Watering schedule? homemade orchid food? - Orchid Board

jh0330u · #1 10-15-2016, 04:34 AM

Hello, please share your watering schedule/techniques as I am new, confused, unsure, and unexperienced. If you could share any homemade fertilizing techniques it would be greatly appreciated as well!

I have a white moth phalaenopsis orchid currently suspending in air over water. The plant was originally struggling from severe root rot in sphagnum moss but through open air ventilation, less waterings, it seems the rotting has been contained.

I live in Vancouver, Canada where it is very rainy (common vancouver winter/fall weather) but it feels very dry in humidity. In a matter of few hours after watering, all the roots are completely silver.

I think my phal will eventually need some more nutrition especially while recovering from mass root loss. So I've decided to make something to add nutrition to my phal's diet.

careforyourorchids.com/Homemade-Orchid-Fertilizer-Recipes.html stated that:
-Nitrogen is for foliage, stem and shoot growth.
-Phosphorous aids healthy root growth.
-Potassium promotes flowering.

-also calcium seems to be important as well.
-magnesium as well

My Watering Schedule
I alternate from running tap water through the roots and soaking tips and up to 1/4 of roots in tap water for roughly 30min daily.

My plan:
Although I want higher levels of phosphorous, if I am correct, all those nutrients and others are all still important and beneficial.

Ingredients (with nutritional ratios according to each individual ingredient where available):
-water from cleaning rice (nitrogen from tap water, calcium and traces of other nutrients)
-dried kelp (?nitrogen, 4calcium, 3magnesium, 1phosphorus, and 2potassium) (nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2617/2)
-dried sardines!!! (?nitrogen, 1calcium, 4phosphorus!!, 2potassium) (Anchovy Nutrition Information - Eat This Much)
-green tea bag (nitrogen)

I could add sugars, chicken bones, and other ingredients but I want to keep my phosphorus levels relatively high so I will keep it at just this.

First, I will lightly boil dried sardines and kelp in a pot then remove the water to ensure I rid of any salt. I will then add water which I used to clean my rice and boil. I will boil as long as I think I can get something out of the sardines or kelp. I will dip the green tea bag in for a few minutes before cooling. I will remove all of the solids and move the concoction into a container and let still for a few days (I will most likely leave the lid loosely on top).

I believe I should also be vigilant of over-fertilizing and burning roots. It will depend on how concentrated my fertilizer looks but I plan to begin by diluting my homemade mix at a 1:6 ratio with water and soak the roots in the diluted solution for roughly 30-60min every 2-3 days (with tap water misting in between and flushing every month as needed). Also making the fertilizer slowly more concentrated over 2 weeks maybe up to stronger ratio.

Four Questions
1) Does my watering schedule seem okay? (I know by using medium my phal will require much less attention but currently, I don't mind)
2) Does my homemade orchid fertilizer food and logic surrounding orchid nutrition seem okay?
3) What is an acceptable concentration of N-K-P so I can roughly determine what a safe concentration of my feeding can be? (I have a feeling though that each plant is going to have different tolerances. However, I don't even know what scale is acceptable for orchid roots)
4) What is an acceptable pH?
Lacks orchid data but 6.1pH should be safe

estación seca · #2 10-15-2016, 05:24 AM

Start reading here

Feeding and Watering - First Rays LLC

jh0330u · #3 10-15-2016, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estación seca

Start reading here

Feeding and Watering - First Rays LLC

Thanks for the link, that was quite the read. I don't know how I missed this section from First Rays. I am surprised how acidic fertilized water absorbed by plants in general should be.

I don't have a alkalinity test kit nor EC test kit, I will only be able to test the pH. Since my phals have no medium and therefore no leachings, hopefully, measuring the pH before soaking times will be suffice.

I also ready that in commercial nurseries, using high phosphorus fertilizers has pretty much stopped but I believe this is because of general consumer demands (looks rather than health; leaves/flower than roots).

It seems the water during feedings should be above 60degrees Fahrenheit or 16degrees celsius. Meaning Room temperatures should be fine.

Also, I now understand that the molecular state of the N-K-P is very important but I also know that various random molecules with those elements will be present so, I expect my fertilizer to definitely be better than tap water.

It seems nitrogen is a very important nutrient for plants in general. However for now, I still think that high phosphorus nutrition would be beneficial to promote root growth at the moment. However, in the future, I will definitely add more nitrogen to my fertilizer mix.

jcec1 · #4 10-15-2016, 08:05 AM

I use off the shelf Miracle Gro and a seaweed extract for my orchids, and they do just fine. It's a lot less work than buying dried sardines, and mixing in chicken bones etc. It will be consistent, the packaging gives you dilution rates and will not go off. As long as it is not too concentrated a solution, it's not going to make a huge difference to the plant, if the concentration or ph of your fertilizer solution varies a little. Yes, room temperature water will be better than too cold, but no need for the thermometer to measure it. You're looking after an orchid, not conducting a scientific experiment, so best get a watering and feeding schedule that the plant responds well to and keep a watch for any further deterioration.

iHeartOrchids.com · #5 10-19-2016, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

First, there is no such thing as an orchid "watering schedule". Your plants need to be watered when they are ready, and neither too early nor too late. The rates of water absorption and retention will probably be different for each plant. Follow the plant's lead.

True, there is no such thing as a 'watering schedule' when it comes to Orchids.

I have Phals in bark mix, in coconut husk mix and in S/H. Some are in plastic pots with the holes only on the bottom. Some are in slotted pots, and the others are in S/H.

Depending on the media used, the type and size of pot, as well as current temperatures and humidity levels, all these factors will determine when to water. The color of the roots are the best indicator, as well as the weight of the pot!

My pots are obviously heavier after they've been watered, so I've learned to gauge the weight of them when they are ready to be watered...they become lighter in weight.

Hope this helps!

Ray · #6 10-19-2016, 07:39 PM

I subscribed to the same philosophy.

When I had to water 1000 orchids in the greenhouse before going to work, it was a chore. I evolved the overall approach to potting and mounting, changing things until each plant would get what it needed at all times. When one plant needed to be watered, they all did.

Boy! Does that simplify watering!