Feeding Seedlings?

[Shere Crossman]

Hi all,

I have several seedlings and have been doing alot of reading... What I'm trying to find out is how do you feed your seedlings? My mature plants get better grow orchid plus and when I water ( weekly) and better grow bloom booster every 4th feeding... But if I am reading correctly I should be feeding the better grow during spring and summer and the bloom booster in the fall? Im SO confused!!!
IF this is right, do I feed seedlings the same way even tho they are no where near mature enough for blooms? ( they were unflasked this spring)

I have Phaleanopsis, Cattleyas Lc. Always Dream and Blc. Arom Gold, and Aspasia silvana 'Marie' × self seedlings.

The Phals are doing great! The Cattleyas and seedlings are new species for me. Any tips are appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Shere

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Question 1:

Is your fertilizer urea free?

Question 2:

What are the N-P-K ratios of both formulae?

Suggestion 1:

There's no need for a bloom booster formula. Better Grow brand of fertilizers are notorious for gimmicks.

Suggestion 2:

1/8 or 1/4 fertilization for seedlings that are about 1 to 2 months out of flask.

Fresh out of flask - best not to fertilize.

[Shere Crossman]

Hello,

Thanks!

Ok the grower is 20-14-13
and the bloom booster is 11-35-15
Yes both are urea free.
The directions say 1 tsp per gallon at every watering OR 1 TBS to the gallon and feed every 14-21 days. I feed every time I water. The bloom booster says to use it every 4th feeding...

So you think I should dilute it for the seedlings and no booster at all?

Thanks again

Shere

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Seedlings:

Wait till the seedlings are 1 to 2 months out of flask to fertilize.

1/8 to 1/4 strength once a week. Preferably 1/8 strength.

No bloom buster. (Even if it wasn't a gimmick, why would you need a bloom buster for a seedling that wouldn't be ready to bloom until potentially 3 yrs or more from now. It just doesn't make sense. )

Adults:

1/2 strength once a week.

No bloom buster.

20-14-13 is good enough.

[Shere Crossman]

Thanks. I just looked at my invoices and I planted them the 30th if June. So they are almost 4 mos out of Flask And yes! What you say does make sense. Why feed for flowers ( even if not a gimmick) when they are just infants? It was bothering me to do otherwise and Im so happy you responded

So... another question now.. do infant plants "rest"? I see tons of new growth on these and don't know how to handle them. Sadly the care sheets don't really address it that much or if it does I'm not getting it I know my phals will continue growing all year.

Thanks again

Shere

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Aspasia silvana to my knowledge doesn't have a rest period.

It's an Oncidium relative. If this info helps any.

But yeah, if you got seedlings of Dendrobium species such as Dendrobium nobile or Dendrobium harveyanum then they would pretty much behave like their adult counterparts and go dormant.

In the wild, epiphytical orchid seedlings typically grow very close to where the adults grow. Therefore, the conditions are pretty similar.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

There's a reason for hardening the seedlings off, and providing high levels of humidity for them...

It's because they were grown in-vitro in a very humid environment where the humidity is almost always or very close to 100%.