Should I "Feed" my Phals?

[Higgins23]

So I did a few searches on these boards and read through stickies, but I'm even more confused I think I have a mini phal that's doing pretty well, and two new larger phals that I just received as gifts. I don't know if I'm supposed to be giving any of them orchid food at this point. And if so, when and how much, etc. The two larger ones will be repotted in the near future, I just don't want to disturb them right now as they're in bloom. Thoughts?

[SlipperGirl]

Yes I think you should feed you're phal. As to how much well that's hard to say lots of people will do lots of different ways some will feed once a week other almost every time they water, you have to find what works for you. Someone that has been growing phals for a while may be able to tell you what they use and you can adjust to what you need.

What kind of fertilizer do you have?

[Tim C.]

All orchids are going to benefit from some kind of fertilizing schedule - how frequently, and to some degree how much, depends on you.

What to feed them? The biggest thing to look for in fertilizers is that they have all of the "trace elements" - these are elements besides the normal nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (potash). A good, well balanced fertilizer will mention somewhere on its wrapper that it has these trace elements. As far as brands, I've used all kinds of fertilizers in the past and present, and honestly, I think the biggest thing is that you feed them something - they're not picky eaters.

How much? Most fertilizer packages will give a recommended dosage (like 1/2 teaspoon a gallon, every two weeks). You can use that, if you like, or you can dilute it and fertilize more often. Back when I first got into orchids (almost 20 years ago), the adage was "weakly, weekly," which meant feed your orchids once a week, with a very diluted amount. There's been debate as to whether that's the best or not, so I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. Personally, I feed weekly, at about half the recommended dose on the package.

Hopefully this was helpful. Happy growing!

-Tim

[NYCorchidman]

Fertilizing during bloom is on is not recommended but I don't see any problem as long as the concentration isn't too strong, which can burn the flowers and shorten up its life span. no fertilizing in bloom do not hurt them at all. This is why such recommendation came about I think.

I personally don't fertilize my phals while in bloom.
I actually don't fertilize much at all when things are not in active growths. However, even when plants are not growing, being alive means they require all those chemical elements for biological activity just not as much is needed.

I hope I haven't confused any further.

If you are, then just do not fertilize. Fertilizing won't make your flowers any better.

Enjoy your flowers!

[RosieC]

I would fertilize, personally I fertilize year round whether in bloom or not, but make sure it's not too strong.

Recommendations of fertilizer strength from the experts seen to have changed recently to a weaker strength however I still use Ray's calculator on the link below to work out the dilution rate for a specific fertilizer. You use the Nitrogen level in the fertilizer (three numbers quoted on every fertilizer represent N-P-K the first one being Nitrogen) and the number of times you water.

Fertilizer Mixing Calculators

This site defaults to a setting of 125ppm N which is Ray's old recommendation (and works out for you what the tsp per gallon should be). The level is fine for year round watering, including when in bloom if every 4th watering you flush with plain water. This is still the level I use on most of my orchids. For most orchids (including phals) this level won't be too strong for year round use.

More recently Ray has adjusted his recommendations and I think now uses about half that rate (so adjust the target nitrogen on his calculator by half) and does not flush every 4th watering. I'm not certain it's half, hopefully I've remembered that right though.

As for what fertilizer to use, any general purpose or orchid fertilizer. Orchids like ones which are fairly balanced (N-P-K all about the same). If you calculate the dosing based on what orchids like then any fertilizer will work. Having said that many recommend one called MSU which as well as the main nutrients contains other trace nutrients which can be beneficial. I use an equivalent to that here in the UK.

You might see talk about bloom booster fertilizer. Having read a lot of talk about it I don't believe they help as such. The idea is that they have higher Phosphorous and that that helps blooming, however many experts say that's actually not directly the case. Rather that too high Nitrogen promotes growth over blooms, by switching to one with higher Phosphorous you are actually lowing the Nitrogen level and thus allow it to bloom. However the concentrations Ray recommends (even the higher one) is low enough to allow blooming and growth together so there is no need for a bloom booster fertilizer. I've not used a bloom booster in many years now and have not had any problem getting blooms.

[Ray]

As I read more and more about nutrition in epiphytes, the more I lean toward very frequent, very dilute irrigation.

In nature, essentially all of the plants' nutrition comes from the rainfall cascading through the forest canopy overhead, whether that be "throughfall" - the stuff dripping directly from the leaves - or "trunk flow" that trickles down the branches. Samples collected from around the globe show similar concentrations - no more that 25 ppm TDS, mostly a lot lower in single digits.

It also appears that velamen on the roots has a unique ability to instantly trap dissolved ions for transfer to the plant, which makes sense if you consider that the first rainfall is going to have the highest concentration of dissolved solids - becoming more and more dilute as the rain continues - so the ability to capture nutrients very quickly at the start is critical.

Because of those factors, I have reduced my fertilizer loading to only 50 ppm N, but when you consider that at that concentration, the TDS is still several hundred ppm, maybe there is room to lower it further.

We also must not forget that water is a nutrient, too. All else being equal, a plant watered frequently will grow faster than one watered less so.


Ray Barkalow
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[Higgins23]

Thanks for all the great info folks! So, being a newbie and all I just looked at the orchid food I purchased about 6 months ago (I haven't been very diligent with using it however). It's Miracle Gro Orchid Food - 30-10-10, and I notice that it has urea in it....boooooo....right?

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by Higgins23

Thanks for all the great info folks! So, being a newbie and all I just looked at the orchid food I purchased about 6 months ago (I haven't been very diligent with using it however). It's Miracle Gro Orchid Food - 30-10-10, and I notice that it has urea in it....boooooo....right?

I tend to shy away from anything miracle gro but I think thats its ok to use there orchid food but you may want to change it when you can.

[Ordphien]

I also shy away from miracle gro. At least with orchids.
There's debate between urea out non urea...
I personally use urea free for no task reason other than its the most common orchid fertiliser in my area.

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[RosieC]

Personally I would use up what you have, but look for something different next time. That's what I've done when I've decided to change fertilizer.