Superthrive in S/H

[orchids3]

Ray, are you using this K-lite all year or do you change fertilizer over the cycle? It is my understanding that some orchids require K to develop spikes. Has anyone tried low K during the growth cycle and high K during bud/spike initiation? Not sure what you are trying to accomplish with low K unless it is to force growth but seems like a seasonal switch is in order. Is K antagonistic to N?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by orchids3

Ray, are you using this K-lite all year or do you change fertilizer over the cycle? It is my understanding that some orchids require K to develop spikes. Has anyone tried low K during the growth cycle and high K during bud/spike initiation? Not sure what you are trying to accomplish with low K unless it is to force growth but seems like a seasonal switch is in order. Is K antagonistic to N?

I tend to use one fertilizer...period. it has been K-Lite since late December.

I have not seen individual plants go through an entire growth cycle yet, but have plants in all stages, and they are all doing great.

The idea behind K-Lite is in response to recent studies suggesting that excessive potassium, whether applied-, obtained from- or accumulated in growing media, can have a negative impact on the health of plants, especially in the absence of adequate calcium and magnesium levels. In other words, K is not antagonistic to N, but it is to Ca and Mg.

[orchids3]

Could you give me the reference to the study you are quoting?
The study or report I read does say thet K is antagonistic to N, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu.
N is antagonistic to K.
It looks like it might be anvantageous to drop K during the fast growth or vegatative stage and raise it during the flowering stage - in species that have a distinct cycle that can be observed and conditions in native habitats.
I would like to study this more.