Question about fertilizer mixer and fertilizer schedule.

[BrassavolaStars]

This thread did not post correctly. I reposted it correctly but accidentally duplicated the thread.

I apologize as I must have done something wrong. Sorry about the duplication.

Hello All,
I had a quick, but important question about fertilizer strength and frequency as it relates to a new attachment I bought for my hose.

I have gotten a new attachment for my hose that mixes a particular quantity of fertilizer mixture per gallon of water that passes through the end of the hose. This is the exact product: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The chamber of the fertilizer mixer is 16 ounces and it has a dial that can take between 1-10 teaspoons or tablespoons of the solution in the chamber into the hose water per gallon of hose water passing through the hose end.

I have two questions:
1) Is there a strength of fertilizer I can use every time I water so I don’t have to keep taking the attachment on and off? The fertilizer I am using is a granular 20-20-20 and calls for 1 teaspoon per gallon monthly. Right now, I am using ¼ strength every time I water (1-3 times per week).

2) What concentration of fertilizer should I be putting in the mixing chamber to get ¼ strength or ¼ teaspoon per gallon? Right now, I am putting 1.3 tablespoons of fertilizer into the 16 ounce mixing chamber and taking 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of the 16 ounce/1.3tbs fertilizer solution per gallon of water.

According to my math, this would get me ¼ teaspoon of fertilizer per gallon but then again, I never was amazing at math.

I thought that if I use 1/16th (1 oz) of the 16 oz 1.3tbs solution, I would be getting ¼ teaspoon per gallon as 1/16th of 1.3 tbs is a ¼ teaspoon.

Is that how this kind of chemical dilution works on a mixing hose attachment?

I have been watering the plants with this for 3 weeks. Am I about to burn my plants or have I already probably burned them?

Thank you all.

[Ray]

That link is not good. Can you give us the name of it?

In my opinion, orchids should be fed very dilutely, very often, mimicking what they get in nature. If you are going to water 2 or 3 times a week, I recommend 25 ppm N, which for a 20%N formula, is 0.1 tsp/gal. If you use 1/4 tsp/gal of that formula, you're applying about 65 ppm N - still not bad for twice a week, maybe a shade heavy for 3, but not damaging in any case.

If your proportioner makes 16 gallons of final solution from 16 ounces of concentrate, all you do is multiply your desired final concentration by 16 - so for 1/4 tsp/gal, you need 4 teaspoons of powder in the tank, filling it to the 16 ounce level with hot water (to aid solubility).