Differences between fertilizers

[Mugsie]

Maybe this should go under advanced? There are numerous fertilizers on the market developed specifically for orchids. Better-Gro, MSU, Miracle Grow, Dyna-Gro, and numerous others.

If they all list the same trace elements, and the NPK is the same, such as 20-13-13, then aren't they all the same? One as good as another?

People recommend X over Y. Others say they would never use Z, and the wars continue....

What say all of you? Same? Better than? Never use? Try to give me some scientic reasons to support your opinion, or even some andedotal examples. Hopefully, we can all learn something.

Thank you....

[Dimples]

The only thing that could be different in that case would be the individual ingredients that the formulas each used. You can mix and match different forms of various ingredients and still end up with the same end result, but the mixture used to get there can be different.

Kinda like how two people could make two different banana bread recipes that had identical nutritional profiles. Same end result of fats/carbs/sugars, but the ingredients aren’t the same.

[tmoney]

well, that's all just marketing hype....there a few, if any, specific ferts that have been developed just for orchids. there are several things you can consume on the topic, including great video by the plant propagator recently in which he breaks down MSU and tells a bit more of the story.

in the end, the best fertilizer is one that works with your particular water. that is something more better growers will have to chime in on.

just use whatever ferts you have at low levels. except for high acid fertilizers.

edit, sorry i reread my post and it seemed a little hegemonic! my apologies. what dimples said is true and not all fertilizers are created equal. but, as you mention, many have similar levels. in the end, orchids typically need very little and sometimes other things that aren't typically added to big name ferts. calcium and magnesium come to mind. but the scientific origins of msu fertilizer are well documented and it is clear that it wasn't designed for orchids. some of the worst fertilizer i ever used was from miracle gro. don't know if it was a bad or "expired" batch, but it was clear immediately that i shouldn't have used it.

[Ray]

Actually, all of those mentioned are marketed to orchid growers. The only fertilizer specifically formulated for orchids is K-Lite.

Besides the ratios of the nutrients, there may be differences in the raw materials, especially nitrogen, as it can be a nitrate, ammonium compound, or urea, each of which has its own chemical properties in the solution, and there may or not be calcium, magnesium, or trace elements in the particular formula.

The bottom line, however, is that if you apply any of them regularly and sparingly, controlling the dosage by the mass of nitrogen applied per unit time, your plants will be fine.

[Roberta]

Just to add to Ray's comments... of all the cultural factors (light, water, temperature, air movement, potting medium and container, fertilizer), fertilizer is dead last. Yes orchids need some... but very, very little compared to other plants. Get everything else right, fertilize lightly and regularly, and your orchids will be fine.

[Mugsie]

I knew I'd learn something on here! Thank you all for some good advice.