Nitrogen question

[Slobo]

How one knows if the nitrogen in the fertilizer is derived from urea? Is there any indication on the container or....?

Thanks,

Slobo

[billc]

It states it right on the label where it lists the various percentages of ingredients. I think if the nitrogen is derived from nitrate nitrogen it is urea free.

Bill

[bonipanggabean]

Urea contain Nitrogen because urea NH4, so of course urea made from nitrogen

[Slobo]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the reply. I've been reading label over and over and can't see any information on nitrogen being derived from urea or any other source. I'm using Schultz Orchid Food fertilizer. On the label it states N 19% and nothing else as far as the source of N.

Slobo

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

That's unusual...

It should have a percentage breakdown of what forms of nitrogen is being used.

Usually it'll read something like this:

Nitrogen 19%
.... nitrate - 10%
.... ammonia - 5%
.... urea - 4%

[tucker85]

Like Bill said, in the U.S. fertilizers are required to have the source of the nitrogen on the label. By the way, I recently read that research has shown that Nitrate is the best source of nitrogen for orchids.

[keithrs]

Should look like this....

[Slobo]

Thanks Philip and Tucker,
Unfortunately here in Canada they are not obligated to specify detailed analysis.

Thank you Keith for the photo of the label. This is exactly what we don't have here, analysis of the elements in fertilizers. From your photo I see the breakdown as

4.4% Amonical N
1.2% Nitrate N
13.4% Urea N

So, now based on everything I learnt on this site as well as on the other sites, I start to wander if I should stop using this fertilizer and use something else.

Any suggestion to this now confused soul.

Thanks,

Slobo

[mattryan]

I used to use that fertilizer soo glad that I stopped using it now that I see it's got alot of urea in it. I switched over to a 20-20-20 formula. I think the only thing that you can do slobo is phone the company and see if you can get a breakdown of the nitrogen. Unfortunately there isn't alot of fertilizer up here in canada that is marked purely for orchids. I'm using Plant-prod (20-20-20) which is a canadian product and my 30-12-12 is a garden supplies own stuff called green gro. I'm going to call the company and see what I can find out. Let me know if you want me to post the results.

Cheryl

[Slobo]

Thanks Cheryl,

Yes, please post the result if you can get it from the manufacturer.

I'll try to call Schultz and confirm the analysis found on the photo Keith supplied. I do believe that fertilizer is not made specifically just for canadian market, so the analysis info on the label should be applicable to both markets.

Slobo