How to Choose a Special Fertilizer for Orchids? A Complete Guide to the Latest Buying Tips

Orchids are one of China's top ten famous flowers. Since ancient times, the Chinese people have loved, grown, praised and painted orchids. The ancients once exclaimed that “the leaves are more beautiful to behold than the flowers,” and orchids have always been regarded as a symbol of nobility and elegance. Together with plum blossoms, bamboo and chrysanthemums they are known as the “Four Gentlemen.” That is why so many people grow orchids. Let's take a look below at how to choose a special fertilizer for orchids!

How to Choose a Special Fertilizer for Orchids?

Fertilizer is the foundation of survival for all plants, so when growing orchids you must fertilize, and you must apply good fertilizer and enough of it. But fertilizer varieties are complex and numerous; common types include single-element fertilizers, compound mixed fertilizers, compound fertilizers, full-effect fertilizers and special fertilizers, among which special fertilizers work best. For a special orchid fertilizer, you can choose Shuguang brand special orchid fertilizer, which not only works well with no toxic side effects, but is also convenient and clean to use.

How Should Orchids Be Fertilized?

1. Apply by season: after temperatures rise in spring, foliar feeding can be carried out; at the turn of spring and summer, root fertilization can prompt new shoots to emerge quickly and abundantly; in autumn, when orchid plants enter the reproductive growth period, fertilization should focus on phosphorus and potassium; in late autumn and early winter, solid fertilizer is suitable; in midsummer and harsh winter, fertilization should be stopped.

2. Apply by growth stage: the orchid seedling stage includes sprouting, rooting and leaf unfolding, during which a 0.1% urea solution can be applied. During the vegetative growth period, a full-price fertilizer can be applied, either organic or inorganic. During the reproductive growth period, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied to promote flower bud differentiation, more flowers, larger flowers and a rich fragrance.

3. Apply by variety: different orchid varieties need different amounts of nutrients. Cymbidium goeringii needs little fertilizer, Cymbidium ensifolium and Cymbidium kanran need a medium amount, Cymbidium faberi needs more, and Cymbidium sinense, Cymbidium hookerianum and large-flowered cymbidiums need even more. Orchids with variegated lines, crystal patterns or pictorial markings should be fertilized with caution.

4. Apply by growth vigor: vigorous plants should be fertilized frequently and heavily; plants with average growth should be fertilized normally; plants with poor growth should receive less fertilizer, at lower concentration and with longer intervals. Weak plants, diseased plants, newly collected plants and newly potted plants should not be fertilized.

5. Apply by growing medium: soft media require little topdressing, while hard media rely almost entirely on topdressing for nutrients. Soft media absorb easily, whereas with hard media the water runs straight through from top to bottom and is hard to retain, so the soaking-pot method or circulating method must be used to be effective.

How Should Orchids Be Grown?

1. Location: the placement of orchids is very important. Generally, in spring, summer and autumn they are placed outdoors, and in winter indoors. Outdoors it is best to have open surroundings and moist air; indoors there should be ample light. Orchid pots are best placed on wooden stands or tables, not on the ground.

2. Soil: the growing medium for orchids can be peat soil, black mountain soil, garden soil, fern roots, moss and bark chunks. The bottom of the pot must drain well: you can use a tile piece to cover the drainage hole, then lay a layer of crushed brick and stone granules, and finally spread the growing medium on top.

3. Planting: when planting orchids, insert them upright into the soil, then cover with soil up to the pseudobulb and firm the soil down. After planting, water thoroughly and place in a cool environment; after half a month, move them to a ventilated, sunny environment. The pot surface can be covered with small gravel, which both retains moisture and enhances the ornamental look.

4. Watering: orchids do best at eight parts dry and two parts moist. Water less during the flowering period and when leaf buds are emerging. During the plum rain season, move them back indoors or set up a shelter to keep off the rain. In summer, watering in the early morning or evening should not be too heavy. In autumn, the amount of watering can be increased as appropriate. In dry seasons, mist every evening.

5. Light: although orchids like cool conditions, if kept in a hidden spot year-round they rarely bloom. In spring and summer it is best to provide shade; when autumn turns cool, move the potted orchids out of the shade to catch half a day of morning sun; in cold weather, keep them indoors under a south-facing window to overwinter, but not too warm.

6. Fertilizing: orchid fertilizer application should avoid being too concentrated, so during the growth period you can apply horse-hoof residue water, soybean cake water and the like once every half month. If potassium dihydrogen phosphate is applied in the right amount, the effect is even better, but fertilizing in the hot summer season is not advisable.

7. Pruning: orchids need pruning during cultivation. Proper pruning not only benefits the growth of other leaves but also improves ventilation. Diseased leaves in particular need timely pruning to prevent spread. In addition, the scissors also need to be disinfected to prevent infection.