subject: Orchid Fertilizer: Which is Best – Organic or Chemical? [print this page] Actually both organic and chemical fertilizer can work well for orchids. In general, orchids need nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and some trace elements to do well.
Potassium is necessary for flower development, phosphorous helps with the production of the developed bloom and nitrogen is good for foliage. All of these can be gotten through either organic or chemical fertilizer.
Here are just a few pros and cons of each:
Chemical:
Pro - It is often easier to tell what you're feeding your orchids as it says right on the box or container what's in the fertilizer.
Pro - It's OK to use a commercial houseplant fertilizers to feed your orchids as long as it contain a mixture that is high in nitrogen (such as 30-10-10) if orchid is planted in bark, or a more balanced fertilizer (like 18-18-18) if planted in other medium.
Pro - You can buy chemical fertilizer at the garden store. You can even buy it at the grocery store.
Con - Are you concerned about using commercial chemicals around your home? Then using a chemical fertilizer for your orchids may be an issue for you.
Organic:
Pro - If keeping the atmosphere in your home organic, this is the answer for you.
Pro - There are plenty of organic materials that you can find around your home to add to the basic mix that are good for your orchids.
Con - Can be more difficult to tell what's in an organic fertilizer and making these generally involves either mixing manure with water or boiling fish and seaweed. Neither is particularly pleasant as both are messy, smelly jobs. Adding either to houseplants can be messy and smelly as well.
It's also possible to combine both types and to supplement chemical fertilizer with organic matter found around your home.
Eggshells crushed to powder provide calcium.
Epsom salts add magnesium.
Bananas on the verge of over ripening can be mashed and added for potassium.
Used tea bags contain lots of nitrogen. Just open the bags and sprinkle the tea on the potting medium.
Molasses is an excellent source of potassium. Just put a teaspoon of molasses in whatever fertilizer you are using chemical or organic.
Milk (perhaps you want to use up some souring milk) and buttermilk are full of calcium and protein. Before you throw out old milk cartons swish a little water around inside and add to orchid medium.
Water that rice has been boiled has lots of vitamins that orchids love.
So to go organic or chemical for your orchid fertilizer is really a matter of personal preference. So the real questions are: Do you prefer the ease of using Chemical fertilizer is easy? Would you mind that organic fertilizer is more difficult to use? Do you just want to pick up fertilizer in a store? Or would you prefer to make your own, even if it requires a little more effort? Are you okay with adding more chemicals to your home? Or do you want to keep the chemicals in your home to a minimum?
Finally, which is best for your specific orchid? What's your orchid's response to each? They'll speak for themselves through their color, health and the timeliness of their blooms and how long they last.
As with most personal decisions, doing what is best for you and your family is usually the best course of action to take when it comes to the best fertilizer for your orchids.
Orchid Fertilizer: Which is Best Organic or Chemical?
