No rain water but lots of snow, how about fertilizer?

[DelawareJim]

Ray;

I'm using MSU for pure water mixed with dehumidifier water at 3/4 tsp per gal, plus 1/4 tsp K-L-N.

Jim

[Ray]

Jim,

I use the same formula at the same strength (have been at every watering for almost 5 years), and I'm in the same area, but DO NOT use K-L-N at nearly that strength - no more than a drop per gallon, if at all.

At first I thought it might be a lack of magnesium, but the fertilizer ought to be providing plenty.

Light level?

[Ray]

Harry,

Most fertilizer companies know little about orchids, so I simply do not trust most label recommendations. And even if I did, what would make me think that one manufacturer will be a knowledgeable as another?

For example, the Miracle Gro (15-30-15) label (I used it for years) recommends one tablespoon per gallon. That would give me almost 600 ppm N!!!!! Even at half that, I'd be almost three times where my varied collection is happy.

It's easy enough to work with an actual concentration - 125 ppm N is my preference - and you'll be in a much smaller region of the ballpark by merely dividing 10 by the %N on the label to determine the teaspoons per gallon to use to get that.

[LinhT]

Thanks for all the info everyone!

Ray, I understand you've had good results with S/H. I'll have to research more about S/H and understand it better so I can make the transition the next time I need to repot.

Harry, I think I do have to repot that last one in moss because one of the top leaves on it got mushy at the base and came off!?!? I don't know what that's all about but guess I'll have to check the roots....

[quiltergal]

Sounds like you have some rot going on. Better yank it out of that moss quick!

[LinhT]

Ray,
Just got my MSU. The bottle gives 4 different ppm N's. You said you prefer 125ppm N because that is the average you came up with which works best for all your different types of orchids. So that comes out to be about 16ml per gallon (16.25 to be exact) right? I read over your section on how Texas A&M grew their phals in a greenhouse using 200-250 ppm. Since I don't have those ideal conditions (just average indoor home conditions with supplemental artificial lighting) does that mean going up to 150 or 200 ppm may burn my phals?

Terri,
I repotted the one in moss tonight. The plant looked great above the moss but those roots looked not so good. They were all short, bunched up and knotted in a ball. Oh, and of course, there was one brown mushy one.

[chulaorchids]

Ray, Yup, I agree. That's why my site recommends use up any fertilizer you have, (at half strenght, lol) before you go out and buy "orchid fertilizer". And yes, the way you use it is plenty, more like they would receive in the jungle. That's why I say fertilizer is not so important for growing and flowering as are the other factors like light, heat etc. Anyone who is using fertilizer as directed is using way more than the plant probably needs, but if you don't go over their recommendation it won't hurt the plant, it just is wasted. The plant will take what it needs

LinhT,

Good job, now you can see what I mean when I say they just grabbed it out of another smaller pot, wrapped the roots in a big gob of moss and stuffed it in a bigger pot! Did you find any rubber bands, lol.

[Ray]

LinhT - I cannot tell you if the higher concentrations will be harmful, and to some degree, it's bound to depend on the plant. Phrags, for example, are likely to be less tolerant than catts. My recommendation is to make 50 ppm steps, after many months (6?, 12?) of observation at each rate.

Harry - if I'm not mistaken, nutrient absorption by plants is a passive, rather than active thing. In the process of growth and the addition of tissue, and in the creation of sugars through photosynthesis, nutrient ions are "consumed' or otherwise "tied up", which lowers the localized internal concentration, as they are "pumped up" from the roots. If those ions are present outside of the root cells in higher concentrations than inside, they will enter the plant through osmosis.

That suggests to me that if the concentration outside is really high, more will enter at a faster rate, and somewhere down that line, there's bound to be some toxicity.

I'm not aware that a plant has a way to stop such a process, but I ain't no botanist, so I could be wrong!

[LinhT]

Ok Ray,
I'll start with the 125 ppm N and see how things go.

Harry,
I found no rubber bands thank goodness. It was sold in a 6 inch pot but that root system looked like it came from a 3 inch pot. I do have to admit I'm worried about whether or not it is mad at me for picking wet mushy moss off its roots with tweezers while it's in bloom. I'm sure it will let me know eventually....

[thakshila smith]

You got two feet of snow. ohh. I have never seen it.
it may be too cold .
I hope your plants are safe now. Do they got a roof on top.