# Getting enough Nitrogen?



## RNCollins (Dec 16, 2014)

I fertilize my orchids once a week. I usually alternate between K-Lite (12-1-1) and Dyna-Gro Orchid Pro (7-8-6). The weeks that I am using the Dyna-Gro, do you think my orchids are getting enough Nitrogen? My orchids leaves are all a healthy looking green color...


----------



## gonewild (Dec 16, 2014)

The answer to your question depends on how strong you make the fertilizer. 
But if they look good the the answer can be 'yes'.
If you are asking is it the perfect amount, not too little or not too much then you need to provide more info.


----------



## RNCollins (Dec 16, 2014)

K-Lite: 40 ppm N
Dyna-Gro: 23 ppm N

Is that too low for once a week? I use R/O water.


----------



## Erythrone (Dec 16, 2014)

It depends also on temperature, light, etc....


----------



## gonewild (Dec 16, 2014)

How may times do you water with plain water between fertilizer applications?


----------



## PaphMadMan (Dec 16, 2014)

May depend on media as well, but if you have good growth and healthy green that's really all that matters.


----------



## Ozpaph (Dec 16, 2014)

I think its plenty. If the plants look good, you're OK.
Im increasingly of the opinion that 'less is more', generally.


----------



## orcoholic (Dec 16, 2014)

yes


----------



## RNCollins (Dec 16, 2014)

gonewild said:


> How may times do you water with plain water between fertilizer applications?



In the winter I don't usually need to water between fertilizer applications (once a week). The room is very cool, I try to keep the humidity around 60%... So the pots take longer to dry out between waterings.

I should be flushing between fertilizing, right?


----------



## gonewild (Dec 17, 2014)

RNCollins said:


> In the winter I don't usually need to water between fertilizer applications (once a week). The room is very cool, I try to keep the humidity around 60%... So the pots take longer to dry out between waterings.
> 
> I should be flushing between fertilizing, right?



Your N rate and application looks pretty good. 

No need to flush between fertilizer applications as long as you water thoroughly when you do fertilize. Excess salts will flush out at that time.

As your media starts to break down if you start noticing the plants don't look as well then you might consider lowering the amount of other nutrients that are in the Dyna-Grow.


----------



## ALToronto (Jan 2, 2015)

Is anyone other than Rick and myself using ultra-low dosage of N? I'm using K-lite for my potted plants at 10-15 ppm N every day in the summer, every other day in the winter. For easier dosing, I mix up 6600 ppm N concentrate (55 g of K-lite per litre) and use 7-8 ml in 4 L of water, for 11-13 ppm N.

The only plants that have not done well in my conditions are novelty phals that I bought blooming size, and a masdevallia whose decline baffles me - it's constantly wet, sitting on my coldest windowsill, where the temp drops to below 14° at night. The phals may have been used to a much higher dosage of N, or they may not like my cold temperature (down to 16° where they are).


----------



## Bjorn (Jan 3, 2015)

I am at the same level ALToronto, though exacly where, I am a bit uncertain of due to possible contamination from my water source. But guess around 10ppm.
Generally I see good growth the main indicator being increased size of new leaves for the seedlings. The reverse would strongly indicate that something is wrong. I hardly add nitrate at all only togeter with calcium as nitrate. The rest of the fertiliser is entirely urea based although it seems to decompose to ammonium during storage as a liquid stock solution. The calciumitrate is injected in a separate step to avoid precipitation btw. and the silica that I also add is dissolved in the water source.


----------



## Ray (Jan 3, 2015)

Alla, I'm using about 25 ppm N about twice a week this time of year, and my plants all seem very happy.

I just caught the use of Dyna-Gro in RO mentioned above....Check the pH!


Ray Barkalow
firstrays.com


----------



## RNCollins (Jan 3, 2015)

Ray said:


> I just caught the use of Dyna-Gro in RO mentioned above....Check the pH!
> 
> 
> Ray Barkalow
> firstrays.com



Ray,

Is the pH of the RO water too low with the Dyna-Grow added? Is it because there isn't enough calcium and magnesium in it? It's been many years since I've taken chemistry.


----------



## ALToronto (Jan 4, 2015)

Dyna-Gro does drop the pH a lot. It has ammonia source N, as well as nitrate, and a lot of P, which also contributes to the acidity (phosphoric acid). I very occasionally use it, only on my living walls, where acidity is not a concern.


----------



## Stone (Jan 6, 2015)

ALToronto said:


> Is anyone other than Rick and myself using ultra-low dosage of N? I'm using K-lite for my potted plants at 10-15 ppm N every day in the summer, every other day in the winter. For easier dosing, I mix up 6600 ppm N concentrate (55 g of K-lite per litre) and use 7-8 ml in 4 L of water, for 11-13 ppm N.
> 
> The only plants that have not done well in my conditions are novelty phals that I bought blooming size, and a masdevallia whose decline baffles me - it's constantly wet, sitting on my coldest windowsill, where the temp drops to below 14° at night. The phals may have been used to a much higher dosage of N, or they may not like my cold temperature (down to 16° where they are).



I don't think that's enough if you want fast results. You may not but I do. Check out my Phal post in non slipper discussion. They can take good feeding as long as the environment and/or season is right.


----------



## ALToronto (Jan 7, 2015)

Mike, I don't want fast results - I just want them to not die. What's really strange is that I have two flasks' worth of novelty phal seedlings on the same windowsill, experiencing the same 16 degrees, and growing year-round. Acclimatisation is probably more important than we realise


----------

