A problem about how to refer to fertilizers
I have been forever frustrated with how people recommend the use of fertilizers. They say 1/4 or 1/2 strength, etc. For a new grower this has to be very confusing. There is a great difference between a fractional concentration of a common garden fertilizer, say MiracleGro and a specific orchid fertilizer, say the MSU mix. I know, the experts will chime in now and talk about total dissolved solids and Nitrogen concentrations, and that is all well and good. But the people who respond to "newbies"[how I hate that term] with percentages with no further references, are not helping the questioner. Now, it may be said that, if someone fertilizes on the low side, that probably is better for the orchid than the reverse (excluding some heavy feeders.) I know this habit is ingrained in the orchid literature (it is seen even in Barker and Barker) but it is a shame, and perhaps the experts here can be somewhat more specific.
There...I got that crankiness out for the week.
Nick
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