Questions about fertilizing Phalaenopsis - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Ray · #11 01-30-2016, 01:06 PM

Think about plants in nature: their primary nutrient supply is what cascades and trickles down from the forest canopy when it first starts raining. After a matter of moments (seconds?), the canopy is clean, so it's basically pure water. Velamen has the unique ability to trap and hold nutrients instantly, so they won't get washed away as the rain continues.

I try to replicate that by applying very low doses of fertilizer whenever I water. My watering frequency is what controls the mass of nutrition they get.

If you water first, then feed, the velamen will be saturated by the plain water, so will not pick up nutrients nearly as efficiently. This was common practice back when it was standard practice to feed a very strong concentration of fertilizer very infrequently, as that prevented burning of the roots, but that technique is so far from what the plants see in nature that it is losing its popularity.

camille1585 · #12 01-31-2016, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bil

If you water them before you fertilise, won't the fertiliser just bypass the roots?

I give a weak solution, so I water with the fertilized water. (Ray explains it so much better!) Also, I have a very unconventional way of watering (leave water in the saucers), so the plants take up the water over the course of a few days.

HiOrcDen · #13 02-01-2016, 07:01 AM

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

It makes perfect sense to try and duplicate nature. Though humans can create conditions even more ideal. I gather that it's beneficial to try and push light levels to a safe degree, for more vigorous growth. Apparently, from this thread, this doesn't seem to be the case with feeding orchids, and what's important is the proper dose and proportion of nutrients. This makes me wonder, because I thought that, for example, with hydroponic growing, you are trying to maximize the food a plant takes up without adversely affecting it. Am I operating under a misconception?

Subrosa · #14 02-01-2016, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiOrcDen

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

It makes perfect sense to try and duplicate nature. Though humans can create conditions even more ideal. I gather that it's beneficial to try and push light levels to a safe degree, for more vigorous growth. Apparently, from this thread, this doesn't seem to be the case with feeding orchids, and what's important is the proper dose and proportion of nutrients. This makes me wonder, because I thought that, for example, with hydroponic growing, you are trying to maximize the food a plant takes up without adversely affecting it. Am I operating under a misconception?

The only misconception I see is that you think there's a difference between growing "normally" and growing hydroponically. To achieve maximum growth you need to maximize the energy a plant absorbs, be it chemical energy as food or light energy for photosynthesis, without adversely affecting it. It doesn't matter what media you're growing in. Different plants have different preferred levels of light and nutrients, and the media a plant grows in certainly affects nutrient uptake, but you should still heading for the same place regardless of the path you choose.

nicola · #15 02-01-2016, 09:10 AM

Hi,
my knowledge of orchids is limited to observations made over the years.
In addition to nutrients and light levels, there are other factors that affect significantly the growth.
In particular, relative humidity and temperature.
Phalaenopsis which are essentially epiphytes, adapt very well to grow in a pot, on condition that the roots have good ventilation.
The roots of the phalaenopsis in contrast to terrestrial plants are able to photosynthesize light.
This for a plant is a big advantage.
Some types of orchids because of this advantage do not produce leaves.
But the flip side is that the lack of air to the roots is fatal.
Ray explains in his post how the aerial roots are able to absorb nutrients.
So is through the understanding of the functioning of the roots that you can optimize the absorption of nutrients and growth.
Ciao Nicola

bil · #16 02-01-2016, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiOrcDen

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

It makes perfect sense to try and duplicate nature. Though humans can create conditions even more ideal. I gather that it's beneficial to try and push light levels to a safe degree, for more vigorous growth. Apparently, from this thread, this doesn't seem to be the case with feeding orchids, and what's important is the proper dose and proportion of nutrients. This makes me wonder, because I thought that, for example, with hydroponic growing, you are trying to maximize the food a plant takes up without adversely affecting it. Am I operating under a misconception?

I always say that the closer you get to what an organism is evolved for, then the better the results. London Zoo used to list a whole slew of animals that were 'Impossible to breed in captivity'. However when they researched the conditions the animals originally lived in and applied those conditions to those animals, they couldn't stop them from breeding.

For us, there are a couple of very important points to bear in mind.
1. Hit the sweet spot, and that plant will bloom better.

2. If there are 10 points of importance to the plant, and you can only hit 3, then the plant will be prone to illness, fungus and every problem under the sun. If you can hit 8 points, and come reasonably close on the other two, then that plaint will laugh off fungus, and if one or two points can't be reached, it won't matter nearly as much.

Ray · #17 02-01-2016, 01:12 PM

I think that, for the most part, ALL epiphytic orchid growing is hydroponic, as little-to-no nutrition is taken from the medium. It's there primarily for mechanical stability and water and nutrient storage.

Yes, I know there is some nutrition taken from the medium, but it's really small compared to what comes from our fertilizers.

estación seca · #18 02-01-2016, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bil

I always say that the closer you get to what an organism is evolved for, then the better the results....

Well... with feeding practices very different from the ones they evolved under, we are now able to grow MUCH larger humans.

bil · #19 02-01-2016, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estación seca

Well... with feeding practices very different from the ones they evolved under, we are now able to grow MUCH larger humans.

You say that like it's a good thing.

A balanced diet enables us to maximise height, build and health. It's the fact that we mix carbs and fats that kills us.

I was in a super the other day, and there was a bag of roasted peanuts for 1 euro. There were enough calories in that pack to last you a whole day.

kwarren · #20 02-01-2016, 08:24 PM

In the growing season I fertilize 1/4th tsp. with every watering and 1/2 tsp. every other watering in late fall and winter. I now collect and use rainwater at all times because our water is very hard. It made a world of difference. I also use urea free fertilizer. But it does not have any calcium or magnesium so I sprinkle crushed up eggshells in the medium which is a slow release and I use a very small pinch of Epsom salt for the magnesium with every other watering. If your phals. are slightly moist I don't think one needs to water again before fertilizing. I have been flowering phals. for about 7 years.
And don't apologize for multiple questions! That's how we learn. But I'm amazed how many different opinions I've heard over the years, so I've given you my 2 cents worth of opinion.