Water with plain water first before fertilizing?

[Girl_With_An_Orchid]

This is definitely a question I've had. I have always done a quick flush first and then soak in fertilizer for around 20 mins sometimes longer. The only times I don't soak are when its needed but I don't have time so I just do the flush. I think that the soaking allows the sphagnum to absorb enough fertilizer despite having been just watered and also makes sue that the bark doesn't get fully dehydrated. I kind of wonder whether that first flush is even necessary at that point though.