fertilizing in spring

[BradGC]

Well spring is finally here and my vandas have come to life again... They're all getting their healthy green root tips back.
I've started giving my vandas some nitrosol and seaweed extract. But I was wondering, for the vandas that are already a large flowering size, should I start giving them a generous amount of flowering fertilizer now or should I wait till its more into summer?

[HighSeas]

I don't give my Vanda's anything different in the spring. I just use the same fertilizer which has a higher Nitrogen %. I used to buy "Bloom Boosters" back in the day. Bloom Boosters have a higher Phosphorus content than Nitrogen. They don't work. I once thought they did but quit using them years ago and my orchids blooming patterns haven't skipped a beat.

[BradGC]

Ok, interesting to know. I've recently heard another vanda grower say the same thing, he only uses one balanced fertilizer and gets a better result

[AussieVanda]

Whereas I'm the opposite, I only use bloom boosters and once a month or once every 2 months I MAY use a bio based fertiliser like seaweed/fish mix just to change the plants routine a little. My thoughts are that if it is at flowering size with decent roots then I don't need to keep going with the nitrogen nearly as much. Nothing wrong with my blooms either, I quite frequently get multiple blooms throughout the year with good consistency for double spikers. My growth is still solid with good rates of root and leaf growth. My current mix is 15, 3 and 25 (manutec) but I'm about to start alternating with a 5, 20 and 17 (horticultural solutions).

[CR7cristiano]

Eh....fertilize as usual, a balanced fertilizer or one formulated for tropical growing. Either way, as long as they are flowering size plants, fertilize them regularly; daily if you like. Of course please to water first then fertilize; wouldn't want you having any salt build-up now.
Thats what I do, and I never not have flowers year round.
My Vandas are super happy, or so they show me.
You better get to it, its active growth season for you!

[tucker85]

I agree, use a 'grow formula' fertilizer not a 'bloom formula' fertilizer. My vandas are hanging 'bare root' so I fertilize twice a week during the spring and summer growing season. Once every two weeks I add seaweed extract to the fertilizer mix. I actually think that 'bloom booster' fertilizer works on some orchids but I don't think it has any affect at all on vandas and tests have shown that it has no affect on phals either.