Plant food spikes

[Buffalo2245]

I recently started using Miracle Gro Orchid Plant food spikes. Is there any opinions on this/ Before I used the type you mix with water and used it every other month and my plants seemed to do well. They don't seem to look as good since I started the spike food...getting too much, maybe?

[Dendy83]

My experience with food spikes isn't in any relation to orchids, but I hate them. They provide too much fertilizer, plus any added chemicals they add to get it to be in that spike shape as well as being slow-release. I will always prefer the kind that mixes in the water because YOU control exactly how much is added to your water.

[shushu45]

My relation with food spikes isn't good ether, even though I never tried them on orchids.
I used them on my ive and vika vines and a few ferns and they ended up dieing with in a month.
I think that they are horrible and shouldn't be bought.

[Dendy83]

A good comparison to a plant food spike is those vacation feeder chunks you can use for a fish tank. They are awful, terrible, and horrible for a fish tank...for the same reason as the plant food spikes. The vacation feeders release the food all at once even though it's meant to last for a week. So not only do the fish gorge themselves on the vacation feeders, but the fish sits in the filth until you clean it, which is as long as your vacation. So, I avoid those plant food spikes just as much as miracle grow, even though the commercials and the advertising around them seem appealing and convenient, it's just not worth it.

[shushu45]

Dang I didn't know they made things like that for fish.

[Dendy83]

Originally Posted by shushu45

Dang I didn't know they made things like that for fish.

Yeah, different kinds are supposed to last 3 days, 5 days, I think even up to over a week. However they are just awful and wreak havoc on the fish and the filtration system. Next time you go to a wal-mart or grocery store you'll see them in the pet section.

[Discus]

Yeah, those food blocks are pretty bad. If you need to feed fish on vacation, get one of those feeder machines - and test it before you go away. Usually it helps to hook it up to an airpump as the humidity from the tank often clumps the food.

I personally would stay away from sticks for orchids too - I like knowing what is going in there and how fast. And how do you "flush" your mix if there is a stick in there?

[WhiteRabbit]

I have no idea about fert spikes for orchids, but have used the regular ones in other plants with good results