Water with plain water first before fertilizing?

[Roberta]

The "water first" approach may work OK where there is medium that will stay wet and hold some fertilizer that will remain accessible to the plant after it dries out somewhat by the next watering (sort of a time-release approach)... Plants that need to stay wet, like Bulbophylums will be OK with it.

But, "OK" is not "ideal" ... think of what an epiphytic orchid actually evolved to do in nature for maximum efficiency... when it first starts to rain is when there are the maximum nutrients washing down on the plant, so it has evolved to grab those with the first drops of water... when the roots are dry to start. Of course, that natural "fertlizer" - from rotting plant materials, bird poop, etc - is very dilute. You should be fertilizing with very dilute mix anyway... Ideal is extremely dilute every watering, a compromise with practicaity is a little more (like 1/2 to 1/4 of what is on the bottle) once a week or so. But still, let the plant grab the nutrients first thing, then water as normal. Mother Nature knows best!