How did you like that title, huh? Catchy? You're reading this now, at least... So maybe I'm not the first orchid fancier to stumble across this bit of conundrum, but I'd LOVE to spark an internal debate within this UTTERLY FANTASTIC online forum.
So here's my deal: I started with orchids a few years ago, give or take a few months either way. At the time, I wasn't keeping much track of time-- my watch had a year hand on it, and that was good enough for me. Now I don't wear a watch at all, and don't hardly keep track of anything other than when it last rained and when my plants last bloomed. I know that I married my wife two Encyclia blooms ago, and she is thrilled that I remember that much. I am richly blessed in this way.
Anyway, I started out with 3 plants, of which 2 have survived and thrived. My initial feeding schedule involved... nothing at all. I watered my Vanda viboon X coerulea, now-dead Bealleara, and Brassavola Little Stars when I remembered to and felt like it. Then I got a book, and learned the standard practice of "WEEKLY, WEAKLY!". I applied this idea to the MiracleGro I was using at the time, because it had done wonders for some chili pepper plants I had kept in the past. However, I got lots and lots of vegetative growth from my orchids, and almost no blooms. The 'chids that did bloom in my ever-growing collection seemed short on flowers. So I switched to Schultz Orchid fertilizer at the suggestion of a friend, and got the blooms I was looking for, but the vegetative growth fell off by an estimated half. At the same time, my roommate began growing a lot of new non-orchid plants, and seemed to be having good luck using Super-Thrive as an additive to feeding.
With the lack of veg. growth from Schultz and the lack of bloom power from MiracleGro, I decided to combine the two, and added a bit of Super-Thrive for good measure. I did the math, and stuck to my prescription of "WEEKLY, WEAKLY!" But I am a bit of a boundary-pusher, and increased my fertilizer strength a bit at a time. And here's the controversy:
I feed the EVER-LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of my orchids. Every week that it is warm, they get the following: 3/4 strength MiracleGro, 3/4 strength Schultz Orchid Fertilizer, and full-strength Super-Thrive... all in the same gallon of rainwater. That's right, baby. 1 gallon of water, almost 3 times the recommended dose of food. OOHHH, I'm dirty. And they loooooove it. My vegetative growth is better than I should hope for, and every plant blooms when it is supposed to and sometimes more. Nothing has burned yet, everyone is soooo happy. The worst-off plants are doing well, but I have an Ascocenda and a Blc. X Bc. that each bloom 3-5 times a year. Massive blooms. Colorful. Hot dang.
These are the only things I can think of that make my gluttonous feeding schedule OK: most of my plants are mounted, and those that are not have fast-draining, non-retentive media. Very soon after (within 24 hours of) a feeding, I water the heck out of my plants with rainwater and wash away residual salts. I also give a very strenuous winter "rest" period to all my plants, which could be considered almost more of a "stress" period. As soon as it gets to long sleeves weather here in Florida, I water 2X a week max, and none if it rains that week. I feed once a month... maybe... if my poor internal clock remembers. But once temps reach a solid 70F for at least a week straight... IT'S ON, BABY! Bring on those mineral salts!
So please, tell me I'm bad. Tell me I'm dirty, and amateurish, and that my plants will die very soon. They would beg to differ, but they're way too busy spitting out splendoriforous flowers right now.
(Honestly though, what the heck is going on? I thought too much fertilizer was bad?! Why is it working so well? Also- if it seems like I'm bragging, it's only because I have a warped sense of humor, and find it funny that I'm breaking the rules of hundreds of years of scientific data-gathering to the tune of excellent results. Help! This can't be good! Seriously! And you in the back- stop frowning and grumbling. Orchids can be funny, dangit!)
ORCHID FEEDING CONTROVERSY! Oh my!!
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