fertilizing question

[smartie2000]

Originally Posted by Shadow

As far as I know it can increase the number of flowers on a spike and intensity of colour. But you should start to fertilize before the spike appears. I heard that when the spike is 5 cm long it is already "programmed" for number of flowers. So, you should start well before you even notice it. Most plants bloom at the particular period of a year, so it is quite easy to guess the future blooming date.

spikes are really predetermined?.... That is very interesting, is there any info to back it up? I know some spikes you can tell right away how many buds there are but for a phal I can't imagine them being predetermined

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by smartie2000

spikes are really predetermined?.... That is very interesting, is there any info to back it up? I know some spikes you can tell right away how many buds there are but for a phal I can't imagine them being predetermined

No, unfortunately. I read this long time ago and I don't remember where.

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by rsfrid

I fully agree! I tend to stay away from the threads that discuss which fertilizers when and weakly weekly, etc. I follow the advice on Rays site because it is correct and makes lots of sense. Orchids need a more-or-less constant supply of weak nutrients similar to what they would experience in nature. No one goes around in the wilds spraying high nitrogen stuff during grow season (weekly, mind you) then switches to some other mix (whatever that would be) when they are ready to bloom. Yet these guys bloom and grow faithfully - maybe better than most of us grow them. See anything to trigger thought here?

Yes, you are actually right. But growing conditions in our houses differ quite substantially from the native growing conditions.

[dennis]

But growing conditions in our houses differ quite substantially from the native growing conditions.

this is the point we all have to remember as well as this

No one goes around in the wilds spraying high nitrogen stuff during grow season (weekly, mind you) then switches to some other mix (whatever that would be) when they are ready to bloom. Yet these guys bloom and grow faithfully - maybe better than most of us grow them. See anything to trigger thought here?

if we all sit back a minute and think here, what are they getting in nature........ rain water nothing else except light and humidity. now you want to give them your chemically treated water or your reverse osmosis which has no(or very little)mineral content in it and add joe shmoes 20-95-47 fertilizer to it because he said it is all he uses and the flower you are buying is blooming great. well joe did not grow the flower he bought it in bud and has packaged miracle grow into another bottle and slapped his lable on it and convinced you into buying it as the cure all to make your orchids bloom. well guess what your orchid is dying and you cant figure out why. when the rain falls in the jungle and on to the plant it collects minerals from the air and the tree it is running down before it hits the roots from the orchids. it does not stop at he nitrogen store and barter with phospherous or potash to change the quantities of each mineral. to get a balanced fertilizer you have to look at your water you are giving them and what is missing from the water, the same as a persons 5 basic food groups you need to survive. each and every medium you are planting in has different nutrients it can add to the water there fore the saying feed weakly weekly where as in sh you feed at every watering as the little clay balls have no nutrients in them. please do not take offense to this post but please read all threads you can find on fertilizing your plants as well as asking questions. just because joe at plants are us recommends something dose not make it written in stone as well as rays information, everyones growing conditions are different from the next.if you really want to know what your plants need pay attention to them pick each one up and look at them, notice even the smallest change in thier appearance, pay attention to the temperature changes from day to day, amount of sunlight this week compared to last due to rain and clouds, as well as the humidity changes in the air from day to day. i spend a hour to an hour and a half with my plants everyday to see how they are doing i look at all the spikes, buds and leaves to see if there are any minute changes in them from the previous day which also lets me know if there are any pest coming into the plants that need to be rid of. i only have a small collection (35) plants but i have the collection i want and am quite happy with and have learned from watching them to see what thier needs are

[dave b]

Originally Posted by Lagoon

I do feel that the so called - bloom bosters are hype. Good culture and Good lighting is what I feel is needed to see flowers in your orchids.
I have paphs and phrags which are somewhat sensitive to calciums so I try to keep the middle number lower.
I also have med hard water, I prefer the first and last numbers to get more of a balance.
I vote for more light to see flowers, JMHO

Recently, Orchids (AOS) magazine has published parts of research articles from Texas A and M (Yang, PhD). They are Phalaenopsis specific. Their research backs up your belief on the hype of 'bloom boosters'. At least for Phals. There was even evidence of detrimental affects if used too much. Id have to dig out the article for more specifics.

[dave b]

when the rain falls in the jungle and on to the plant it collects minerals from the air and the tree it is running down before it hits the roots from the orchids. it does not stop at he nitrogen store and barter with phospherous or potash to change the quantities of each mineral.

Ive often wondered what the water chem is by the time it runs down every branch and leaf, working its way to the trunk. At times, it must be quite a soup of ingredients. Bird droppings, animal droppings, insects, insect droppings, sap, dirt, dust, minerals, decaying material. All of this gets washed off the bark, coursing its way down the tree, across the orchids roots.

No one goes around in the wilds spraying high nitrogen stuff during grow season

Ya they do, and when they are done, they go around and neatly cut off all the spent flower spikes.

[Shadow]

Dave,