsis (?) that I bought 3 months ago at Home Depot on
my desk near a window. I haven't killed it yet, and it's still
blooming :-)

The humidity is low, and the water is hard. I take the plant out of
its cachepot every Friday and douse the bark with warm tapwater. Then
let it drip while I carry it back to the office, and put it back in
its cache. That's all I've been giving it; hard water once a week.

It's starting to send up a new leaf (so I assume the flowers will be
gone soon), so should I start fertilizing it? What do I use? I see
conflicting information on the Internet about how much nitrogen (some
say to use low N, some say high N because it has to compete with the
decomposing bark)

Thanks,
Bob
  #2   Report Post  
Old 20-03-2011, 04:57 PM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,344
Default Feeding an orchid

On Mar 17, 1:02*pm, zxcvbob wrote:
I have a Phalaenopsis (?) that I bought 3 months ago at Home Depot on
my desk near a window. *I haven't killed it yet, and it's still
blooming :-)

The humidity is low, and the water is hard. *I take the plant out of
its cachepot every Friday and douse the bark with warm tapwater. *Then
let it drip while I carry it back to the office, and put it back in
its cache. *That's all I've been giving it; hard water once a week.

It's starting to send up a new leaf (so I assume the flowers will be
gone soon), so should I start fertilizing it? *What do I use? *I see
conflicting information on the Internet about how much nitrogen (some
say to use low N, some say high N because it has to compete with the
decomposing bark)

Thanks,
Bob


Sounds like you've been doing very well with your Phalaenopsis, Bob.
You can use just about any plant fertilizer for the orchid. Just use
it at half strength. On Friday water like you usually do, then about
an hour later water again with the half strength fertilizer. Yes
you'll have to change your habits a little, but that shouldn't be too
troublesome. In fact its better if you have a bit more time between
the watering and the feeding, so lets say you water it at lunch or
when you first get in the office, then feed over lunchtime or before
your leave the office for the weekend. The point is to have the
plant's roots somewhat moist so they'll take up the fertilizer and not
burn. You'll see conflicting information on the internet about this
method too, but its really pretty standard advice.

Your Phal can flower for months, so don't give up on it. The spike
may send out a side shoot and reflower, too. Pretty cool.

As for the hard water once you add fertilizer to the water the acidity
changes so the plant can take up some of the Calcium thats now
available from the hard water. It comes back into solution.

If the orchid bug bites you then worry about proper N levels. Proper
N levels can depend of the medium you use. For your Phal's situation
you don't have to go so crazy, LOL!

K Barrett
  #3   Report Post  
Old 21-03-2011, 07:13 PM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 535
Default Feeding an orchid

K Barrett wrote:

Sounds like you've been doing very well with your Phalaenopsis, Bob.
You can use just about any plant fertilizer for the orchid. Just use
it at half strength. On Friday water like you usually do, then about
an hour later water again with the half strength fertilizer. Yes
you'll have to change your habits a little, but that shouldn't be too
troublesome. In fact its better if you have a bit more time between
the watering and the feeding, so lets say you water it at lunch or
when you first get in the office, then feed over lunchtime or before
your leave the office for the weekend. The point is to have the
plant's roots somewhat moist so they'll take up the fertilizer and not
burn. You'll see conflicting information on the internet about this
method too, but its really pretty standard advice.

Your Phal can flower for months, so don't give up on it. The spike
may send out a side shoot and reflower, too. Pretty cool.

As for the hard water once you add fertilizer to the water the acidity
changes so the plant can take up some of the Calcium thats now
available from the hard water. It comes back into solution.

If the orchid bug bites you then worry about proper N levels. Proper
N levels can depend of the medium you use. For your Phal's situation
you don't have to go so crazy, LOL!

K Barrett


Thanks, I was beginning to think this was a dead group.

This morning several of the blooms were wilted, one had fallen off,
and the new leaf grew quite a bit over the weekend. So I probably
need to start watering a little more often since the plant is growing.
I'll mix up a jug of weak Miracle Gro tonight and start feeding it
after I water it. (I'd use fish emulsion, but the smell might not go
over too well at the office ;-)

-Bob
  #4   Report Post  
Old 27-03-2011, 03:18 AM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,086
Default Feeding an orchid

Hi, Bob,

This list is indeed all but dead. It was killed by an overzealous Attorney
General.

Many of the former denizens now congregate at another list. For info on how
to sign on, go to www.firstrays.com . Lots of good information and photos at
the new lists!

Diana

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
K Barrett wrote:

Sounds like you've been doing very well with your Phalaenopsis, Bob.
You can use just about any plant fertilizer for the orchid. Just use
it at half strength. On Friday water like you usually do, then about
an hour later water again with the half strength fertilizer. Yes
you'll have to change your habits a little, but that shouldn't be too
troublesome. In fact its better if you have a bit more time between
the watering and the feeding, so lets say you water it at lunch or
when you first get in the office, then feed over lunchtime or before
your leave the office for the weekend. The point is to have the
plant's roots somewhat moist so they'll take up the fertilizer and not
burn. You'll see conflicting information on the internet about this
method too, but its really pretty standard advice.

Your Phal can flower for months, so don't give up on it. The spike
may send out a side shoot and reflower, too. Pretty cool.

As for the hard water once you add fertilizer to the water the acidity
changes so the plant can take up some of the Calcium thats now
available from the hard water. It comes back into solution.

If the orchid bug bites you then worry about proper N levels. Proper
N levels can depend of the medium you use. For your Phal's situation
you don't have to go so crazy, LOL!

K Barrett


Thanks, I was beginning to think this was a dead group.

This morning several of the blooms were wilted, one had fallen off, and
the new leaf grew quite a bit over the weekend. So I probably need to
start watering a little more often since the plant is growing. I'll mix up
a jug of weak Miracle Gro tonight and start feeding it after I water it.
(I'd use fish emulsion, but the smell might not go over too well at the
office ;-)

-Bob



  #5   Report Post  
Old 27-03-2011, 09:46 PM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Mar 2011
Posts: 9
Default Feeding an orchid

Diana Kulaga wrote:
Hi, Bob,

This list is indeed all but dead. It was killed by an overzealous Attorney
General.



How did they do that?

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
http://www.CompressorStuff.com
http://www.rayzplace.com


  #6   Report Post  
Old 28-03-2011, 04:47 AM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,344
Default Feeding an orchid

On Mar 27, 12:46*pm, RayC wrote:
Diana Kulaga wrote:
Hi, Bob,


This list is indeed all but dead. It was killed by an overzealous Attorney
General.


How did they do that?

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=http://www.CompressorStuff.comhttp://www.rayzplace.com


Actually the Attorney General killed off the binaries picture group.
No reason to have stopped this group.
  #7   Report Post  
Old 30-03-2011, 02:27 PM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
Default Feeding an orchid

On Mar 17, 12:02*pm, zxcvbob wrote:
I have a Phalaenopsis (?) that I bought 3 months ago at Home Depot on
my desk near a window. *I haven't killed it yet, and it's still
blooming :-)

The humidity is low, and the water is hard. *I take the plant out of
its cachepot every Friday and douse the bark with warm tapwater. *Then
let it drip while I carry it back to the office, and put it back in
its cache. *That's all I've been giving it; hard water once a week.

It's starting to send up a new leaf (so I assume the flowers will be
gone soon), so should I start fertilizing it? *What do I use? *I see
conflicting information on the Internet about how much nitrogen (some
say to use low N, some say high N because it has to compete with the
decomposing bark)

Thanks,
Bob


hi everyone new to this groups, just looked at your talk about phal
"This morning several of the blooms were wilted, one had fallen off"
you normaly should not have all flowers wilt/drop off at same time, if
this is happening i find it can be from over water phal in Aust this
time of year water approx once week in open bark if realy hot(35c+)
water 2 x week, in winter sometimes 1 x every 2 weeks
phal's can be over watered easyer than most other gen orchids
fertilizing i agree with bob but you may be better using 6month slow
fertilizer as it will not smell like some liquid types if plant is
inside
new flowers will come with weather change norm i find approx 10c temp
drop for near a week brings them on
you will see on the flower stem groth knods we cut the stem off the
second one down from the first of the old flowers to help promote a
new norm half size flowers spray, if left and not cut it will not
damage the plant but we find that it some times drys up and does not
produce new flower on this stem
this is all rel to type of potting mix used and your growing
conditions what works for me may not for you and vis versa
in aust most genral public people i find that cannot grow orchids but
have no problems with other plants normaly are over watering there
orchids in some way?
hope this helps some what
leonard Kinnish
Windemere Nursery Qld Aust
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
When to start feeding? Bob Ponds 18 18-03-2003 06:20 PM
Feeding fish in planted tank Artur Freshwater Aquaria Plants 1 11-03-2003 07:45 PM
staghorn ferns, feeding? mcameron, bill Gardening 4 06-03-2003 06:15 PM
Feeding Frogs Rupert Ponds 1 30-01-2003 06:20 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:25 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017