Help a serial under-fertilizer

[Morja]

How do you guys remember to fertilize? I have a smaller collection (21 plants) that I water by hand. Sometimes I'm doing well just to water them all, especially as I water multiple times a week (thanks to low humidity). I know I need to get into a better rhythm, but it's hard because I don't want to fertilize every 3 days, and I try to do epsom salts once a month, as well as Kelpak and probiotics on top of "regularly" (or not...) using K-lite, so what I am doing changes and few times throughout the month. Any hacks that work for you?
Most recent paph for funsies. I'll make an official post for it once I get more official pictures, maybe when that second bud opens!

Paph delenatii alba

 

[big923cattleya]

It sounds to me that you are applying too much stuff. Adding this, using that, again and again. It is overwhelming! You need a simpler regime.
In my opinion, you are treating your orchids with everything, including the kitchen sink. Then you go next door and use their kitchen sink. And then you go across the street and use their sink!!!! Simplify, simplify, simplify.
Don’t the Kelpak directions say once a month. It is a tonic.
With only 21 orchids, this should be easier to figure this out. How can you tell what is working, what isn’t, when you constantly bombard them with potions?!
Look at my regime. I water every five days. I water twice with fertilizer then once with plain water. Then on week four I am trying Kelpack for the first time.
Then back to the beginning, twice with fertilizer, then plain water. Etc. etc. etc.
I have plastic trays within my light set up to hold water and boost humidity. Then I have 2 oscillating fans blowing when the lights are on.

 

[Ozpaph]

like any repeated activity, start a routine.
I fertilize every Saturday morning when i get home from the gym, before i get changed or have breakfast.
Done!

 

[gonewild]

I fertilize every time I water except when I don't feel like mixing fertilizer. Simple and the plants don't care if I miss once in a while. You don't have to keep a schedule.

 

[Morja]

I fertilize every time I water except when I don't feel like mixing fertilizer. Simple and the plants don't care if I miss once in a while. You don't have to keep a schedule.

I suppose I could do it every time if the application is very light, and when I forget make that a flush day. Haha

Don’t the Kelpak directions say once a month. It is a tonic.

It has varying concentrations listed on it for frequency of watering. I was trying to do every other week, then using the other two weeks per month for my other things, but I may be smarter just to use the once monthly concentration and get it over with!
I don't think I would go without monthly Kelpak at this point, as it's been very helpful in getting plants established and helping those that spent time in "orchid ICU." I also feel like the Quantum probiotic (also sold by Ray) is a great idea and preventative. I usually do those at the same time and remember to do them about once a month, honestly epsom salts aren'ttoo hard at once a month too... I think that trying to do K-lite more than once a month was what was getting me though. I would end up doing a lighter concentration planning on using it more, and then not doing it again for a month... so. That is the first change I will make!

like any repeated activity, start a routine.
I fertilize every Saturday morning when i get home from the gym, before i get changed or have breakfast.
Done!

My life has been chaotic in general, lacking much routine thanks to recent moves and travel etc, but that's about to change, so maybe I will get back into a groove! I was doing better before end of summer chaos hit. Attaching it with something else is a good idea.

 

[Ray]

These days, all my applications are with a hose-end sprayer.

I feed once a week. I add 1 tablespoon/gallon to that the first feeding every month a month, and add Quantum to it a week later.

Every now and then, if I miss a week of feeding, I'll double the dose the following week to 200 ppm N, which means my TDS is close to 1700 ppm. The plants respond nicely, which makes me think my normal regimen is at the bottom edge of the plants' needs, so I had better keep it regular.

Kelpak should be used at 1 tablespoon/gal (1:250), with greater concentration used in rescue efforts only. Lower concentrations can be ineffective. It should also be used no more than every two weeks.

 

[Sky7Bear]

I have a friend, an orchid judge, who never fertilizes at all and still grows decent plants. Most of us fertilize more than we need to. I don’t fertilize from fall equinox to winter solstice.

 

[Morja]

I have a friend, an orchid judge, who never fertilizes at all and still grows decent plants. Most of us fertilize more than we need to. I don’t fertilize from fall equinox to winter solstice.

Well that gives me hope
I have a few on the upper edge of their light tolerance and I'm backing them off since I'm not feeding enough to support that probably. Things should look better after that.

 

[Tom-DE]

I agree with Bill...New hobbyists always do too much and worry too much...You spoil your plants to death. You don't "need" to give paphs fertilizer every watering, especially this time of the year when plants are not actively growing. I use MSU or Better Gro with high nitrogens 2X per month during the growing months with full strength(per label), then taping off in mid-fall(1/4 strength), no fertilizer from Jan to Feb, then fertilize them with 1/4 strength from March-April(1-2 times a month) as the plants are waking up...

 

[littlefrog]

Time release fertilizer... I put a 4 month fertilizer on late spring and then go back to my usual 'fertilize every time I water". That's in quotes because my fertilizer injector doesn't work very well (sometimes I don't think it works at all).

 

[gonewild]

Time release fertilizer... I put a 4 month fertilizer on late spring and then go back to my usual 'fertilize every time I water". That's in quotes because my fertilizer injector doesn't work very well (sometimes I don't think it works at all).

What time release fertilizer do you use?

 

[big923cattleya]

For what it’s worth, since I began bringing orchids inside some 7 weeks ago, I decided to double my fertilizer dosage. I use Jacks All purpose rated at 20-20-20.
I had been using one teaspoon per gallon, I upped it to 2 tsps. per gallon. Under my new LED fixture, the plants have become greener. AND I am seeing my Roth type Paphs. standing up stronger, being more erect or more vertical. Growths are not as ‘floppy’ as before.
I have no idea about the why’s or the why not’s, or any nutritional analysis, I just think that my orchids look better.

What is under this fixture? Cattleya intermedia, walkeriana, bicolor, amethystoglossa, hybrids of each, about 25 plants total. The Paphs are along the outer edges of the fixture with some Oncidiums, Zygopetalums. Those total about 15 plants.

 

[littlefrog]

What time release fertilizer do you use?

It is supposed to be the same as MSU magic. I get it from Eric at river valley orchids.

 

[Tom-DE]

It is supposed to be the same as MSU magic. I get it from Eric at river valley orchids.

Do you still use regular fertilizer besides this slow-released fertilizer? (edit: nevermind, you already explained it earlier)

 

[Ray]

For what it’s worth, since I began bringing orchids inside some 7 weeks ago, I decided to double my fertilizer dosage. I use Jacks All purpose rated at 20-20-20.
I had been using one teaspoon per gallon, I upped it to 2 tsps. per gallon. Under my new LED fixture, the plants have become greener. AND I am seeing my Roth type Paphs. standing up stronger, being more erect or more vertical. Growths are not as ‘floppy’ as before.
I have no idea about the why’s or the why not’s, or any nutritional analysis, I just think that my orchids look better.

I have no doubt they are greener and will grow faster, but I honestly doubt that’s sustainable if you feed biweekly or more frequently, as you’re applying about 600-650 ppm N. I think you’d be likely to see a gorgeous “emerald” green color, legginess, and fewer blossoms.

That said, I think it’s a good example to everyone who worries about “high TDS” when it gets above a few hundred ppm. When I skip a week and double my fertilizer dose, I run about 1500-1600 ppm with no negatives. Bill is applying at least double that.

 

[Tom-DE]

IMO, it could burn the roots(especially new root tips) if you've fed your Paphs with double doses of fertilizer continuously for a long time. Also, heavy salt buildup could happen quickly if you don't properly flush the pots more often.