If I use a mister system for my orchids how do I fertilize them?
 

Ok everyone. In just a month we will be building the cabinet for a 60 gallon orchidarium.

I’ve read many tutorials on how to automate the watering system. Many use what looks like rain misters on mounted bare roots orchids. Does this sound about right? No fir bark or pots in these set ups? Just mounted orchids?

So I get people are able to automate 5 weeks of watering using these misters daily. How does one fertilize using the mister set up? Those of you with orchidarium, have you been able to automate fertilizing? And how do you do this without clogging up your system with particles and residue?

And is misting the best way to do this? Or are there better ways?

Thank you!

I'd do it with a hand sprayer. Not sure you can do it "inline" due to particulate size just as you suggest.

If your fertilizer is fully soluble, there are no “particles” to clog anything. If you go with the “feed every watering” regimen, you’ll want that solution to be really dilute, maybe 10 ppm N, so I doubt it’s ever going to be a problem.

Ray how do I do this with the kelp max and the probiotic and stuff? I know kelp max is only supposed to be used once a month, and my quantum probiotic every 21 days. I use MSU feed me at diluted strength every week except kelp max week. Can you tell me how I would give them all these things using this daily misting system at 10ppm?

I would simply use a hand sprayer for supplements. They can certainly be mixed with the fertilizer solution - any 2 or all 3 - but you really only want to mix what you'll use at a treatment.

Thank you so much for your help. Now I have a spray bottle not a hand sprayer. Would it work to just mist all the plants with the supplements like the probiotic, or do I need to drench the roots like I do now? I’ve heard misting is not always as effective as a full drench

Spray the plants AND the roots and let them decide...