fertilizer

[herfy]

just wondering what kind of fertilizer you guys use or prefer for phals.. From what i have read there are to many that do different things.

[Cym Ladye]

Herf,

Be prepared to get twice as many different answers to this question as the members responding! And then do not forget the "secret ingredient" we all have to hedge our bets.

As I jokingly tell people who ask me, "Do you want this year's secret blend or last year's"! I have found that 1) Whatever you do, USE SOMETHING; 2) Use it for a full year before you evaluate it or recommend it and 3) Experiment with only a few plants if you are considering changing to a new formula. The bottom line is: Will this work for me under my conditions?

CL

[herfy]

understood but also I'm new so a point in any direction is better than me just buying some something from Lowes that i know nothing about.

[Hedge]

I use an Orchid compound made by a UK company called Chempak, some times I use weak tomato food and sometimes I use Miracle gro for acid plants, but the use of the orchid compound has brought most consistent results for me. Good luck and happy growing

[cabbo]

I'm using Dyna-Grow at the moment. Check out the Free Info page on Rays website (firstrays.com) The info about fertilizer is great as well as all the awesome additional info especially for a newcomer. He and his site have helped me alot.

First Rays' Free Info

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Hedge

I use an Orchid compound made by a UK company called Chempak, some times I use weak tomato food and sometimes I use Miracle gro for acid plants, but the use of the orchid compound has brought most consistent results for me. Good luck and happy growing

Just out of interest what is it you use because I use a Chempack one as well (and I have been pleased with the results).

I use

Chempak Orchid Growth Formula High Nitrogen Food 250ml

along with the bloom feed equivalent.

[Hedge]

Gosh you were up early mind you I was up late

Mine is the chempak yellow pot of crystals that you add a tiny spoonful of to every two pints of water and it's just called Chempak orchid Fertilizer. It's 35-10-10 but quite a lot of the N is from Ureic nitrogen(28.3%) which I seem to remember reading somewhere that isn't too great.

hope that helps

Heather

[Cym Ladye]

Herf,

You cannot go too far wrong with a balanced fertilizer made for orchids and use it at diluted strength for your phals.

When I had a greenhouse of phals, I used a balanced fertilizer made by Grow More, diluted 1/4 strength and applied every three weeks with the fourth week a flush. I tend to avoid the expensive potions and found Dyna Gro no better than what I was using. There are many brands out there, some with urea and some without; some with more trace elements than others but all of them will work better than nothing.

I do not know in which area of the US you live; where you grow your plants; how much light they get; or what mix they are in. These factors will all affect the absorbing capabilities of the fertilizer you choose.

I hope this helps generally but I know there are several phal growers out there with more specific information.

Good Luck,

CL

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Hedge

Gosh you were up early mind you I was up late

Mine is the chempak yellow pot of crystals that you add a tiny spoonful of to every two pints of water and it's just called Chempak orchid Fertilizer. It's 35-10-10 but quite a lot of the N is from Ureic nitrogen(28.3%) which I seem to remember reading somewhere that isn't too great.

hope that helps

Heather

Yeah, I was up early. I had to be on-call for work, waiting specifically for a call from Israel and they are two hours ahead (sunday is also not a weekend over there). So I was on-call from 7am and he finally rang arround 1pm. Not that I mind, it was a very important call and I got brownie points from my boss for being willing to take it on a Sunday.

Anyway, that sounds like a different fertiliser to mine, but from the same company. I'm not sure how much of the Nitrogen in mine (10-3-3) is from Ureic nitrogen. But my Phals and Dend have done well with it. I'm hoping the new Paph will do just as well.