Fertilising with non-orchid fertilisers

[Ray]

David, I think the basis for the environmental impact comment is that while phosphorus is indeed an essential macro nutrient, plants don't really need a great deal, and the rest is dumped into the environment, where it can be a "bad actor".

Also, I disagree with the general nature of the comment on the incompatibility of CaNO3 and MgSO4 in fertilizer. While it is a mistake to mix them in concentrated form, addition to dilute solutions along the lines of the fertilizers we all us is no issue whatsoever.

[Neverend]

Wow, I didn't know a little question of mine can trigger such an advanced discussion...

[David Morris]

Ray, I was explaining why the horticultural rd people do it the other way. Expense of the fertilizer is also a issue if you are fertilizing 45,000 square feet instead of my humble 3000. As I said I use a general purpose for first time feeding and currently that means a 20-10-20 (and half strength). If you really don't want to waste fertilizer water first. Probably most of you do that anyway. I found the Cancer comments far fetched. Hard to prove in research development horticulture as most of us were using Colchicine which is a well known cancer causing agent. Anyway there are better chemicals for chromosome conversion than that one now days, and they are not only safer, you use far less of them (like .0005 parts per million),.