Noob question 2 Feeding

[lilricky]

I'm sure this has got to be in here somewhere, but I couldn't seem to find it.

What is the general consensus for feeding my plants?
When I water, the next day after watering? I'm using the the "Grow More" brand with all of the festive colors. The label say's if the medium is dry to water and then feed the next day. Wouldn't that equal watering twice as much as the plant wants?

So many questions....
TIA

[Orchidophile]

Generally you want to feed your plants while they are actively obsorbing water so it should be ok to do it a day after watering and then let the mix dry until you water next. Depending on what species you grow, they might not want the mix to dry or they might want it completely dry before the next watering.

[Ray]

Personally, I recommend feeding at every watering - OK, maybe 3 out of 4 if growing in traditional media - and at a dilute rate. If that's the Grow More 20-20-20, use 1/2 teaspoon per gallon.

As to drying out or not, there are two things to consider:

1. What does that type of plant see in nature? For example, if you're talking phals, they stay wet all of the time, low in the tropical forests. Tolumnias, on the other hand, grow on thin branches of trees and shrubs in the Caribbean, where they will see lots of breeze and will dry out rapidly.
2. How open and airy is your potting medium? As long as there is lots of good air flow to the root system throughout it, drying may not be necessary at all.

Remember, water does not cause root rot, suffocation does.