Shultz Orchid Plant Food

[Wild Orchid]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

I used the various Shults plant foods for many years. I even used it on bonsai. It works as well as most others. I have switched to Grow-More Orchid food but really like Ray's fertilizer with calcium/manganese along with some KelpMax. No I'm not a mouth piece for him. I just like his more than most others I've tried. But Shults is good.

Shultz is what's available in Canada for orchids. Take it or leave it. The debate about what's best for orchids growth is as ancient among growers as the business of growing orchids itself.
Some claim you need a complex coctail of these and that elements in certain proportion, while others say they don't fertilize and their orchids are thriving just fine. It's all about culture - temps, humidity, amount of sunlights, warmth, consistency, overall health and age, not to forget the basic genes of each plant.

My personal take on the deabte, just water isn't enough - that's no brainer. There's seaweed extract available locally - cheap enough and available at Canadian Tire. They usually don't advertise but sell it in the Gardent Centre at Spring/Summer season. A bottle would last you a year.
Using epsom salts once a month (1 table spoon per gallon) adds other micro-elements.

So with all that, one doesn't really need a magic expensive coctail PLUS shipping charges.

Experiment, observe, try different ferts for different plants - and learn what works for you.

[james mickelso]

When you have an orchid that is struggling due to root loss or fungal/bacterial attack, you shouldn't fertilize as there are few roots with which to take up the fertilizer. Same with fungal attacks. For root damaged orchids I would recommend a kelp additive which can stimulate the rooting of the plant. Cinnamon is dabbed onto the end of the cut root/pbulb/leaf as an astringent. It basically cauterizes to wound. It isn't sprinkled onto the plant.

---------- Post added at 10:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 PM ----------

Other than what form the nitrogen comes in, most fertilizers are pretty much the same. Different ratios but nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are basically the same. Nitrogen comes as urea or ammoniacal nitrogen. Doesn't really matter except the urea needs bacteria to break iot down into the nitrates that are then available to the plant and that is accomplished above 65*f. It is nice if you can get some of the micro nutrients as well as calcium and manganese. But most fertilizers give you much of what is needed.

[Bribri]

Wonderful. Thanks everyone for the tips. Much appreciated!!

[Ray]

It is very likely that each individual species, or at least genus of orchid has a different nutritional demand. Nobody knows what they are, and I question whether we will ever know.

That said, it is my belief that any good quality, complete fertilizer, if used regularly and in very dilute concentrations, will be adequate.

That is not to say that all of them are created equal, and it is in those distinctions that folks experiment to "optimize" their plants' growth and flowering.

That is also true for additives, especially those based upon seaweeds. The species chosen for extraction affects the chemistry, but it is the processing that has most effect on efficacy, closely followed by storage. Liquids will always be better than powdered products, as the drying alone degrades the chemistry significantly.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Bribri

[/COLOR]I also want to ask, I read somewhere that someone placed cinnamon on the ends, after cutting away the dead roots. I did not do this but I'm wondering if I should have? What would be the purpose of this?

I keep cinnamon away from roots - it will dry out healthy roots if you get it on them.

[james mickelso]

Exactly. Just dab it on the cut ends with a Qtip or your finger to seal them from any fungus or bacteria.