Shultz orchid fertilizer

[Helen]

I purchased some Shultz ORCHID fertilizer. For 2.5 ltr you only use half of a very small scoop (doubt if it's even a 1/4 tsp. maybe 1/2 tsp tops. Do I still half this amount by 1/2? meaning 1/8 tsp or 1/4 tsp? If it's an orchid fertilizer, would they not account for the exact amount already?
Just wondering
Thanks!

[smartie2000]

Are you trying to say that you want to mix it in 1.25 litres? Then you would use half the amount suggested, to keep the concentration of the fertilizer the same.

My mom has Shultz fertilizer for budding plants...She uses the spoon that comes along with it. And puts one scoop into her watering pail...definitely not following the label. But probably less than the suggested concentration.

I don't think it's so important to follow the label precisely. I don't usually go mad about measuring things exactly when I fertilize, as long as I am not overly off. I'm quite casual about feeding acutally, probably because I have mostly light feeders.

Different genera of orchid will prefer to have more fertilizer or fertilized more often than others. For example, Cattleyas and cymbidiums are heavier feeders than phals, paphs and phrags.

I don't use Shultz often because I try to use a nitrogen source that isn't urea, because it isn't imediately absorbed by the roots, but needs to be broken down by micro-organisms into smaller nitrogen compounds (which takes time in bark) and nitrogen is most important to me. But Shultz is a good bloom booster because of it's higher phosporous and potassium content. I have Better-gro for a growth ferilizer because of it's nitrogen and use Shultz for the higher phosporous and potassium when plants are budding.

[Helen]

I've heard the term 'weakly weekly'. My question is, if you buy an ORCHID fertilizer, would'nt they already take this 'weakly weekly' into account with their directions? The label says to use 1/2 scoop which is .75g to 2.5 litres water. So, part 2 of my question is, would I only put in .375 grams to 2.5 litres of water to follow the 'weakly weekly' rule....hope you know what I mean...

Also, I specifically purchased Shultz Orchid food because I read the label and no urea nitrogen was listed. But, after reading your post tonight, I checked it out further on the internet and found that it DOES contain urea...DARN! I was fooled yet again....

[gerneveyn]

The amount also depends on how often you plan to fertilize. If you're going to fertilize weekly, I would go with half of the amount on the container. Here is a site that might help you: Fertilizers & Plant Nutrition

[Helen]

Thanks Sarah, I'll check out the website.
How soon after you repot can you fertilize? I plan on fertilizing weekly or every watering.
Also, after repotting, is it true you have to keep your plants out of sunlight, and if so, for how long?

[markr]

I know nothing about Shultz, but...
If the instructions say "Mix X amount in Y water and feed once a month", then to fertilize 'weakly weekly' you'd use X/4 once a week. If the instructions say "feed twice a month", X/2. If the instructions say "feed once a week", you don't need to dilute it at all.

[Ray]

1) What's the nitrogen concentration in the fertilizer?
2) At what concentration do you want to feed?

Personally, I recommend about 100-150 ppm N at every feeding for a general collection living in any non-tropical environment. Using the average, that's 125 mg/L. If the fertilizer is 10% N, then you'd need to add 10 x 125 = 1.25g to a liter to get that nitrogen concentration.

[markr]

I have a question: When people say that a fertilizer solution should have 150 ppm N, does that mean Nitrate (NO3), Potassium Nitrate (KNO3), NO3-N, Ammonia (NH3/NH4), or what? I've seen all of these used seemingly interchangeably.

[Helen]

Originally Posted by Ray

1) What's the nitrogen concentration in the fertilizer?
2) At what concentration do you want to feed?

Personally, I recommend about 100-150 ppm N at every feeding for a general collection living in any non-tropical environment. Using the average, that's 125 mg/L. If the fertilizer is 10% N, then you'd need to add 10 x 125 = 1.25g to a liter to get that nitrogen concentration.

Ray, thanks for your help. I would like to fertilize with Every watering. Schultz Orchid Food with soluble micronutrients is 19-31-17. Directions state, for EVERY watering, use .75 g to 2.5 L water.
I don't understand your PPM (parts per ??), but using your formula would mean, approx. 20 x 125 = 2.5 g /L. This is tons more than Schultz is advising...therefore, they may have already be giving us the 'weakly weekly' formula...Please clarify for me if you can Ray, Thanks!

[Helen]

Also, wondering what an MSU type of fertilizer is exactly? Thx