Keikis for sure, after using keiki paste.

[Queenslander]

Haha, I knew these were keikis, have a look now, nearly 3 months later. The first picture is v. clear, second one a little hazy, but they both have leaves. These 2 are on the one stem. I finally cut the flowers off this Phal. in Sept. when I applied the keiki paste. I know this is stressful for this poor chid, it flowered for me for 6 months. Should I keep up the bloom booster, or nitrogen based fertilizer? I don't want to lose the keikis as this is a beautiful harlequin Phal.

[camille1585]

I would just use the standard fert, you don't need bloom booster for keikis. And the plant would probably appreciate the extra nitrogen to help the babies grow.

[Queenslander]

Thanks, Camille, just the once a week regime, or fortnightly?

[camille1585]

How do you normally fertilize, and how much? I do the weakly-weekly thing (125ppm of nitrogen for 3 out of 4 waterings, and flushing out with plain water the 4th watering).

[Queenslander]

Camille, I'm wondering what the 125ppm is? Chemistry not my strongpoint. But WEEK1, I use a higher nitrogen WEEK2 I am starting to use Worm Tea; WEEK 3 higher phosphorus WEEK 4 flushing with water. This is my fert. programme for orchids in shadehouse. My Phals. in bathroom, depending on season, mainly nitrogen in the resting season here in Australia (which is now) and begin with phosphorus in about Feb.

[camille1585]

PPM is parts per million, and it's used to indicate how much of a nutrient is in the fertilizer. One view on fertilizing is the starve and binge method, where the orchids get a strong dose of fertilizer once a month or so, then only water. The other view (which is more and more widely adopted) is weakly-weekly, were you give a reduced amount of fertilizer nearly every watering, which is more consistent with how plants would be fed in the wild. In that case too much fertilizer all the time would lead to salt burns. For orchids with average nutrition needs (phals, oncs, dens and some other groups. A good value to aim for at each watering is 125ppm Nitrogen.
Ray has a great calculator on his website that allows you to plug in the starting value of nitrogen, the target ppm N, and then it gives you the teaspoons or ml to add per gallon/liter. Fertilizer PPM Calculator (scroll to bottom of page)
For example my fert is a NPK 5-6-7. At 125ppm N I need roughly 2,5ml of fert per liter of water.

[Queenslander]

Thanks Camille, wonderful help. I will certainly download that info. onto document, for my orchid album. You do contribute good posts. Keep it up for us newbies. Bye
Annette