Supplement Guide for Advance Dummies 🤓

[SADE2020]

Could anyone validate, comment, or analyze the following "Supplementation Flow"? Think, I have over 200 plants now and I just need/want to follow a Schedule that coud be optimal for " health and blooming development"

• Generic fertilizer 20.20.20 and the rest of the time, I rotate with BIO Booster or Orchid Focus.
  
• Supplement of Humic and Fulvic Acids.
  
• Calcium & Magnesium Supplement every 3/weeks
  
• 1 minimum dose of Potassium Soap monthly
  
• 1 monthly minimum dose of mild fungicide

*All products are ecological btw

[Dimples]

Regular/routine treatment with pesticides and fungicides is no longer suggested. That type of use is why we’ve had resistance develop in target species.

Potassium soap is probably one of the less-problematic pesticides to use prophylactically, but you’d be wasting your time with once monthly applications. If you don’t have pests, it’s a waste of time. If you do have pests, it’s not frequent enough to eliminate the population. IPM guidance is to treat your plants when they need it, and follow the treatment protocol to make sure it’s effective.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Could anyone validate, comment, or analyze the following "Supplementation Flow"? Think, I have over 200 plants now and I just need/want to follow a Schedule that coud be optimal for " health and blooming development"

• Generic fertilizer 20.20.20 and the rest of the time, I rotate with BIO Booster or Orchid Focus.
  
• Supplement of Humic and Fulvic Acids.
  
• Calcium & Magnesium Supplement every 3/weeks
  
• 1 minimum dose of Potassium Soap monthly
  
• 1 monthly minimum dose of mild fungicide

*All products are ecological btw

You have conditions similar to mine, I think. Much of the year you grow many of your orchids outside. I can't speak to the indoor ones, but for the outdoor ones, I think you may be working too hard and overthinking this.

If you are using pure (Reverse osmosis or equivalent) you do need the calcium/magnesium supplement. But there are good fertilizers (such as RainMix) that are designed for that environment, I think. If you are using tap water that contains those minerals, then supplementation isn't needed. I use Kepmax (Kelpak) once a month. Is that what the humic and fulvic acids are replacing? ("root booster"). If not, what purpose are they serving> If medium is not broken down, you should not need a fungicide. Certainly not just on general principles... different fungicides control different fungal problems and so if there is a problem, it should be chosen accordingly. (I don't even have any fungicides except cinnamon to use on cut surfaces, and haven't found a need) If there isn't a problem, you don't need it. If there is a problem, probably can be solved by repotting. What is the potassium soap doing? If you're controlling bugs, are you spraying it? Or bugs in the medium? Again, repotting would work better and be done.

I say this as a "lazy what-can-I-get-away-with orchid grower" - Fertilize about once every 2 weeks 1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5 g per gallon/4L (MSU cal/mag - RainMix equivalent, RO water), Kelpak once a month. For routine watering, only one area, with a lot of cloud-forest plants, gets RO water. Everybody else gets tap water. (So I fertilize with RO so I only have to mix one kind of fertilizer) I don't treat for pests or diseases unless dealing with a problem on a specific plant, and then treat just the unlucky individual. The orchids grow and bloom quite well for me with this minimal attention.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Could anyone validate, comment, or analyze the following "Supplementation Flow"? Think, I have over 200 plants now and I just need/want to follow a Schedule that coud be optimal for " health and blooming development"

• Generic fertilizer 20.20.20 and the rest of the time, I rotate with BIO Booster or Orchid Focus.
  
• Supplement of Humic and Fulvic Acids.
  
• Calcium & Magnesium Supplement every 3/weeks
  
• 1 minimum dose of Potassium Soap monthly
  
• 1 monthly minimum dose of mild fungicide

*All products are ecological btw

How much fertilizer to use is dependent upon the frequency of feeding.

If you use a 20% N formula once a week, 1/2 tsp/gal (0.46 ml/L - 1/2 is fine). If you feed every two weeks, double that.

Magnesium can be supplemented monthly with no issue, as it is stored by the plant and then easily moved from old tissue to new as needed. Calcium is NOT moved around readily, so must be supplied steadily during active growth.

BUT - what is your water supply? Does it already contain those minerals?

As was stated above - no preventive pesticides whatsoever.

[SADE2020]

Thank you guys for all the inputs. I herded you load and clear.

Just a few comments or answers:

1. The fertilizer is under control, thanks for the measurement advices.
2. The probiotics; well it was more like trying to give an extra push ....but if not need it, better for me.
3. I have been using the potassium soup since a heavy mailbugs attack by and I keep using it because I believe they are still around-the-clock here and there.
4. And, the fungicides because I always have something to treat and by precautions, I just spray everything with dots or so. Especially the Vandas.

I love to "repot", good to know that is the best cure for most stuff if something happened. I am now in my final repoting phase from bark to lava rock or lecca. Lava rock works for me and for my environment better than lecca and I haven't seen anything that indicates that bacteria or fungus will come alone easily now. However, in SH some plants just get rooted once in a while, I don't know why.

But I am glad I can take it easy, I am going to relax with some supplement then.

Thanks for the advice!!!

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by manurespreader

Orchid Focus grow use 4ml per liter for phals, regardless what it recommends, 2ml in winter for resting orchids, 4ml for phals and up to the full dose it recommends for cymbidiums and vanda's

Sorry for the late attention to this comments, but what do you mean with "resting orchids" ..? Resting as a Dend. Nobile winter rest? Or what ?