Fertilizer Dilemma

[Ginger9899]

I am giving my sister in law a mature phalaenopsis (in spike!) as a gift. She had one (probably rotted root sphag packed new one) that she killed. I am giving her a very healthy one that has shown to be tough, and lots of instructions to help her learn to grow it.

My dilemma is that I want to give her some of my fertilizer to get her through a while but I use MSU 13-3-15-8ca-2mg for RO and pure water. I am sure she will use tap water, is it horrible if she uses this MSU for a while? I also have leftover Better-Gro Bloom Booster 11-35-15 that I could give her. Which one, if either, would be best to feed weekly weakly for a few months with tap water? I have no idea about her water quality, she is in Jacksonville, FL.

Thanks for any insight

[sweetjblue]

Since winter is the time that most phals are not actively growing (roots and leaves wise) and fertilizer isn't really necessary right now, I would opt for neither.
I would rather not give anything, than the wrong one.
Plus you could use that as the perfect gift for X-mas! It is coming upon us FAST!

Judi

[Ginger9899]

Thanks Judi, I absolutely didn't even think of the not growing much in winter thing lol.

You are also right, nothing wrong with fertilizer for Christmas, either

[NYCorchidman]

Yeah, since she has a history with a phal, it's probably best to just give her the healthy plant and hopefully all goes well there and the spike will continue to grow and bloom well.
She will then be happy and gain some confidence.
Then come spring after flowers are gone, give her some fertilizer.

For tap water, I would use regular type, balanced number. I don't believe in bloom booster.
Fertilizer for tap water could have too much TDS when mixed with tap water depending on your local water quality. So check to see what your local water has in it.
I use tap water and have used MSU RO/Pure water fertilizer with no harm since NYC tap water has rather low TDS level.

[Ray]

There is absolutely no issue with using MSU RO fertilizer in mineral-bearing tap water.

[Leafmite]

Ray is right. It is when you do the opposite and use the MSU fertilizer for tap water with distilled water...then you miss a few vital nutrients (maybe not miss them but won't get enough. I don't know as I just have the one for distilled/rain water). A little extra here and there won't hurt.

[Ginger9899]

Thank you so much for the information. I'm glad to hear there is no issue using the pure water MSU with tap water, that info will come in handy for myself some time I bet. I use rain or RO water 99% of the time but I'm sure there will be a time I don't plan well.

I may have been selfishly thinking of a way to get rid of the bloom booster fertilizer without tossing it. I purchased it when I started and learned more and switched to the MSU only before I even used it. I'm also going to do everything I can to make sure that I am not sending my very first orchid ever to its death lol.

[ALToronto]

Bloom boosters don't boost blooms, only algae.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I agree with Ray on the fertilizer.

Also, my Phals don't stop growing over thexwinter. This is when most of my Phals are developing new spikes, and the leaves and roots keep growing, so I continue with the fertilizer. I have switched to a lower N number fertilizer relative to what I use in summer.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

Bloom boosters don't boost blooms, only algae.

....but if you use it at low concentrations, there is no issue with using it on your plants.