Fertilizing Cattleyas

[peeweelovesbooks]

Hello.


I'd like some feedback regarding how much fertilizer should cattleyas receive. I've read online the recommended fert. for catts potted in bark, but I pot mine in 100% lava rock.

I've read as high as 350ppm per watering during active growth, and cutting back to 125ppm during resting periods.

I just purchased MSU 19-4-23 from First Rays, which would translate into 1.4 tsp. per gallon.

what fertilizer, if any, do you use, and at what ratio? what is your potting medium? Are your growing conditions really bright and humid as in Florida?

thanks!

[Zozzl]

I put less than a tsp (no matter what I use) and I have been fertilizing more (3 times a month) but I wonder if that is the best way. Some people say weekly during the growing season using less fertilizer. Some of the tips on my plants looked burned and some looks great so I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

[DebsC]

I grow in a greenhouse where it's humid and lot's of days hotter than I'd like.

The majority of my cattleya's are potted in lava rock and charcoal.

I use half of the reccomended amount stated on the package when there is new growth and 1/4 the amount other times.

I do flush the pots out with plain water but probably not as often as I should.

I use Peters mostly. Also fish emulsion periodically and have been known to use Miracle Grow when I don't have anything else.

[Donald]

My Catts are all in bark. During the nongrowing season they get a weak fertilizer mix of 30-10-10 which is a 1/8 tsp per gallon once every 8-10 days. When they are put out in the summer it's 1/2 tsp gallon of 20-20-20 once a week. This seems to work OK for me here in Massachusetts. I've alos used fisdh emulsion and MSU but really haven't seen any growth difference between them.

[Royal]

I use MSU at ~125 ppm every time. Over the winter I flush occasionally, but growing outdoors during the warmer months allows rainfall to flush them for me.

[smweaver]

My regimen's the same one that Royal described (as far as ppm levels go, as well as the plants getting flushed out by the rains during the summer months when they all go outdoors). My guess (and it is just that, a guess) is that cattleyas will be able to adapt to lower levels of fertilizer much more easily than they would with being given higher doses. After all, they're bird and monkey "fertilization factories" in the wild are far less conscientious than we are at providing regular doses of food, and the plants thrive nonetheless.

Steve

[Cookiemonster]

hi maria,
I water with 1/4 tsp of msu for rain water twice a month. I dont know if that is more or less than what is necessary, I have nooooooooooooooo idea.
Sorry im bad with fertilizing, the only thing I use consistently is KLN which is at 1/4 tsp per gallon !

[IdahoOrchid]

Without knowing the concentration of the formulation you are using that is a dangerous way to recommend fertilization. One half of 30-30-30 is a totally different concentration than on half of 10-10-10!

Originally Posted by DebsC

I use half of the reccomended amount stated on the package when there is new growth and 1/4 the amount other times.