Why do orchids need fertilizing? A comprehensive analysis of the reasons

In the native habitats of orchids, the humidity in the air is generally quite high, and there is fog in the morning and evening; nitrogen in the air dissolves very easily in water and is then absorbed by the roots and leaves. Some orchids even grow directly on fertile humus soil, where various nutrients are rich and complete. Therefore, orchids collected from the mountains and brought down for cultivation should be given artificial fertilizing to supplement the nutrients they need physiologically. Modern agricultural scientists generally recognize that there are as many as fifteen elements essential for plant growth. Among them, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen (from water and carbon dioxide), nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium are the six macroelements needed in larger amounts; iron, manganese, boron, copper, zinc and molybdenum are the six microelements needed in smaller amounts. Each element performs a special function in the plant body, such as the well-known three major fertilizer elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Among them, nitrogen fertilizer is the main component of the cell nucleus and proteins, and is also an indispensable element for forming chlorophyll. With long-term lack of nitrogen fertilizer, the leaves will become rigid, and this will cause the plant to stop growing, the branches and leaves to become weak, new shoots to be difficult to sprout, and the reproduction rate to be low. Phosphorus fertilizer is also a main component of the cell nucleus. In the plant body it handles tasks such as cell division, chlorophyll formation, and the synthesis and transformation of proteins, and is closely related to the formation and sturdiness of orchid plants. Potassium fertilizer directly participates in photosynthesis, keeps the physiological functions of cells normal, and is also related to the synthesis of the three major nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. From their functions it can be seen that only with appropriate fertilizing can the amount of nutrients stored in the orchid plant be increased, thereby making the orchid plant sturdy, the pseudobulbs plump, maturity earlier, new shoots easier to sprout, and the reproduction rate higher. (Zhang Fengrong)