How to save my orchid?

[starwave]

Originally Posted by Roberta

The circled part is just an older root. The velamin is somewhat shriveled. No harm, it looks like you have plenty of good roots. but to take the photo did you take it out of the pot? Please put it back in the pot and leave it alone... With fresh medium, you won't need to repot it for a year or so with sphagnum, bark would last longer. The roots need to become accustomed to their new home.

No, I didn’t take it out. The picture was taken a week before. I just want to show that red circled part now has white short hair on, something looks likes mold. A little worried about that…

[Roberta]

No worries, it looks normal

[starwave]

I have this fertilizer for azalea. I just found that orchid is also in its list. Can I use this one? Is this better than all purpose.
I also found that miracle gro has orchid food, npk is 30-10-10. Is that one the best?
Which fertilizer do you use?

[Roberta]

Fertilizer is the least important item in orchid culture. Yes orchids need minerals to build cell walls, etc. A very little tiny bit, because they grow slowly. Think of fertilizer as "vitamins" rather than "food"... orchids, like all green plants, make their own food - the carbs - by photosynthesis. So... that azalea fertilizer will work, but the challenge is to dilute it enough to not harm the orchid, which needs much less than most plants. So if it says 1 teaspoon per gallon, use about 1/4 teaspoon per gallon. Fertilizers designed for orchids are probably better. If you are using tap water, a balanced fertilizer (all 3 number the same) is a good bet, at about half whatever it says on the label. I am assuming that you are using tap water (which is fine for most orchids... there are some species that are fussy and need very pure water, that isn't what you are growing) Just keep in mind that whatever you use, it needs to be dilute.

[Dimples]

If you already own the azalea fertilizer, do as R said and use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.

All fertilizers are made of the same basic ingredients. There’s some differences in the type of nitrogen, some formulas are complete and some lack stuff, but the average grower isn’t going to notice much difference between formulas. The different is primarily marketing. Use what you have until you run out before you buy another product.