Your fav fertilizer

[JackiBlu]

Originally Posted by Swamper

I use tap water for the ones in the pool water, well water on all the others ouside.
I have a question for you. How do you apply the fertilizer? Hose attachement? Straight from a spray bottle? Other?

Swamper.. I think you were asking me..

On my yard bushes, i hose/water in the epsom/fertilizer after it is sprinkled around the base of the plants.

On my orchids, I hand water them with a watering can. then once or twice a month, I fill a big dish pan like thing full of water with my epsom/fertilizer and soak them for about 1/2 each. Twice a month or so, is only clear water. (all water for my orchids outside or the couple inside is only rain, unless my rain tank is dry.. then I use well water. Even during our drought I never ran out of water.. that morning dew I think is what saved my butt)

[Vanessa]

interesting thread...
For my indoor grow room,
I use the MSU with rain H2o. In the winter when rain is seldom I use the tap H2o formula. Outside chids get Dynamite. I tea bag it for my Vandas also and they bloom constantly.

Curious as to what ratio of water to Epsom Salts ya'll use?

[Swamper]

Vanessa I hear that dynamite is really the bomb, no pun intended. I just might try it for my indoor plants. The epson salt I use ony for my palms so Im sure I use more than I would for an orchid.

[JackiBlu]

I use two methods for epsom or fertilizer..
I use about 1/2 to 1tsp of epsom to 2 gallon.. same as the bloom booster stuff. and let them soak each month in that, in between I will water with the same each week.. and of course, clear water once or twice a month..

UNLESS

IF they are starting to form buds or in spike/bud or have blooms, I will water with the same formula, wait about 20 minutes, then rinse it all out.. otherwise I find I loose the flowers/buds/spike.. regardless if it is bloom booster or epsom or both together.

If I use both together and I usually alternate) I will split the dose between the two per 2 gallons of rain water.

I have heard good things about dynamite too.. except someone told me it was too harsh for orchids and had too much 'junk' in it??? It wasn't an orchid expert that told me that, just someone's 2cents. I couldn't tell you if that is true or not.

[BikerDoc5968]

I used to use Schultz Orchid Food. However, I've become a firm believer in the "No Urea" philosophy for chids and have switched over to Better~Gro Orchid Plus which I use for leaf growth and Better~Gro Orchid Bloom Booster starting in late July/early August to flower my phals. I feed 3 times and then do a washout. I don't water on a regular schedule so I can't say weekly/weakly! I like the fertilizers I use because they seem to work, are easily obtained at Lowe's and are cheap....I especially like cheap!!!!

[Vanessa]

Swamper and Jackiblu...it was recommended by several orchid nurseries. I've used it for 5 years on my outside chids. I've also heard the negative but as long as you don't nuke your chids with it it works really well.......and easy! I've heard the temperature thing about it releasing too much fert in hot weather but it doen't get any hotter then here. Orchids - Cattleyas, Phalaenopsis, Vandas, Dendrobiums And More gives some pretty good info on it...check it out.

Oh and thanks for the epsom salt recipe...gonna give it a try!

[Swamper]

I've seen the dynamite being used by growers down here and they swear by it. Again I have nopt tried it but the source has been good.

[gehentogo]

While admiring my dad's strawberry patch, the neighbor asked him if he used manure on his strawberries, to which my dad replied he used cream and sugar.

[Swamper]

Originally Posted by gehentogo

While admiring my dad's strawberry patch, the neighbor asked him if he used manure on his strawberries, to which my dad replied he used cream and sugar.

[Cookiemonster]

I use MSU and like it, I've definitely seen an improvement in my plants!
I previously used better-gro and Normans fertilizer- but I now just use MSU and KLN!