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????"

[aliceinwl]

Originally Posted by Ray

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

I’m pretty lax about it, if I miss a week or accidentally double up, I figure it’s not a big deal. My plants don’t seem to care, but purported “toughness” is a big factor for me when I purchase