Fertilizer?

[Heather]

So what’s the latest and greatest fertilizer people are using as just a basic go to? Is MSU even still around? Just repotted and I am thinking I should really care to put a little more effort into these things...lol.

 

[CarlG]

I use K-Lite and R/O water (at all waterings). Forget the exact levels, but I mix 172g in 1.75 liters water, then use a 1oz booze bottle pourer to dose the concentrate into my watering can (as I only have a small collection).

 

[troy]

I've been experimenting using silkworm & hornworm frass with ro water mix rate of 1 cup frass per 5 gallon ro water alternated with 15-5-15 jacks cal mag, 2 tblsp. in ro water ph buffered with wood ash at 1 tblsp. Per 5 gallon ro water

 

[abax]

I've been using K-Lite for years and have found
nothing better...and I've tried many over the
years.

 

[Linus_Cello]

I've been experimenting using silkworm & hornworm frass with ro water mix rate of 1 cup frass per 5 gallon ro water alternated with 15-5-15 jacks cal mag, 2 tblsp. in ro water ph buffered with wood ash at 1 tblsp. Per 5 gallon ro water

Hornworm fras? From your tomatoes?

 

[Ray]

I've been experimenting using silkworm & hornworm frass with ro water mix rate of 1 cup frass per 5 gallon ro water alternated with 15-5-15 jacks cal mag, 2 tblsp. in ro water ph buffered with wood ash at 1 tblsp. Per 5 gallon ro water

It would be interesting to send a sample of your frass solution to J R Peters lab for analysis.

 

[troy]

Silkworm diet is mulberry leaves, the hornworms are fed a manmade chow although I havn't successfully bred hornworms yet, so mostly silkworm frass...jr peters would do an anylsis, I will check into that

 

[NYEric]

If you're repotting...

 

[troy]

Jr peters responded back in 1 day about analyzing silkworm frass and said they couldn't, they are a great resource!!

 

[Ray]

Maybe not, but they absolutely CAN analyze the solution you make up to apply (which is what I suggested), allowing you to see the nutrients you're applying.

 

[troy]

In solution they said no

 

[Phred]

I know many serious Orchid growers talk about Peters Lab but my experience was not so good... feel free to tell me if you think my interpretation of their advice is in correct. I had my tap water tested when I moved because I started losing a lot of Paphs I had for a long time. I had my water tested by QAL in Florida. I heard Peters could make fertilizer based on your water and needs so I sent them my results and asked if they had a fertilizer they could recommend and if not could they formulate one for me. They responded saying I should use there fertilizer for RO water. That didn’t make sense to me based on my test so I called them and spoke to the technician that made the recommendation. When I asked her why she thought I should use that formula she said because my water was so pure. I would send your frass water sample to QAL.The following is my tap water sample:

 

[Phred]

 

[Ray]

Phred - I would agree with the Peters assessment; your tap water contains very little Ca or Mg, and that's precisely what the RO fertilizer formulas address. The "total alkalinity CaCO3" does not mean you have that much CaCO3 in your water, it means the alkalinity - resistance to pH change when adding an acid - is equivalent to a solution containing that much of it.

Troy - You've GOT TO learn to stop asking permission! Pick a lab, put some filtered solution in a bottle, and send it in for a nutrient analysis. You're never going to know what you're doing until you do.

 

[troy]

Ok, I'll give it a try

 

[Phred]

Phred - I would agree with the Peters assessment; your tap water contains very little Ca or Mg, and that's precisely what the RO fertilizer formulas address. The "total alkalinity CaCO3" does not mean you have that much CaCO3 in your water, it means the alkalinity - resistance to pH change when adding an acid - is equivalent to a solution containing that much of it.

Troy - You've GOT TO learn to stop asking permission! Pick a lab, put some filtered solution in a bottle, and send it in for a nutrient analysis. You're never going to know what you're doing until you do.

Hi Ray
So then with the chemistry of my tap water would you recommend using K-Lite? Would you add anything else? How much per gallon? I water every four to six days.

 

[Ray]

Sure. I prefer K-Lite, but it, MSU RO, or the Peters equivalent are all fine.

For every 4-6 day feeding, I'd go with about 50 ppm N, which is about 1/3 tsp/gal for the first two. I don't know the nitrogen content of a Peters RO formula, so cannot comment.

 

[Phred]

Sure. I prefer K-Lite, but it, MSU RO, or the Peters equivalent are all fine.

For every 4-6 day feeding, I'd go with about 50 ppm N, which is about 1/3 tsp/gal for the first two. I don't know the nitrogen content of a Peters RO formula, so cannot comment.

Thanks Ray
Should I add anything else... Calcium sulfate or magnesium sulfate?

 

[Ray]

I don't bother. MSU RO has 8% Ca and 2% Mg. K-Lite, a derivative of it, has 10% Ca and 3% Mg.

I used the latter with RO water for several years without issues up in PA. In NC, my tap water (alkalinity about 1) has plenty of Ca but no Mg, italso has seemed good for the last 3.

 

[Stone]

So what’s the latest and greatest fertilizer people are using as just a basic go to? Is MSU even still around? Just repotted and I am thinking I should really care to put a little more effort into these things...lol.

Time and time again, the best paphs I see here from various good growers are invariably fed with urea..(nitrate and ammonium is very low) Usually cheap house plant fertilizers. They have big deep green leaves with more offshoots and fantastic vigour, flower every year, and grow fast enough to require dividing regularly.
In these fertilizers which are usually around 20-3-10 (aprox), the magnesium is often low. (it is assumed that there is enough in the water already) Most growers use magnesium sulphate a couple of times a year as a boost and they add dolomite on the p/mix surface from time to time. It's the direction I am going with fertilizing but I still like to use an organic fraction and I add nickel to the trace element mix because it is needed for the urea processing and the fertilizer people still have not realized this..