Use of alcohol in raising orchids

[kiki-do]

I didn't read every word of this thread, but I was once told that if a houseplant is sickly and you can't seem to get it to perk up, mix a tiny bit of sugar in the watering can and feed it sugar water for a few waterings. That helps in the healing of a houseplant. (Trust me, it works). Is it wrong to assume the beer is "the sugar" in that formula? I always use "used" wine corks for the bottom of all my orchid pots instead of the peanuts. They love it and attach their roots all over it. Again, there is the sugar from the soaked wine in the cork. Just my I don't have any scientific proof to any of this. An old friend, who happens to grow orchids as well as houseplants, told me about this.

[silken]

I will keep you posted. I read the patent articles as well, and it seemed that the higher amounts of methanol didn't produce better results, so I will go with 1/2 tsp. methanol to 1 gal of water with fertilizer added. I have an orchid fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 25-10-10 which I will use at its recommended dosage of 1/2 tsp to 1 gallon of water. I have already labeled all three pots, giving the poorest looking plant the methanol and fertilizer combination, so the next time they need watering they will be "under experiment".

[jcaesar]

Originally Posted by silken

I have an orchid fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 25-10-10 which I will use at its recommended dosage of 1/2 tsp to 1 gallon of water

Does your NPK fertilizer use a urea based nitrogen?...if so, the added methanol will probably not have any affect.