Vandas and Fertilizer- newbie question

[Ari]

Now I get that Vandas need a lot of water, light and fertilizer but I'm confused about how to fertilize them. I have Grow More premium orchid food. I have some that says bloom and some that says grow.

Both of my Vandas are in bark. My understanding is that there are no nutrients in bark and so you need to fertilize.

Which fertilizer should I use and how much of it should I use? Grow or bloom?

I guess it says a teaspoon per 10 days but I'm unclear as to whether to use grow food or bloom food. I do want the Vandas to bloom, of course!

At this time Im very good with Phals and pretty good at cats but I have not mastered Vandas just 2 success out of 4 attempts. I think even if you are careful, that it's hard to grow such a tropical plant in Minnesota.

[campchi]

Originally Posted by Ari

Now I get that Vandas need a lot of water, light and fertilizer but I'm confused about how to fertilize them. I have Grow More premium orchid food. I have some that says bloom and some that says grow.

Both of my Vandas are in bark. My understanding is that there are no nutrients in bark and so you need to fertilize.

Which fertilizer should I use and how much of it should I use? Grow or bloom?

I guess it says a teaspoon per 10 days but I'm unclear as to whether to use grow food or bloom food. I do want the Vandas to bloom, of course!

At this time Im very good with Phals and pretty good at cats but I have not mastered Vandas just 2 success out of 4 attempts. I think even if you are careful, that it's hard to grow such a tropical plant in Minnesota.

Active growing season use grow food or after the bloom. When you think the plant is about the going to send out spikes then use bloom. From my experience, any orchid will work just fine. Maybe other experience growers can chip in.

[turock]

I have great luck fertilizing every three days. I don't have a balanced fertilizer, so I alternate bloom and grow (high phosphorus, then high nitrogen) fertilizers. When my plants are in spike or bloom I use the phosphorus twice as frequently as the nitrogen. I dilute the fertilizer four times what the package recommends.

My plants hang in baskets outdoors and receive daily waterings, sometimes twice daily when it's really hot. If your plant is watered less frequently, I'd say try to fertilize every third watering and really flush it out good between fertilizers. These plants grow so quickly that they'll use all that fertilizer!

You want to cut down fertilizer when your plant comes indoors because your plant's growth will slow down and it will require less water.


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[Ari]

I have great luck fertilizing every three days. I don't have a balanced fertilizer, so I alternate bloom and grow (high phosphorus, then high nitrogen) fertilizers. When my plants are in spike or bloom I use the phosphorus twice as frequently as the nitrogen. I dilute the fertilizer four times what the package recommends.

*omg, no wonder I can't bloom a Vanda or have had about 50% success at reblooming.

Mine are just in bark and I get to them once per week. They are just going to have to cope as I just don't have an easy way to water them daily. Or I'll have to give up trying to rebloom them.

My plants hang in baskets outdoors and receive daily waterings, sometimes twice daily when it's really hot. If your plant is watered less frequently, I'd say try to fertilize every third watering and really flush it out good between fertilizers. These plants grow so quickly that they'll use all that fertilizer!

*ok. More fertilizer. My plants are also not growing quickly. More light.

You want to cut down fertilizer when your plant comes indoors because your plant's growth will slow down and it will require less water.

*I see, thank you!


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