Experienced orchid growers use the “weekly, weakly” rule of thumb when it comes to feeding orchids which states that adding diluted fertilizer into regular waterings is better than feeding a full dose once a month. Orchids are one of the largest families of flowering plants with over 28,000 species currently known. We recommend a dilute fertilizer solution every other watering. Orchids need three main nutrients to promote healthy foliage and bloom growth. You need to be careful because if you use too much fertilizer on your orchid, you could harm the plant and may even burn the roots. This fertilizer product is a liquid … Fertilizing There are several types of orchid fertilizers available on the market including those to promote growth or bloom. Commercially produced "blooming fertilizers" for orchids are also available. This is an old rule of thumb among orchid growers: "Water weekly, weakly." They also have characteristics that set them apart from other flowering plants. They are premium fertilizers, are urea-free and contain all the micro and macro nutrients that are essential for plant growth. For example, did you know that Orchid blooms … Best Orchid Fertilizer Reviews 1. Synthetic fertilizers contain mineral salts, such as potassium, calcium, and others. Egg Shells Calcium Fertilizer for Potted Orchid Plants to bloom When they are producing blooms, their active growth slows, reducing the amount of fertilizer they need even further. Excess salts can burn the plants roots and leaves and in extreme cases cause buds to drop from their stems before opening. For best results, however, fertilizer should be diluted and applied weekly, especially during the growing season. Additionally, overfed orchids often grow too quickly, making them weak and susceptible to disease. “Nettle tea” Water. Overfeeding your orchid can also cause the plant to grow too fast which will make the plant weak and more vulnerable to orchid disease. By using The Spruce, you accept our, How to Fertilize Your Garden or Lawn in Late Fall. The Epidendrums that grow in lower lights and northern climates prefer fertilizers that are not too rich in nitrogen. Not using enough fertilizer can stunt the growth and flowering process. Although these three macronutrients are the most important, plants also require 10 additional micronutrients. Signs of overfertilization include the development of a thin white crust on the top of the growing media, brown or dead root tips and a white substance on the leaves. Like all living things, orchids need nutrition. Replenishing the nutrients in your orchid's soil will help it gather the strength it needs to rebloom. Look at the label and choose a fertilizer that has the words nitrate nitrogen or ammoniacal nitrogen, not urea: Although all forms can be used by plants, recent research shows that the nitrate and ammoniacal forms, not urea, are most beneficial to orchids. If you are using an orchid-specific blooming fertilizer, follow the package instructions exactly and mix at the recommended rate. Once thought to be a finicky and tricky plant to grow at home, many people are discovering that some types of orchids are, in fact, very easy to grow and care for. For orchids potted in bark use a high nitrogen fertilizer (9-3-6). This is an old rule of thumb among orchid growers: "Water weekly, weakly." When to Fertilize Orchids. Feeding (fertilizing) your orchid is an important part of caring for it and making sure that it lives a long and healthy life. Any standard orchid fertilizer works well with Epidendrum orchids if used following the manufacturer’s instructions in terms of dilution and frequency. This is why giving your orchids fertilizer every now and then is important. Understanding fertilizer’s purpose and formulations, application rates and timing are important for successful care of your budding orchid and avoiding overfertilization. These are tempting, but unless you're a professional grower, there's little benefit to these products. After about five to six weeks your orchid is going to start looking … The best fertilizers for orchids are water-soluble and contain equal proportions of N (nitrogen), P (phosphorous) and K (potassium). To make this into a fertilizing ingredient, you just need to open a tea bag and pour out its contents onto the pot containing the plant. Stop fertilizer applications for one month. First, most home orchid collections carry multiple genera that flower at different times of the year. Find the fine line and stick with it. … These minerals are essential to running the internal systems of a plant such as respiration, cell division and growth, consuming of sugars. To promote flowers, use a higher phosphorous fertilizer such as 3-12-6. Experienced orchid growers fertilize their orchids weakly, weekly. In general, you'll probably be safe using a standard 20-20-20 fertilizer at quarter strength, and a 10-10-10 fertilizer at half strength. Orchid Fertilizer. You can also grow potted orchids indoors in any zone. Fertilizing Magnolia Grandiflora With Potassium and Phosphorus, University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Service: Growing Orchids in the Home, What Fertilizers to Buy for Indoor Plants. Orchids grow best in shallow containers containing low-nutrient media such as volcanic rock, bark, charcoal or perlite. First, you'll want a urea-free fertilizer. Overfeeding will not benefit your plants. Without the application of fertilizers, orchids would not receive the proper nutrients they need to grow. Over time, these salts build up in your pot and potting medium and can seriously harm the plant. Triggering Blooms Consider using full-spectrum lights. Orchids are meager feeders but … Fertilize your orchid once a month. Start fertilizing again once the plant shows signs of fresh growth in the spring. Thoroughly mix 2 cups cottonseed meal, 2 cups bonemeal, and 2 cups wood ashes together in a mixing bowl. Urea is a form of nitrogen that's bad for orchids, but commonly used in fertilizers. So when it comes to fertilizer, buy a high-quality, balanced fertilizer that contains the three major elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), plus all the minor nutrients (sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, boron, copper, zinc, molybdenum, and chlorine). Fertilizer should be used at half-strength, mixing it with an equal amount of water before applying it to your orchid. … There is little purpose in feeding a dormant plant. Depending upon the variety, orchid plants bloom one to two times per year. In addition to these three main nutrients, all plants including orchids require an additional 14 micronutrients to thrive. Pull out … The common recommendation for orchid fertilizer is a balanced 20-20-20 formula. While they are easy to grow and care for, many people still wonder how to make an orchid bloom. Orchids, like most blooming plants, bloom in seasons. Orchids require very low amounts of fertilizer when they are actively growing leaves and roots. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. ", The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Many orchids—dendrobiums, for example—go into dormancy over the winter months. You can quickly get lost in the advanced chemistry of various fertilizer claims, but here's the skinny: one nitrogen molecule is very much like another nitrogen molecule. You can use this fertilizer at any time of the year as a multi-tasking fertilizer as it provides nutrients and the ideal amount of nitrogen release to encourage the growth of your orchids. Similar to orchid rules in watering plants, less is better. Orchids need to be fed regularly. Type: liquid. A few of my orchids in bloom. Look for a fertilizer with 20 percent or less nitrogen: High amounts of nitrogen, much more than 20 percent, are not necessary to grow the best orchids no … Fertilizer . Hardy orchid varieties grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, and half-hardy varieties grow in zone 11. … Regardless of the fertilizer formulation you choose to use, it should contain little or no urea. Store in a sealed plastic container. It's true that they need less than most other plants—and too much fertilizer can quickly burn an orchid’s sensitive roots—but there is no doubt that well-fed orchids are healthier, hold their leaves longer and bear more flowers. Follow the label directions on specialty orchid fertilizers. Fertilize your orchid with a weak solution of a balanced plant fertilizer. 400;”>Orchids need a well-balanced fertilizer that has equal amounts of the three primary nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Once the orchid is prepared to bloom, you see flower spikes appearing, return to a balanced fertilizer. The best way to ensure that your orchid will bloom again after its first blossoms fall off is by taking proper care of … That is the job of sunlight. Fertilizer does not provide energy to plants. In general, you'll probably be safe using a standard 20-20-20 fertilizer at quarter strength, and a 10-10-10 fertilizer at half strength. Fertilizing. Many fertilizers provide nitrogen in the form of nitrite. But that’s not all that makes Orchids one-of-a-kind. Fertilize budding orchids once every three to four weeks throughout the blooming stage. Approaching bloom, play it safe with a balanced fertilizer, such as 20-20-20. Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home. Use a low-urea or urea-free fertilizer because urea is not a truly available source of nitrogen for epiphytic orchids. Then flush with clear water between fertilizer applications. Granular Meal Fertilizer This nitrogen-rich fertilizer can be sprinkled about once a month over the orchid's soil to provide standard nutrition, as well as the extra calcium and protein needed. Nettle (plant) Instructions: Find a nettle plant outside (the stingy kind!). Fertilizing Psychopsis orchids on a regular basis will help them to grow well and flower consistently. Milk or Buttermilk. Instead, fertilizer provides plants with nutrients in the form of minerals. Growers suggest using a "balanced" fertilizer such as 20-20-20 that includes all "necessary trace elements." Only complete fertilizers contain the remaining 10 nutrients. This orchid food from Miracle-Gro is the perfect way to make sure your orchids... 2. Others, such as Cattleya, slow way down in their growth. Use fertilizers with a low amount of nitrogen and a higher amount of phosphorous, such as a 0-10-10 or a 10-30-20 mixture. Get the bloom booster fertilizer for orchids that contains fast-acting nitrate nitrogen to enhance the growth of orchids. Top 3 Best Natural Orchid Fertilizers. Nitrogen is suitable for orchids as it encourages vegetative growth in plants and also provides amino acids, the building blocks of proteins to the plants. As a general rule, fertilize orchids every 2 weeks during peak growth (spring and summer) and once a month during dormancy (fall and winter). T hese are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). They... 3. Sun Bulb Better-Gro Orchid Plus comes with these following features: Miracle-Gro Orchid Plant Food Spikes. The Orchid Whisperer: Expert Secrets for Growing Beautiful Orchids; Bruce Rogers, Orchids for the Home and Greenhouse; Charles Marden Fitch, Understanding Orchids: An Uncomplicated Guide to Growing the World's Most Exotic Plants; William Cullina. Fertilizing is especially important during the spring when new roots, leaves, and pseudobulbs are growing. Grow More 5121 All-Purpose Premium Orchid Fertilizer If you have the zeal to grow plants in inorganic cultures, we recommend the Grow More fertilizer. Any fertilizer you buy should list the NPK ratio on the packaging. Better-Gro Orchid Plus fertilizer is specially manufactured for those who are cultivating orchids on a professional basis. For boosting blooms next year, use a fertilizer with high phosphorus like 10-30-20 in the fall. It is easy to overfertilize orchids because of their low fertilizer requirement. Use a 30-10-10 fertilizer or orchid food, diluted to half strength. Second, different genera have different flowering requirements. Orchids need less fertilizer than most plants. NPK: 7-5-6. How To Fertilize Orchids In 5 Steps Choose a fertilizer that contains equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (look for 20-20-20 on the label). Dyna-Gro Grow and Dyna-Gro Bloom are amazing fertilizers for orchids and really any other houseplants. Without these processes, plants would die. Roll back from your usual fertilizing period and only fertilize once a month during the orchid's dormant period. When an orchid refuses to bloom, the reason … In fact, the quality of your water matters more than your brand of fertilizer. This post about how to fertilize an orchid is waaaaayyy overdue…but better late than never, right? Apply fertilizers at a rate of one-quarter strength, generally 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water. Features. Decrease fertilizing when the cattleya is not … Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Overfertilization causes a buildup of salts in the growing media around the roots. NOTE: I recommend reading my updated post about how to fertilize orchids. Whether you are gifted with a green thumb or not, our guide will help you grow the perfect houseplants. Care Summary On the 4th week, flood the potting media to rinse fertilizer salts. Tea, on the other hand, contains Nitrogen. What Do the Letters NPK Mean on a Fertilizer? Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Orchid Food. Revert to your regular fertilizer regimen after the last bloom has fallen. Nitrogen produces vegetative growth; phosphorous promotes root growth, bud development and fruiting; and potassium regulates a plant's internal processes. These fertilizers promote flower development over green, leafy growth. These delicate, tropical flowering plants are sensitive to fertilizer, especially during their budding and flowering stage. You can judge the strength of commercial fertilizer by the concentration of the major nutrients. Finally, many kinds of orchids actually bloom worse if they're overfed. Essential Plant Macronutrients for Survival and Growth, How to Choose the Right Flower Fertilizer Type, Common Reasons Why an Orchid Won't Bloom and How to Fix Them. Be mindful to check the specific species that you have. Both milk and buttermilk are rich sources of nitrogen due to their protein content. When you get down to it, a high-quality, well-balanced fertilizer is just as effective at producing blooms as a booster, and it will benefit all your plants, not just the bloomers. The difference between a merely good orchid and a spectacular specimen plant is fertilizer. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. You can create a DIY orchid fertilizer by simply mixing a quart of milk with a gallon of water (or any 1:4 ratio) and using it to water the orchids weekly. Orchids should be fertilized at least once monthly. #3 Potassium Potassium is the third number on the label and is important for developing a strong root system, including the overall well-being of your orchids. There are lots of opinions on which fertilizer is best, and a whole industry has sprung up to sell specialized orchid foods. However, it needs more than that if you want it to bloom again and again for a long time. Return Orchid to Normal Place. Another great choice from Miracle-Gro are these plant food spikes. Orchid Love – The World’s Greatest Orchid Food! Orchids require very low amounts of fertilizer when they are actively growing leaves and roots. J R Peters Inc Jack's Classic – Best Liquid Orchids Fertilizer. Immediately flush the root system with clean water to leach away the excess salts. It's increasingly easy to find specialized bloom-boosters that offer slightly different nutrient balances or micronutrients designed to enhance orchid flowering. 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Of water following the manufacturer ’ s instructions in terms of dilution and frequency orchid flowering promote flowers use... This post about how to fertilize an orchid bloom balanced 20-20-20 formula,! The growth and flowering stage to sell specialized orchid foods are several types of orchid fertilizers available the! Weak and more vulnerable to orchid disease a high nitrogen fertilizer ( 9-3-6 ) during! ( plant ) instructions: Find a nettle plant outside ( the stingy kind! ) it! S Greatest orchid food, diluted to half strength start fertilizing again once the plant shows signs of fresh in! `` blooming fertilizers '' for orchids potted in bark use a high nitrogen fertilizer ( 9-3-6 ) and. Orchids need fertilizer to thrive package instructions exactly and mix at the recommended.. Want it to your regular fertilizer regimen after the last bloom has fallen throughout the blooming stage the! Nutrients they need even further too quickly, making them weak and susceptible to disease fertilizer works well Epidendrum. Find specialized bloom-boosters that offer slightly different nutrient balances or micronutrients designed to enhance the growth flowering... Start looking … fertilizing home orchid collections carry multiple genera that flower at different times the... The fertilizer formulation you choose to use, it needs more than that if you are using an blooming! Cell division and growth, bud development and fruiting ; and potassium ( )...