miracle gro fert any good??? - Orchid Board

geraldw3210 · #1 04-23-2015, 10:03 AM

hello there is the miracle grow orchid food a good choice for my plants , catts , dends, phaps... ??? i would highly dilute it and use every few weeks . but is there a better choice? i did a search on these forums but didnt find an adequate answer.

thanks

Ray · #2 04-23-2015, 11:16 AM

It's probably "OK", but should be used at no more than about 1/4 teaspoon per gallon or so, every couple of weeks. The formula contains a fair amount of urea-based nitrogen, which is not used all that efficiently by epiphytic orchids, but it's OK, as I said earlier.

Personally, I prefer the so-called "MSU" formulas - the one for Well Water (any water supply containing dissolved minerals), RO (for pure water supplies) or K-Lite - that were designed specifically with orchids in mind.

geraldw3210 · #3 04-23-2015, 12:28 PM

Hello again , thanks i think i will get the MSU fert , i wasnt really sure about the MG stuff.

bil · #4 04-23-2015, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geraldw3210

Hello again , thanks i think i will get the MSU fert , i wasnt really sure about the MG stuff.

I use Ray's K-Lite at a very low level, and they get that every watering.

tarev · #5 04-23-2015, 01:27 PM

I use the Miracle Gro Orchid plant food mist. So far it is working quite good especially on my Phals. I like it since it is ready to use and easier to apply, and I do see active root/leafing growth later on. I was testing it for over a year now.

wintergirl · #6 04-23-2015, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarev

I use the Miracle Gro Orchid plant food mist. So far it is working quite good especially on my Phals. I like it since it is ready to use and easier to apply, and I do see active root/leafing growth later on. I was testing it for over a year now.

That is what I have been using for most of my orchids. I really don't fertilize my phals much. I use the mist after watering. On my vanda & vanda types I mist the roots with water first then the orchid food mist after they are wet. I use a special tillandsia spray fertilizer for tillandsia, and I spray after they are moistioned first as well. So far it seems to be working well. Surprisingly the bottle lasts a long time because it only sprays a fine mist.