Orchid Care Insights: Sharing Experience on Fertilizer Application

During the growth process of mountain orchids, although they stay in one place and no one fertilizes them, they often receive supplements of various kinds and multiple components of fertilizer. Mountain orchids absorb nutrients from the mountain soil, and these increase continuously as the orchid roots grow. Mountain orchids absorb nutrients from the air, and these increase continuously as the orchid leaves grow. Rainwater and dew not only supply mountain orchids with water, but also supply them with nitrogen fertilizer. The decay of dead branches, fallen leaves, and weeds on the mountain, the decomposition of animal and insect corpses, and the excrement of animals and insects are all fertilizers containing multiple components and extremely rich nutrients. These fertilizers seep into the orchid soil with rainwater and are continuously supplied to the mountain orchids, making them grow stronger. The main period in which mountain orchids can obtain nutrient supplements throughout the year is concentrated in the three seasons of spring, summer, and autumn, which is also the growth period of mountain orchids. The time when they receive relatively more nutrient supplements is on rainy days. After mountain orchids are cultivated in pots at home, due to environmental changes, nutrients cannot be replenished naturally and must be supplied and supplemented artificially. This is fertilization. It is precisely this seemingly simple process of nutrient supplementation, fertilization, that is nonetheless a profound field of study. From ancient times to the present, many orchid growers have continuously researched and explored it. In the selection of fertilizers, the timing of fertilizer application, and the methods of fertilizer application, there are many schools of thought and many particular requirements, and some good experience has been summarized. But there are still many mysteries that have not truly been solved. Now, on the issue of fertilization, there is even more innovation, and it has become more particular and more complicated. Activated soil and foliar fertilization have appeared, and there are now more than a dozen ways of classifying fertilization, such as growth-promoting fertilizer and disease-preventing fertilizer. With fertilization becoming more particular and complicated, people are at a loss as to whom to believe and listen to, and how best to apply it. Fertilization is a profound field of study, and at present it is impossible to know all its mysteries, butorchid growingfertilization is still necessary. In fertilization, I handle it according to two principles: following nature as a teacher and simplifying complex problems. 1. Selection of fertilizers. In the past, as long as books, the internet, or orchid friends introduced a good fertilizer, as long as I could get it, I would try it. I even collected bird droppings from the mountain and used them. It can be said that I used every kind of fertilizer, and the result was that the orchids I grew showed no great improvement, while I myself became tired and annoyed.<<岭海兰言>The phrase in >, "filthy, greasy, smelly, and unclean things, all of which are relied upon by every kind of flower and tree as fertility, are all greatly taboo for orchids," gave me inspiration: fertilizers used for orchids must also be very particular about cleanliness. Later I chose two kinds of fertilizer, one being a long-acting granular fertilizer with complete nutrient content, and the other being bone meal. These two fertilizers have long-lasting fertility and mild fertilizer properties, and their nutrients are slowly released during watering and rainfall. 2. Timing of application. Three times a year. The first time is before the Spring Equinox, applying long-acting granular fertilizer. The second time is after the Spring Equinox, applying bone meal. The third time is around the Autumn Equinox, applying bone meal. 3. Method of application. Long-acting granular fertilizer and bone meal are directly scattered on the edge of the pot surface. The amount varies according to the pot and the orchid. Since adopting this method of fertilization, management saves time and effort and is very simple and easy,orchidshave also grown better than before. (wild-collected orchids）