What fertilizer is best for Phalaenopsis orchids? Using water-soluble fertilizer this way works better
The Phalaenopsis orchid, hailed as the aristocrat among orchids, draws people's attention with its elegant bearing and unique flowers. However, getting a Phalaenopsis orchid to grow healthily is not something every flower lover can achieve, because raising a Phalaenopsis orchid well requires scientific techniques, and fertilizing is also an indispensable step in the process, among which choosing water-soluble fertilizer can increase the absorption efficiency of the Phalaenopsis orchid. The following text will briefly discuss fertilizer issues concerning Phalaenopsis orchids, hoping it can help flower lovers.
As a relatively expensive orchid variety, the Phalaenopsis orchid also urgently requires fertilizing techniques, because there is quite a lot of particularity in the matter of using fertilizer, and the most common orchid fertilizers are water-soluble fertilizer and granular fertilizer. When choosing granular fertilizer, we should first measure the actual condition of the soil before using it. Generally, the fertilizer is evenly scattered around the plant, then lightly covered with soil, and finally during the covering process, direct contact with the roots should be avoided as much as possible, carrying it out gently to prevent excessively high fertilizer concentration from burning the roots, and allowing nutrients to gradually penetrate with water to places where the root system can absorb them.
If water-soluble fertilizer is chosen, its advantages are that it is easy to absorb and takes effect quickly, but the drawback of water-soluble fertilizer is that its adhesion in the soil is relatively low, so it easily leads to fertilizer waste. To solve this problem, it is recommended that a small amount of adhesive be added to the water-soluble fertilizer, which can improve the fertilizer's adhesion in the soil. The principle is that the added adhesive should not be too much; add about 1%-2% each time before fertilizing, and after adding it will form a thin film in the fertilizer, thereby increasing the contact area between the leaves and the fertilizer and improving the orchid's efficiency in absorbing nutrients.
Therefore, in terms of choice, novice flower lovers are advised to choose the latter formula of water-soluble fertilizer plus a small amount of adhesive. Among the choices of adhesive, it is recommended to preferably use adhesives made from natural organic substances, such as sodium alginate, gelatin, etc. These substances are harmless to plants and have good adhesive properties. As for experienced flower lovers, as long as they can grasp the dosage and fertilizing rhythm well, both fertilizers are recommended choices.