Orchid feeding question

[Baz in Oz]

A knowledgeable orchid grower/breeder told me orchids absorbed nutrients through their leaves rather than through their roots.
Was he having a loan of me or is this a fact?

Baz

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Whoa!!!

You won't believe what I just found!

Read this...

The physiology of tropical orchids ... - Google Books

[Baz in Oz]

Thank you for that Your Majesty. A very interesting read.
I think I will play it safe and continue to give both leaves and roots a little sustenance PLUS the underside of the leaves.
The final results of the research will be interesting.

Baz

[natasha]

i'm from malaysia and was advised by nursery people to spray foliar fertilizers on the leaves and flowers if any. also squirt some to the roots and medium. there are two types, one is for growth and another to induce flowering. i was also advised to put some sheep manure pellets on the medium. i also have tried chicken manure pellets but its just too smelly and i stopped. however, i read that now guano (bat droppings) are the 'in' thing. not too bad, since they have more stuf there than just NPK. i'm going to try guano too...

btw, usually, spraying on the leaves and flower will spoil its appearance with white residue. i just drench the plants the day after. and yeah, advised to spray in the late afternoon before night fall.

[Baz in Oz]

I heard of a grower years ago who was a phally phreak who fertilized his plants with fresh chicken manure, so fresh it was almost still steaming.
His plants grew like weeds - until they all died.
Maybe he was on the right track but, as Maxwell Smart said, "Missed by that much".

Baz

[natasha]

ok, i should say 'processed manure' which should be bought at nurseries or markets...

unprocessed ones may carry seeds of weed. some reads also recommends putting the pellets in muslin cloths, to avoid the fibers from clogging the medium. but i think thats too much hassle...

also, just use little only, since i heard some people say animal manure is 'hot' and may stress the plant