Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi with black spots on leaves

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by Tcc85

Wow Shadeflower, this is quite an experiment you are preforming!

I kind of gave up and am not bothered by freckles any more. I would say I am merely curious.
My fertilising schedule is not optimal I must say because I frequently forget to fertilise. However when I do, i use a fertiliser from Schwerter Orchideenzucht and I've been pleased with the results so far. My P. japonica is putting on a 4th spike in a year, so I'm super excited and I guess it is satisfied with the growing conditions and nutrient (unless it's about to kick the bucket... )

P. cornu-cervi has also produced a spike, first after several years and it's been blooming since July with small stops in between. I guess it's happy?

[IMG]20210710_181406 by Click-er, on Flickr[/IMG]

The fertiliser I use has the following ratio of macronutrients: 14:7:8 and 2% of Mg, and the following micronutrients: 0.010% B, 0.015% Cu, 0.030% Fe, 0.030% Mn, 0.001% Mo, and 0.015% Zn.

I did a quick search and I can get my hands on Orchid Focus Bloom. Maybe I'll give it a try but have to create a fertilising regime and most importantly, stick to it

Why change things 8f they are working? Congrats on the blooms.

[Mr.Fakename]

Originally Posted by Tcc85

P. cornu-cervi has also produced a spike, first after several years and it's been blooming since July with small stops in between. I guess it's happy?

That's a spectacularly good looking cornu!

[Shadeflower]

woo tc, that's excellent news!

Really happy for you. But also really happy about what you have written. Your fertilizer is 14-7-8

Or 7-7-8 + 7-0-0. Ie a balanced feed with lots of N added.

I know there is a place for these kind of formulas but I just don't like it for phals.

They really are not hard but something has been stopping mine from thriving. For the first time since getting warm growing phals (like bellina, violacea, tetraspis, cornu-cervi, manni and corningiana) I feel like they are happy.

I managed to get all of them to flower previously.

Anyway, I am glad you can get hold of the orchid focus. Give it a try, it is not expensive just to try it, if it doesn't work then not a big deal but I think you will be pleasantly blown away (not just surprised)...

The micro nutrients in your fertilizer are seriously lacking.

The orchid focus will fix that. But you can get the micro's seperately, like I for example bought some trace mix from Canna too. I don't want to promote something without giving an alternative but the focus is really good, I mentioned previously that it buffers the ph of rain water too so your water is adjusted to the right range automatically.

It would be great if you try it, then give an update in a years time!

See what you think.

Ps the instructions are really easy and the right strength for adding with every watering so no adjustment of your schedule needed, just follow what is says on the label which is 2ml/liter in summer with every watering and half in winter.

[rnay1]

I would try sprinkling a little dolomite it helped my maculata with the same freckles. Just sprinkle a little on the soil every 3-4 months my spots disappeared. Lacking nutrients that the dolomite has.