How to Use Orchid Fertilizer
It can actually harm your orchids more to give them too much orchid fertilizer than to give them too little. Usually, orchids don’t need as much fertilizer as other plants. Truthfully, an orchid can live a happy life without the addition of extra nutrients. However, if you provide the correct quantity of orchid fertilizer at the right time, it can promote a stronger and healthier orchid.
Personally, I don’t like to worry over fertilizing my orchids, so I go by the plan that I call “weakly weekly”. After reading the label, I only provide the orchid with 1/4 or 1/2 of the amount of fertilizer suggested every week. Then once a month, I’ll water my orchids without adding any orchid fertilizer in order to wash away excess minerals that have collected in their pots. During times when my orchids are not growing actively, such as the winter, I don’t fertilize them at all. It’s during these times that orchids don’t require any additional nutrients.
Most types of orchids fall under the epiphyte category. An epiphyte will grow on a living tree, wrapping its roots around branches and letting them hang in the air. These kinds of plants get their nutrients from dead leaves, dust and bird droppings washed down by rainwater, In these conditions, available minerals pass by very quickly and only in small amounts.
Because of this orchids have developed the ability to subsist on a very low amount of nutrients. Orchids that live on rocks are called lithophytes, and have also developed the ability to be efficient with their food supply.
Orchids that grow on the ground, or terrestrial orchids, use their roots like most other plans and so they always have access to a mineral rich source. Because of this they are used to having and absorbing more nutrients. Terrestrial orchids require a higher amount of orchid fertilizer than lithophyte or epiphyte orchids.
However, keep in mind that overfeeding any orchid can cause it to die. Even if your orchid doesn’t die, you can cause permanent damage. Orchids which are overfed can develop an excessive amount of flowerless leads, be unnaturally brittle, or grow no flowers. You can also cause the roots of the orchid to burn and die.
An orchid without roots cannot absorb the nutrients or water that it needs and will dehydrate. Miltonia and Cymbidium orchids with thin leaves can also develop burnt tips. If this is happening to your plants make sure you flush out their pots, this will wash away the excess minerals. If your orchid is seriously damage, it is wise to completely re-pot it.
There are seven micronutrients and nine macronutrients that an orchid needs to be healthy. Macronutrients are generally required in greater amounts than other nutrients. Micronutrients are only required in very minimal quantities, but they are still essential to good orchid health as they serve as catalysts in vital chemical reactions.
Orchid Fertilizer Nutrients:
Macronutrients
- Hydrogen (H) – food production
- Carbon (C) – food production
- Oxygen (O) – food production
- Nitrogen (N) – leave and stem growth
- Phosphorus (P) – flower production
- Potassium (K) – general good health and orchid issue building
- Calcium (Ca) – cell wall formation and cell activity regulation
- Sulfur (S) – combined with nitrogen and phosphorus to produce proteins
- Magnesium (Mg) – part of chlorophyll molecule and thus for producing food
Micronutrients
- Iron (Fe)
- Manganese (Mn)
- Zinc (Zn)
- Copper (Cu)
- Boron (B)
- Molybdenum (Mo)
- Chlorine (Cl)
Water and air provide all of the oxygen, carbon and hydrogen that an orchid needs, so these are not necessary components of a good fertilizer. A majority of orchid fertilizers will not incorporate micronutrients as they’re regularly found in potting mix and water. Because of this, a good orchid fertilizer will only have magnesium, sulfur, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.
If you are relying on natural rain or a reverse osmosis water to water your plants you’ll want to find an orchid fertilizer that has all the needed macro and micronutrients included. As mentioned before, tap water contains trace amounts of the micronutrients orchids need. Most orchid fertilizers will only contain potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Make sure that you closely examine the ingredients of any orchid fertilizer before buying it.
If you want to learn more about orchid fertilizer, I’ve put together a free step-by-step email mini-course that will give you all of the essentials of orchid care so that you can get started right away and grow breathtaking orchids every time.
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