How to fertilize orchids? Keep this general fertilization guide

There are many kinds of chemical fertilizers sold on the market, and generally the standard is dilution of one thousand times. However, it must be understood that most of these fertilizer makers have nocultivationexperience with orchids, and usually determine the amounts based on the needs of ordinary flowers, trees, and fruit trees, not formulated specifically for orchids. When fertilizing, one point should be especially noted: the amount of fertilizer orchids need is very small. If fertilizing is improper, it can easily cause irreversible bad results. Many veterans in the orchid world have repeatedly warned that one must never be careless. Therefore, the concentration of fertilizer should be based on what the instructions show, and then further diluted to the ideal degree. You cannot fertilize arbitrarily; you should match the growth situation and seasonal factors, and give different amounts and different types of fertilizer according to the time so that the effect can be brought into play. As for the principles of fertilizer application, they should be carried out according to the development status and health of the orchids. Healthy fertilizer has strong blending power; but for poorly developed orchid plants, or old plants and small seedlings, fertilizer should be used sparingly. It is better to use commercially available hormone liquids to help their development. Regarding fertilization of orchids, there are generally the following points that can be followed as general guidelines: (1) Fertilization should vary according to different planting materials: When planting orchids, if longan bark, snake bark shavings, or water moss are used as planting material, then when the roots contact them, they will decompose and absorb them, so fertilizer can be applied less or thinly. If only red brick pieces, a small amount of snakewood shavings, and new water moss are used as planting material, then you should "apply frequently and thinly," once every three to four days. (2) Fertilization should vary according to flowering orchids and variegated orchids: Orchids are mainly appreciated for the form of their plants and leaves and for their flowers. The cultivation goal is to make the plants robust, with luxuriant and plump branches and leaves, and with many and large flowers. Therefore, among the three major elements, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to flowering orchids should be greater than for variegated orchids. If too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied to variegated orchids, there will be more chlorophyll, the branches and leaves will be luxuriant, and they will easily lose their variegation and turn into green-leaf plants. Therefore, for chemical fertilizers applied to variegated orchids, Huabao No. 2 and No. 3 fertilizers are suitable. (Zhang Fengrong)