foliar feeding

[LinhT]

Thanks for the info guys. The reason I thought it was a light issue is because I read the following somewhere...

When light is increased, bottom leaves my start to yellow because nutrients are mobilized to other parts of the plants. The roots may not be able to take up nutrients fast enough. This is when foliar feeding may be important.

That was the jist of it.

BTW, Joe, forgot to answer your question. I have them growing in CHC/charcoal/perlite mix right now. When I first got them, I put them in S/H. Although I was flushing, I learned, flushing them the CORRECT way takes ALOT of water. I moved them to rockwool to experiment since one of the parents (kovachii) grows in association with decomposed limestone. I had roots all over the place but it's hard to maintain proper pH with rockwool over time so I think they started complaining again. Around the end of Summer, I moved them to the CHC mix. They're growing fine now, aside from the yellowing bottom leaves. I've done enough experimenting with them and will leave them alone now before they tell me to piss off for good.

[slipperfreak]

Originally Posted by LinhT

Thanks for the info guys. The reason I thought it was a light issue is because I read the following somewhere...

When light is increased, bottom leaves my start to yellow because nutrients are mobilized to other parts of the plants. The roots may not be able to take up nutrients fast enough. This is when foliar feeding may be important.

That was the jist of it.

BTW, Joe, forgot to answer your question. I have them growing in CHC/charcoal/perlite mix right now. When I first got them, I put them in S/H. Although I was flushing, I learned, flushing them the CORRECT way takes ALOT of water. I moved them to rockwool to experiment since one of the parents (kovachii) grows in association with decomposed limestone. I had roots all over the place but it's hard to maintain proper pH with rockwool over time so I think they started complaining again. Around the end of Summer, I moved them to the CHC mix. They're growing fine now, aside from the yellowing bottom leaves. I've done enough experimenting with them and will leave them alone now before they tell me to piss off for good.

Definitely what you read is true. However, I wouldn't say your plants are getting too much light. It sounds to me like they are getting just what they need.

[DelawareJim]

Tracy;

From a purely horticultural persepective, I agree with everything that's been said. Most likely, the yellowing and loss of older seedling leaves is due to age, change in environment, and translocation to newer growth.

Foliar feeding generally is used commercially for one of two reasons:

1. Ease of application, where the grower believes that foliar application of nutrients using a spray wand is faster, less labour intensive, and cheaper than individual application to the pots.

2. To correct nutrient defficiencies discovered either by observation or tissue analysis. Foliar application provides for more rapid nutrient uptake and distribution throught the plant than application via the substrate and root uptake.

If you are applying nutrients appropriately, foliar application should not be needed.

Cheers.
Jim

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

Foliar application provides for more rapid nutrient uptake and distribution throught the plant than application via the substrate and root uptake.

Hi Jim Does this apply to ALL orchids in general. Or is it just the ones with the thinner leaves? For example, certain varieties of neos and sedireas have very thick leaves. Does the foliar feeding benefit them in any way? Another long time grower was telling me some of those neos probably don't take up nutrients via foliar feeding due to their leaves being so thick.

In my current temps, RH, etc. I flush the phrags with RO every 2 or 3 days. They get fertilized once weekly with either 125ppm of MSU or 2 T Green Jungle/ gal of RO. Most of my stuff is mini Japanese species, which don't tolerate a lot of fertilizer if grown in moss. I use an organic Japanese fertilizer called Biogold for them. So as far as proper fertilizer application for the phrags and paphs, I've no flippin' clue if I'm doing it right.

[slipperfreak]

Originally Posted by LinhT

In my current temps, RH, etc. I flush the phrags with RO every 2 or 3 days. They get fertilized once weekly with either 125ppm of MSU or 2 T Green Jungle/ gal of RO. Most of my stuff is mini Japanese species, which don't tolerate a lot of fertilizer if grown in moss. I use an organic Japanese fertilizer called Biogold for them. So as far as proper fertilizer application for the phrags and paphs, I've no flippin' clue if I'm doing it right.

Sounds fine to me. I fertilize my Phrags weekly too, but at a higher TDS and they do fine as long as I flush with RO water, just as you are doing.

As for Paphs, they can generally take quite a bit more salt than Phrags. I flush them out only once a month, and water with tap water.

[DelawareJim]

Originally Posted by LinhT

Hi Jim Does this apply to ALL orchids in general. Or is it just the ones with the thinner leaves?

Tracy;

It applies to all plants. With foliar feeding, the nutrients are absorbed through the stomates, or pores, in the leaf surface throughout the plant and don't have as far to travel to be distributed. You're basically bye-passing the stem. Leaf thickness doesn't really matter. It generally appears that you get faster results in thinner leaves because being thinner, you see changes in colour or appearance more quickly.

Cheers.
Jim

[Des]

I foliar feed all my cymbidiums mature plants and seedlings During the winter I will drop the nitrogen content of the feed so the i dont have fungal problems On warm summer nights I will foliar feed my plants adding Ammonium nitrate to the mix so as to raise the nitrogen levels. The leaves are sprayed top and bottom . Just to be sure I also add a wetter and a small amount of fungicide to the mix

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by slipperfreak

As for Paphs, they can generally take quite a bit more salt than Phrags. I flush them out only once a month, and water with tap water.

Thanks, Jim and Des.

Joe, what ppm are you fertilizing your phrags at?
My paphs I only water once or twice a week and fertilize once a week. Is it just the calcerous paphs you water with tap, or all your paphs?

[slipperfreak]

Originally Posted by LinhT

Thanks, Jim and Des.

Joe, what ppm are you fertilizing your phrags at?
My paphs I only water once or twice a week and fertilize once a week. Is it just the calcerous paphs you water with tap, or all your paphs?

My Phrags, and all other plants, are fertilized at 150ppm + the TDS of the tap water (appx. 225ppm), so ~375ppm.

All of my Paphs are watered with the 225ppm tap water. I add lime to the calcareous Paphs' potting mixes too, though this is not necessary.