Tillandsia Fertilizer - Orchid Board

kg5 · #1 07-13-2016, 06:01 AM

Found this on fertilizing tillandsia's inland Califoria USA.

"Use Bromeliad fertilizer (17-8-22) twice a month."

Now tell me if I am wrong but having nitrogen anything higher than .5 is extremely dangerous to tillandsia?

Any thoughts on this subject?

WilECoyote · #2 07-13-2016, 03:55 PM

I use Rain Mix from Akerne orchids on my Tillandsias, its is NPK 13:3:15. They get dunked in it about once a week. They seem to like it. Surely it is the dilution that is most important to avoid toxicity rather than the ratio of NPK? Rain mix is very dilute when made up, and you can water orchids with it every watering.

MrHappyRotter · #3 07-13-2016, 05:28 PM

I've never heard that before. I feed my tillys with the same ferts I feed all my other plants.

Ray · #4 07-13-2016, 06:32 PM

Kg and WilE - The formula of the fertilizer and the concentration applied are independent variables.

The 17-8-22 applied at 0.76 ml/L and the 13-3-13 Applied at 1 ml/L will give the same amount of nitrogen.

estación seca · #5 07-13-2016, 09:04 PM

Almost all bromeliads, including Tillandsias, are extremely sensitive to copper. Be careful not to use a copper containing fertilizer. I was told by a Tillandsia grower not to put them under anything brass, because the copper in the rain runoff is toxic in tiny amounts.

The pineapple, Ananas comosus, is not sensitive to copper.

kg5 · #6 07-14-2016, 04:37 AM

Thank you for the ratio info. Now it makes sense.

Yes brass & copper bad stuff for tillandsia.

Need to watch using copper sulfate as a fungicide.

I am using galvanized mesh as shelving and putting the tillandsia's on top of the mesh to allow as much light through the shelving in relation to the shelving being underneath each other. Great way to get different light amount for the different needs of tillandsia's and make use of max space.

Now galvanizing is also toxic to tillandsia or more new galvanizing still has toxins on it that come off in the weathering process. Have tried using white vinegar on the gal and wash it off with water and have had great results & no trouble.

Arizona Jeanie · #7 07-14-2016, 04:29 PM

OK, so I accidentally bought a Tillandsia a few years ago, knowing nothing at all about them. At first I just rinsed it at the sink once in awhile, and soaked it in the dogs' water bucket every week or two. It seemed to do OK with that, but I started feeling a little unsure that was really proper care for anything. So, I started misting it every day with r/o water and soaking it in the leftover monthly orchid soak, very dilute orchid food (it does have a little copper in it), and eventually a little KelpMax (thanks Ray!). It even went into the Wonder Bubble for a little while, but got bumped out by an orchid, and back into a bowl sitting on the shelf. It just keeps slowly getting bigger, has never grown roots, and I can't tell any difference between the water bucket soak and the orchid food. I'm starting to like this plant! I'm not the one to advise anyone on Tillandsia care, but I'm thinking this plant may not be too picky.

Ray · #8 07-14-2016, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg5

Now galvanizing is also toxic to tillandsia or more new galvanizing still has toxins on it that come off in the weathering process. Have tried using white vinegar on the gal and wash it off with water and have had great results & no trouble.

Zinc is a phytotoxin, and applying an acid like vinegar - which also happens to be a herbicide - actually makes it more soluble.

kg5 · #9 07-15-2016, 05:05 AM

Thank you interesting Ray.

Quote:

Zinc is a phytotoxin, and applying an acid like vinegar - which also happens to be a herbicide - actually makes it more soluble.

So applying the vinegar or acid or herbicide to newly galvanized mesh makes the zinc or phytotoxin makes it soluble as to be washed or removed?

So the question is: Why does new gal kill tillandsia and weathered gal does not?

Is applying the vinegar a waste of time?

I see tillandsia nurseries with gal shelving and also gal trays. The tillandsia's are in direct contact with the gal.

In all honesty Ray I am finding a lot of info about tillandsia contradicting each other. So how to find out the truth concerning tillandsia's? Trial & error?

I am about 2 weeks away from putting tillandsia's on gal shelving.

estación seca · #10 07-16-2016, 12:22 AM

I have't studied galvanized wire and Tillandsias, but... Fresh galvanized has zinc exposed on the surface. After a while the zinc oxidizes. The zinc oxide forms a coating shielding the elemental zinc from the tillandsias.

I personally would contact a Tillandsia expert. Try Dennis Cathcart at Tropiflora in Sarasota, Florida. You can find his address on their Web site. He has always been extremely helpful with my questions. I have heard him speak and he knows his stuff.