Against the "Status Quo"

[Fairorchids]

I actually beg to differ. Salts will migrate across a membrane (= cell wall) from high to low concentration, but it is not an instant migration.

Thus:
Application of fertilizer will still be effective after a heavy watering.
Heavy watering is needed after 3-4 days of no watering.
Done in reverse, you waste a lot of fertilizer, either by watering 2-3 times with fertilizer mix, or by washing away the fertilizer the plants have not taken up yet. We then wash out excess in the next watering (drenching).

I sort of have the proof in my Paphs. Whenever I have had a Paph for 6 months or more, I can see a marked difference in the leaf shape & width, between leaves it had coming in (pointed & narrow), and those it grows under our conditions (blunt & wide).

Likewise, I purchased some 6-8 Phrags from Oct to Feb. All were single growth plants, or plants that had grown only single growths for several years running. All are busting 2-4 vigorous new growths under our conditions.

[stonedragonfarms]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

I actually beg to differ. Salts will migrate across a membrane (= cell wall) from high to low concentration, but it is not an instant migration.

Thus:
Application of fertilizer will still be effective after a heavy watering.
Heavy watering is needed after 3-4 days of no watering.
Done in reverse, you waste a lot of fertilizer, either by watering 2-3 times with fertilizer mix, or by washing away the fertilizer the plants have not taken up yet. We then wash out excess in the next watering (drenching).

I sort of have the proof in my Paphs. Whenever I have had a Paph for 6 months or more, I can see a marked difference in the leaf shape & width, between leaves it had coming in (pointed & narrow), and those it grows under our conditions (blunt & wide).

Likewise, I purchased some 6-8 Phrags from Oct to Feb. All were single growth plants, or plants that had grown only single growths for several years running. All are busting 2-4 vigorous new growths under our conditions.

A few points:
a. I believe that you would need to set up a control to verify your results...I'm assuming that you mean that subsequent growths under your cultural regime result in more substantial growth. That being said, there are a number of factors that come in to play here besides fertilization regimen/technique; light, humidity, differentials between day and night temperatures, water quality, media & frequency of watering just to name a few.
b. Unless I'm mistaken, there is a difference in root structure and the ability to take up nutrients between those orchids that are epiphytes and those that are terrestrial/semi-terrestrial; I believe that the premise of this thread was to deal with those orchids that are epiphytes/lithophytes in "nature"; it has been shown that in these epiphytes, ion exchange occurs in the first few moments of the roots velamen being exposed to nutrient solution.
c. I'd be curious to see the growth rates/forms of these same plants if all of your cultural practices were observed, without the application of any fertilizer.
Just my $.02
Adam