How to know when to Fert.

[Dominicg12]

I have over 15 orchids and I use MSU fertilizer and calmag. currently I flush on the 4th watering the other 3 times is with fertilizer. I am wondering how people remember when they last fertilized and when to flush since not all my orchids get watered on the same day. especially since I dont just have plants to care for but also am in college plus work it gets to be a lot on my mind. so how do others remember the times they fertilized prior...or any tips on how to know

[Dorchid]

You could use a dry erase board or journal to make a feeding schedule/chart.

[fishmom]

White board, yes. Then just record the week. Week of___ water only. Week of ___ fert. Don't overthink it!

[Dorchid]

Or just a tally by each plant name...water only every fourth tally.
Ex:
Ctna. Why Not: ///0, ///0...

[SouthPark]

Dom - I use my yates liquid orchid food ..... that's what it is called on the label. I just set approximately one-quarter of the strength, even though I'm sure the orchids would handle whatever the recommended strength is ------ and I use my garden weed sprayer to spray the weak fertiliser solution into the media ----- around the first day of every month. Easy to remember.

Then in the middle of month, I apply my B.A.M. (buds a million) cal-mag weak solution. It is called B.A.M. (as ridiculous as the name sounds heheheh ----- but it's pretty good stuff).

I've never actually flushed any of my pots (with scoria media) before. When not fertilising, I just water the media in the same way ----- I figure that some fertiliser still comes out from the media whenever I do regular watering.

I'm thinking that flushing with water for cases for some other growers that fertilise differently, and with other growing methods ------ can be very beneficial --- to avoid build-up of fertiliser salts.

[Ray]

There are a couple of "no-record-keeping" ways, as well:

1) Feed every time you water.

2) Feed the same day every week.

In both cases, the fertilizer solution will need to be diluted to provide the same mass-per-unit time. I recommend between 75 and 100 ppm N over the course of a week. That is, if you water every other day, use 25 ppm N, if twice a week, 50, and so on.

It also it pays to flood the plant each time you water, as that way it flushes the medium at every watering.

[Keysguy]

I do it exactly as Ray suggests.
Same day, same time every week.
First feeding of month includes Kelp Max.
Quarterly I feed with CalMag.

I grow outdoors so they get flushed every time it rains

[aliceinwl]

I have most of mine on weekly watering schedule so I just alternate weeks. One week they get fertilizer, the next week they don’t.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by aliceinwl

I have most of mine on weekly watering schedule so I just alternate weeks. One week they get fertilizer, the next week they don’t.

Wait until you get to my age! "Did I feed or just water last week????"

[Arizona Jeanie]

I water every Sunday, use diluted fertilizer every week, except the last Sunday of the month is water only, no fertilizer. All I have to do is look at the calendar, if it's the last Sunday of the month, it's water only.
It's hot and dry here in the summer, they get an additional mid-week, water-only drink when they need it. Phals are all in bark, doing well with this routine.