Do you soak with plain or fertilized water

[cabbo]

I've been soking in fert. water and just found out its better not to fertilize a dry plant (wet first). Is this true of all orchids?

[trdyl]

Interesting subject. Thinking back when I wasn't using S/H. I did actually water first then fertilize. I know that several commercial growers fertilize when they water. I wonder what others have to say.

[Blueszz]

I always soak in water that contains fertilizer. I fertilize with every watering, even stopped flushing the pots - but I fertilize very weakly. I don't see problems on the roots of my plants. The roots are the color you want to see them and I don't get salt build up. Not on the surface of the pots and not in the pot, which the roots would tell me...

I think as long as you fertilize very weakly it's not a problem.

I also have to mention that I rarely let plants go dry until the next watering, depends a bit on the species/hybrid.

Nicole

[cabbo]

Probably alot of different opinions on this subject

[cabbo]

ok...maybe not

[dounoharm]

i fert with a spray device a day after i water...so the plants arent really dry....but the vandas get fert water every day....i think mainly that rule is effective for putting on a dry or granular fert, it could burn a plant...a fert solution shouldnt bother anything....my opinion

[Ray]

The concept of "water, then fertilize" originated when it was common to feed strongly, infrequently. The water saturated the velamen so that it could not soak up the strong fertilizer solution as readily, which would have been damaging.

Like Blueszz, I feed at every watering, whether it's plants in semi-hydroponics, mounted, in baskets, in sphagnum, CHC, or bark, and I see no issues whatsoever.

When I presoak medium, I DO NOT add fertilizer, but do add a small amount of rooting hormone solution.

[Donald]

Thanks,Ray for the good fertilizing advice. I water weakly when needed and have always pre-watered everything before any fertilization was done.