# Fertilizer question



## Mikefallen13 (Apr 21, 2016)

Hello!
I was just curious if anyone has ever used MaxSea 16-16-16 seaweed fertilizer on their orchids. I had these laying around and figured I'd see if they were any use for orchids, if not they work good on tomatoes! lol


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## troy (Apr 21, 2016)

I alternate fertilizing with maxsea at 1/2 or 1/4 strength, mixing it in 3/4 ro, 1/4 tap without any problems


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## PaphMadMan (Apr 22, 2016)

This kind of thing usually gets me hate-mail, but...

For most people's conditions, for most orchids in organic media with a reasonable repotting schedule, the only thing that really matters is providing a consistent supply of nutrients (including micros) at an appropriate low level. Do that, and fertilizer will almost certainly not be the limiting factor in your success growing orchids. Almost any brand and formulation of fertilizer can be part of that, and nothing you do with fertilizer can make up for a deficiency in any other aspect of care. 

If you have these, and fretting about fertilizer is not the aspect of orchid growing you enjoy most, go ahead.


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## Mikefallen13 (Apr 22, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> This kind of thing usually gets me hate-mail, but...
> 
> For most people's conditions, for most orchids in organic media with a reasonable repotting schedule, the only thing that really matters is providing a consistent supply of nutrients (including micros) at an appropriate low level. Do that, and fertilizer will almost certainly not be the limiting factor in your success growing orchids. Almost any brand and formulation of fertilizer can be part of that, and nothing you do with fertilizer can make up for a deficiency in any other aspect of care.
> 
> If you have these, a fretting about fertilizer is not the aspect of orchid growing you enjoy most, go ahead.



I don't see why that would get you hate mail, it makes perfect sense. Thanks for the help!


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## Justin (Apr 22, 2016)

Just wait for the posts that will very quickly follow this one


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## monocotman (Apr 22, 2016)

Mike,
You have not been here long!
Check out the posts about fertiliser in the culture section.
There is 'history' and plenty of 'robust discussions' about this topic.
However they are all pretty much worth reading.
You get a much better idea of the complexity of the subject.
David


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 22, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> This kind of thing usually gets me hate-mail, but...
> 
> For most people's conditions, for most orchids in organic media with a reasonable repotting schedule, the only thing that really matters is providing a consistent supply of nutrients (including micros) at an appropriate low level. Do that, and fertilizer will almost certainly not be the limiting factor in your success growing orchids. Almost any brand and formulation of fertilizer can be part of that, and nothing you do with fertilizer can make up for a deficiency in any other aspect of care.
> 
> If you have these, a fretting about fertilizer is not the aspect of orchid growing you enjoy most, go ahead.



So true! 

The most important things are the three basics.

Proper light, good watering, good temperature range for the type of plants you are growing. Then fertilizing here and there will help.


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## naoki (Apr 22, 2016)

Maxsea is popular among carnivorous people because it was mentioned in an influential book. They don't seem to disclose enough information about what is in there (chemical part is easy to figure out), which I'm not so fond of their sketchiness. It appears that it is a mixture of dried form kelp extract like Maxi-Crop and typical chemical fertilizer. But as with many fertilizer, it doesn't contain Ca and Mg to avoid precipitation. So if you are using RO water, you should be aware of this. They don't have any data about the concentration of auxins and cytokinins. Since you have it, you should use it. But if you were to buy more, it seems easier to use separate products. Since sensitivity of plants to hormones are somewhat species specific, you can't easily adjust it with Maxsea.


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## Ozpaph (Apr 22, 2016)

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!


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## Mikefallen13 (Apr 22, 2016)

Well, it ended up that the maxsea must have not been sealed properly and it was just a solid brick in the container, so I just pitched it. Thanks anyways guys!


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## troy (Apr 22, 2016)

Maxsea has cytokonins & auxins? I alternate weekly maxsea with botanice cal mag+ and kelp max flushing midweek with just water, this is bad?


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## Stone (Apr 22, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> This kind of thing usually gets me hate-mail, but...
> 
> For most people's conditions, for most orchids in organic media with a reasonable repotting schedule, the only thing that really matters is providing a consistent supply of nutrients (including micros) at an appropriate low level. Do that, and fertilizer will almost certainly not be the limiting factor in your success growing orchids. Almost any brand and formulation of fertilizer can be part of that, and nothing you do with fertilizer can make up for a deficiency in any other aspect of care.
> 
> If you have these, and fretting about fertilizer is not the aspect of orchid growing you enjoy most, go ahead.



I agree 100%


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## Stone (Apr 22, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!



C'mon....you know you love it! :rollhappy:


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## naoki (Apr 22, 2016)

troy said:


> Maxsea has cytokonins & auxins? I alternate weekly maxsea with botanice cal mag+ and kelp max flushing midweek with just water, this is bad?



We don't know, they haven't disclosed any info. But people are interested in hormonal aspects of seaweed products in addition to some nutrition. I think there was some paper which checked powdered form MaxiCrop (I'm guessing that it is similar), but I can't locate the paper now.


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## troy (Apr 22, 2016)

All my plants have active growing roots, even my brachys, but I fertilize at such low levels, that possibly anything I use might have the same results....?


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## Ozpaph (Apr 22, 2016)

Stone said:


> C'mon....you know you love it! :rollhappy:



I have to be in the mood!


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## Ray (Apr 23, 2016)

All seaweeds contain auxins, cytokinins, brassinosteroids, abscisic acid, and gibberellins that stimulate various aspects of plant growth, plus amino acids, vitamins, and on and on.

How they are processed and stored determines whether-, and/or how much are in the final product, and chemical extraction, chopping, and drying all degrade them to one degree or another.

I cannot speak for specific brand, but I read a few labels many moons ago, and some - of the few that document it - state an estimate of what's in the plant, not in their package (sort-of like one mail order supplies vendor that illegally and unethically claims their liquid MSU fertilizer is 13-5-15, when that is the formulas of the powder they start with).


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## JAB (Apr 23, 2016)

Alan Koch recently was talking about one of his mentors who grew orchids for over 28 years. Alan said in that time he knew of 28 different media mixes as well as 28 different nutrient recipes that this man followed. 
Point was if you have the right culture then you can experiment with media and nutrient (within parameters of course).


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 23, 2016)

28??? That is insane!!! lol


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