Homemade Fertilzer for Cattleya Alliance

[Shawna]

Hi,
I have a friend using vinegar in the water he says to fertlilize. I saw his plants and they looked really good. Our PH in tap is almost 8. Has anyone tried this? I know vinegar is acidic so helps lower the PH.

[tucker85]

Vinegar is not a fertilizer but I do use 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar per gallon, in the water with my fertilizer. This brings the pH down to about 6 which, I have read, increases the uptake of the nutrients by the orchid.

[Ray]

Keeping the pH in the 5.5-6.5 range is best for keep nutrient minerals in solution - especially the trace elements, that can drop out easily outside of that range.

Be careful with vinegar - at higher concentrations, it becomes a herbicide.

[Shawna]

Ray,
He is using 1Tbsp per gallon of water and no fertlizer.
I am using 1/2 tsp Dyno-Gro 7-8-6. I thought that would be too much vinegar but maybe not. His water and my water is coming from the same place. Would you know when it would become a herbicide? I guess I just need to get my PH test strips out and do an experiment

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by Shawna

Ray,
He is using 1Tbsp per gallon of water and no fertlizer.
I am using 1/2 tsp Dyno-Gro 7-8-6. I thought that would be too much vinegar but maybe not. His water and my water is coming from the same place. Would you know when it would become a herbicide? I guess I just need to get my PH test strips out and do an experiment

I used an aquarium pH test kit to test my tap water. I filled a gallon water jug with my tap water and added a quarter teaspoon of vinegar and the pH had dropped from 7.5 to 6. When I used a half teaspoon the pH went too low so I started using the quarter teaspoon each time I fertilize.

[Shawna]

Is the amount of fertlizer you are using 1/2 tsp also?
Looks like your tap PH is about the same as mine.

[Mokeck]

Originally Posted by tucker85

Vinegar is not a fertilizer but I do use 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar per gallon, in the water with my fertilizer. This brings the pH down to about 6 which, I have read, increases the uptake of the nutrients by the orchid.

That's good to know Tucker since we live in the same area. I used powdered aspirin for awhile but I'm real inconsistent applying it. Our water's pretty alkaline so I'll give the vinegar a try.

[Ray]

Acetic acid, CH3CO2H, provide no nutrient minerals whatsoever.

While it may be acidifying the water, a shift from 8 to the sixes is not going to affect the availability of minerals already in the water supply.

Straight food-grade vinegar (typically around 5%-8% acetic acid) can be a herbicide. In a teaspoons-per-gallon dilution, I doubt there would be an issue.

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by Mokeck

That's good to know Tucker since we live in the same area. I used powdered aspirin for awhile but I'm real inconsistent applying it. Our water's pretty alkaline so I'll give the vinegar a try.

Martin Motes was the one that suggested using vinegar to lower the pH. In fact he mentions it in his book also.