Fertilizing orchids at home

Phalaenopsis orchids, native to the humid tropics, are most often grown indoors. To ensure this southern beauty thrives, conditions should be created that mimic its natural habitat as closely as possible. Proper fertilization and feeding are essential during and after flowering. Improper care and feeding can lead to stunted growth, disease, or even death.

Orchid needs

In nature, epiphytes don't require soil; they exist suspended in the air, feeding on rainwater, air, fallen leaves, and tree bark. Coniferous bark is an ideal substrate for orchids, containing all the plant's nutrients.

Over time, the plant's nutritional value diminishes, requiring additional fertilizers. Growth, development, and flowering require minerals such as magnesium, bromine, iron, sulfur, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and a vitamin complex. Phosphorus is involved in the formation of flower stalks and is essential for abundant and long-lasting flowering. Nitrogen fertilizers help build green mass. Potassium regulates water supply, retains moisture within cells, and prevents the plant from drying out. This element increases resistance to diseases and insects.

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Do orchids need to be fed at home?

Every day, an orchid's root system absorbs nutrients from the soil. If there's a lack of nutrients, growth stops and flower stalks fail to appear. During watering, nutrients leak out through the holes in the pot along with the water. Therefore, indoor orchids require periodic feeding. Both organic and mineral nutrients are essential for plant development.

A lack of nutrients causes a disease called chlorosis. Photosynthesis in the leaves is disrupted, causing them to turn yellow and fall off. The plant stops growing and developing.

Orchids respond better to liquid fertilizer; granules and solids are also used; they take longer to be absorbed than liquid fertilizers. Tablets or sticks are much less effective and don't produce results.

Type of fertilizer for orchids

There are root and foliar feeding methods, as well as soaking the plant in a nutrient mixture. Root feeding is done once every 7 days after the soil has been moistened. The preparation is diluted in water and watered using a watering can onto the substrate in a circle around the pot.

Foliar feeding is used in cases of rhizome damage or during flowering. Avoid spraying in hot weather. For foliar feeding, dilute the fertilizer to a third of the recommended strength. Spray the foliage with a spray bottle, repeating the procedure every 10 days. Ensure there is no standing water at the growing point. Avoid spraying flowers or the base of shoots. Use warm water (30°C).

When soaking, add water to the container and dilute the fertilizer. The pot is first immersed in warm, clean water for 20 minutes, then transferred to the fertilizer solution, leaving the plant in it for 30 minutes. Remove the container from the liquid, allow the water to drain and dry, and then return the plant to its original location.

When to feed an orchid at home

Fertilizing frequency: twice a month. During bud formation, stop root feeding, but spraying once a week during flowering is permitted. During flowering, the orchid stores all the necessary nutrients and begins to use them for bud formation.

Feeding time:

• they begin to feed flowers in the spring;
• For long-lasting and abundant flowering of orchids, fertilizers are applied 2 weeks before the buds appear;
• After purchase and replanting, 2 months must pass before the first feeding, the first time the dose of the preparation should be minimal;
• feeding is stopped before flowering and resumed after flowering;
• fertilize during the growing period;
• Feed flowers if there are signs of a lack of nutrients.

When you shouldn't feed an orchid:

• in the dormant stage;
• during the budding period;
• after transplanting a plant into another pot or moving it to another location, at this time the flower experiences stress and the substances are not absorbed;
• You cannot fertilize a blooming orchid; feeding orchids during flowering can cause bud shedding;
• if the tropical beauty is sick or infested with insects;
• a flower just bought;
• in temperatures above 30*C and below 16-17*C.

Fertilizers

Liquid fertilizers are used for fertilizing orchids at home. These fertilizers contain essential macro- and microelements. succinic acid, vitamins. When purchasing a product, look for the label "Orchid Fertilizer." The minerals contained in it prevent salt deposits in the substrate and maintain a certain soil acidity.

Organic fertilizers for orchid flowering

Manufacturers produce organic supplements for orchids in the form of humates and vermicompost. These supplements are harmful to epiphytes. Humic acids restore the microflora that decomposes organic matter. Therefore, bark and moss quickly deteriorate and become unusable. It's better to use organic supplements made from natural ingredients, homemade.

Horse manure, or cow dung, is dissolved in water at a ratio of 1:10 and used to water the plants. Dry manure is also used; it is spread on the surface of the substrate and absorbed during watering. Orchids are fed banana peels, compost, garlic water, potato broth, and wood ash.

Popular mineral supplements

Add liquid mineral fertilizer carefully and only when necessary. Reduce the concentration by 3-5 times the recommended dose to avoid burning the roots. Use a growth stimulant only for healthy plants.

The best fertilizer for orchids:

• Zircon strengthens roots and promotes bud formation. Dilute 1 ml of zircon per bucket of water.
• Epin is a rhizome development stimulant. It supports the immune system and is a source of vitamins. It is used for immersion and irrigation.
• Agricola is a thick, water-soluble root nutrition fertilizer for lush flowering. Add 5 ml of the product to 1 liter of water and water according to the instructions twice a month.
• Bona Forte – ensures long-lasting flowering and helps renew lateral growth. Add 10 ml of product per 15 liters of water.
• Dr. Foley – contains vitamins and amino acids. Use 1-2 times per month.
• Brexil Combi – helps with chlorosis, contains iron and other minerals. Add 5 ml of product to a bucket of water.

Other preparations for feeding orchids for flowering:

• Substral;
• Greenworld;
• Etisso;
• Compo;
• Master;
• Fasco;
• Pokon;
• Joy;
• Ideal;
• Effect;
• Flower paradise.

In addition to complex fertilizers, growth stimulants are used. They enhance the effect of mineral preparations, helping to accelerate growth and promote root development.

Growth stimulants:

1. Kornevin stimulates root development. Mix 5 grams of powder with 5 liters of water, watering once a month.
2. Florhumate is a broad-spectrum product that increases flowering time, stimulates root growth, and improves disease resistance. Use 10 ml of product per 1 liter of water.
3. Peat oxidate, a humic substance, accumulates vitamins and minerals in the substrate, removes toxins from orchids, and nourishes cells. Dilute 40 ml of the product per 10 liters of water.

Fertilizing orchids with folk remedies

It's easy to prepare nutritious orchid cocktails at home using natural ingredients. These can be easily made with household items or from the store. This nutrition is healthy and environmentally friendly, rich in minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Garlic infusions help fight insects and kill harmful microorganisms.

Banana

Banana peels are rich in micronutrients. They contain ample potassium, essential for flower development. To encourage orchid blooms, fertilize your orchid with banana-based fertilizer once a month.

Tea recipe:

• the peel is dried for 2-3 days in a dark, dry place;
• crushed to a powder mass;
• a spoon of banana raw material is diluted in a liter of water;
• mix thoroughly;
• leave to infuse for 2 days;
• the liquid is filtered;
• dilute 1:2 with warm water, mix, water the flowers.

Potato broth

Potatoes are an organic plant food. The decoction should not be left overnight; use only fresh.

Recipe for var:

• potatoes are washed and peeled;
• the peelings are poured with boiling water and left to cool;
• when the temperature of the liquid reaches 30-35*C, it is filtered;
• Water the flowers with the decoction once every 10 days.

Fern root

Common fern roots are collected in the forest. They are washed in a potassium permanganate solution to disinfect them, then rinsed in clean water. The roots are mixed with pine bark at a ratio of 1:2, and flowers are planted in the substrate. Fern root tea can be made.

Making tea:

• washed roots are put to boil for 2-3 minutes;
• dilute the product with clean water until it reaches the consistency of light tea;
• added during watering.

Onion broth

Onion peels contain all the nutrients orchids need, but don't overuse them. The infusion should be used fresh and not reused.

Recipe:

• a handful of onion peels are boiled in 1 liter of water for 10 minutes;
• leave to cool;
• dilute with water until light in color;
• Flowers are watered at the roots twice a month.

Aloe

The medicinal plant grows on a windowsill in your apartment; you can borrow it from a neighbor or buy aloe juice at a pharmacy. Aloe is a natural growth stimulant. This remedy is only used on mature plants over 3 years old.

Recipe:

• aloe leaves are washed;
• squeeze out the juice;
• dilute with water 1:10;
• Water the orchid once a week.

Sugar, tea, ash

If a plant has lost its rhizome due to disease or drought, feeding it glucose will help it recover faster. Dissolve a glucose tablet in 1 liter of water, add a spoonful of sugar, and stir. Wipe the leaves with the solution and apply compresses. Yeast can be added to the sugar water, left for 24 hours, and then watered twice a year.

Don't throw away black tea leaves after drinking them. Simply pour boiling water over the remaining tea leaves, let them steep, and then pour the warm infusion under the flowers' roots.

Coniferous tree ash is used. It's rich in microelements. Dissolve 150 grams of ash in 1 liter of water and water the roots once a month.

Rules for fertilizing orchids

To avoid burning the roots with fertilizer, water the plant or soak it in clean water. For feeding, all preparations should be diluted with water in small doses—3-4 times less than indicated on the label.

When using a new product for the first time, first perform a leaf test. Apply the diluted product to the leaf blade and check for a reaction after an hour. If a spot appears or the leaf color changes, the product is not suitable for use as a fertilizer.

For watering, use warm, settled, clean, chlorine-free water. Melt and rainwater heated to 30°C are also used.

Tips for Feeding Orchids

Certain care rules and conditions will help avoid problems and harm to your orchid. The flower should be kept in a comfortable condition to ensure longer blooms and more frequent flower stalks.

Tips for feeding:

• use complex preparations for phalaenopsis;
• You cannot use a concentrated product, only a diluted one;
• soil acidity levels 5-7 pH;
• flowers with weakened immunity are not fed;
• sick plants are treated first, and only after a month are they given food again;
• If the orchid has been blooming for several months, it needs rest and a break; you cannot stimulate the formation of flower branches again;
• It is not recommended to use root and foliar feeding at the same time; an interval of 7-10 days is left between them;
• organic matter is not added if the bush has at least 6 leaves;
• Mineral and organic additives are used alternately so as not to harm the plant.

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Reviews

Margarita, Khabarovsk

My orchid is four years old. It bloomed twice a year without any problems. This time, buds appeared on the flower stalk, but they all fell off. The flower looked healthy. I was advised to turn the plant so it faces the other direction, water it more often, and feed it with a complex fertilizer. New buds have appeared on the old stalk, so I hope all will be well.

Violetta, Moscow

I bought an orchid with large burgundy flowers and couldn't be happier. Suddenly, the flowers started wilting, and I didn't know what to do. I pulled the plant out of the pot and saw a small peat cup. I removed it, trimmed the damaged roots, sprinkled it with charcoal, and put it back in the pot. The flower revived, and new buds appeared. They advised me to hold off on fertilizing until after flowering.

Tamara, Saratov

I recently started feeding my orchid, even though it's over four years old. I was wondering when I could fertilize it and what to use. Flower stalks hadn't appeared for six months, and the old ones had dried up. After feeding it with Agricola, two flower stalks appeared within a month and a half, one of which already has buds.

Properly selected fertilizers will provide your tropical orchid with the necessary nutrition for a long time. Timely fertilization will help prevent diseases and bud drop. The key is to avoid overfeeding. By following proper feeding guidelines, phalaenopsis orchids will bloom long and profusely, growing roots and foliage.