What should be paid attention to when fertilizing orchids?

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Do not fertilize until the new roots have grown fully. After being disturbed repeatedly, the orchid seedlings are in a conservative, suppressed state. Their resistance is very weak, the broken-root wounds have not yet healed, and they are highly susceptible to disease infection. When planting, besides making sure to use weakly acidic humus soil or ordinary plain soil, never apply base fertilizer. Due to environmental changes, after potting the orchid seedlings slowly recover their functions in the moist substrate, but this is a fairly long potting-recovery period, during which the orchid roots, because their functions are not fully restored, basically do not absorb fertilizer from the soil and rely entirely on the nutrients stored in the pseudobulbs to supply the needs of roots, leaves and buds. Only when the orchid fungi gradually develop and the hyphae spread densely, forming conditions suitable for vigorous orchid growth and having spread through most of the pot, do the orchid seedlings fully return to normal, with increased resistance, and only then can a little dilute fertilizer be applied. This process takes about 1-2 years. Although no fertilizer is applied during this period, the orchid seedlings can still grow and develop normally and slowly, because the nutrients produced by the orchid fungi can basically meet the needs of the orchid seedlings at this stage.

Do not fertilize if the orchid plants are not robust. During the fertilization-recovery period, if the orchid plants do not develop normally, if new buds do not emerge, and if the orchid leaves are grayish green, lusterless and dull, drooping and with scorched tips, this indicates that the old roots are continuing to rot and new roots have not grown. At this time, by no means should fertilizer be applied; only regular foliar spraying can supplement nutrients. If they still cannot return to normal, the seedlings must be lifted, disinfected, and repotted with fresh soil.

Do not fertilize until the new buds have grown larger. When potted orchid seedlings send out leaf buds, it shows that the orchid fungi have initially formed, new roots are gradually growing and have begun to absorb nutrients, but at this time the new roots are still very short and few, and their function is very weak. In order not to affect their development, no fertilizer of any kind should be applied either. Only after the new buds have grown to 15 cm tall can a little fertilizer be applied.

Do not fertilize if the flower buds are not plump. By early autumn, the new roots are growing stronger and stronger and begin to send out flower buds. If the flower buds sent out are not plump or even malformed, it shows that the root function is still not vigorous and can barely satisfy reproductive growth but cannot satisfy vegetative growth. This kind of orchid with insufficient reserves also must not be fertilized; nutrients still need to be supplemented through foliar spraying.

Grasp the seasons: the five times not to fertilize

Do not fertilize in early spring: although the spring temperature is very low, the orchid seedlings have just gradually revived from dormancy, and their activity is very weak. If fertilizer is applied at this time, it will remain at the roots because it cannot be fully absorbed by the orchid and cause fertilizer damage.

Do not fertilize in summer: when the temperature generally reaches around 35°C, the orchid seedlings are in a semi-dormant state, vegetative growth slows down, and root activity weakens. Applying fertilizer at this time is likewise difficult for the orchid roots to absorb and easily causes fertilizer damage.

Do not fertilize in winter: the winter temperature is very low, the orchid enters dormancy, the flower buds enter the vernalization period, and vegetative growth stops, so fertilizer must not be applied.

Do not fertilize in bad weather: do not fertilize when it is raining or about to rain. First, the applied fertilizer is easily washed away by rain and lost; second, because of the weather change, the vigor of the orchid roots is relatively weakened.

Do not fertilize at noon: it is best to fertilize in the morning or evening on a sunny day. At noon the temperature is relatively high, and fertilizing easily harms the orchid seedlings.

What fertilizer to apply

Decomposed farmyard manure: farmyard manure is a very good organic fertilizer, but it must be piled and decomposed for more than one year before it can be applied. This kind of fertilizer liquid can be diluted with water 10-20 times and poured on, applied as much as possible along the edge of the pot, not touching the roots and not touching the orchid leaves.

Chemical fertilizer: when applying chemical fertilizer, pay attention to the balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and strictly control the concentration. For variegated-leaf seedlings, the synthesis of chlorophyll should be controlled; nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied, nor should fertilizers containing manganese and magnesium (such as calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer, etc.), because manganese and magnesium elements can accelerate the synthesis of chlorophyll. For variegated-flower orchids, if cultivating large-petaled flowers, an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer may be added.

How to fertilize

Apply frequently and lightly, eat less but more often: orchids do not need much fertilizer during their growth and development period. For vigorous, robust orchid plants, a dilute liquid fertilizer may be applied once every 10-15 days.

Give priority to foliar spraying: foliar spraying can both supplement the orchid plant's nutrients through absorption by the orchid leaves and avoid fertilizer touching the roots and causing fertilizer damage, so it is the best fertilization method for orchids. As long as during the growth and development period you persist in foliar spraying about once every 10 days, you can fully grow orchids well without needing to apply fertilizer into the pot. You can use monopotassium phosphate at 1:1000 and boron fertilizer at 1:1000, or aloe liquid. This is because aloe contains large amounts of nutrients such as polysaccharides and amino acids, and contains more than twenty kinds of minerals, which can meet the nutrients orchids need, and aloe contains aloe tincture, which can kill almost all germs and viruses, so after application there is no need to apply pesticides for disease prevention.

Give priority to natural organic matter. Natural organic fertilizer has relatively comprehensive nutrient elements, so no other fertilizer needs to be applied, and its nature is mild, with no side effects on plants, whereas chemical fertilizer easily makes the substrate compact, and most chemical fertilizers are acidic; long-term application will make the substrate overly acidic and cause disease.

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