Can you recommend a good fertilizer?

[nynighthawk]

Greetings,

Based on your experience, can you recommend a good fertilizer? I currently have two cymbidiums which have done well with little or no fertilizer. They summer outdoors and winter indoors under lights. I'm sure they'd appreciate some fertilization from time to time, though.

But, I've recently purchased a young phaius and am waiting for a Chondrorhyncha discolor, both of which I got on eBay. I'd like to start a good routine of fertilizing them and get them off to a good start. They will both be potted in sphagnum.

What would you suggest?

Also, since I'm new to this group, can you let me know if there's a way to search old threads, so that I don't ask questions that have already been discussed and answered? I didn't notice a way to search by keywords and it looks like many of the thread topics are not too specific.

No reason to reinvent the wheel and waste your time answering questions that have already been dealt with.

:-)

Thanks for any advice/thoughts you have on this,

Jess

[ipv6ready]

Hi on the second purple horizontal bar (on the top of the page) you will find a search tab. Depending on where you are, it will search everything in the forum, thread or post.

ie. if you press the tab on the main forum page it will seach every section thread and post. Whereas if you are at beginners discussion section it will search that section only.

Since you are in US, have a look at Ray's site First Rays' Free Info

he is regular in this forum.

[jrhennek]

Jess

Their is know magic fertilizer for orchids. Everyone you talk to will probably recommend a different fertilizer. The key is to get on a regular feeding program. Yes some do work better than others, but that is also going to depend on you growing conditions. I have used Dyna-Gro, Peters, Schultz, Jungle Green, MSU (Michigan State University), Max sea. I know this does not really answer your question but there are a lot of choices. Try different ones.
Fertilizer is like food we eat. You wouldn't eat the same food your whole life. All fertilizers have a different mix of micro nutrients and these are very important for the growth of the plant.

Jayme

[Ray]

Jessica,

As you are in the metropolitan NYC area, you might have much purer water than you might realize. I do know that Manhattanites have water that's so pure, they use the MSU fertilizer for RO water, as using most over-the-counter fertilizers will leave their plants deficient in calcium and magnesium.

I say "might" because I don't know if yours is the same water supply. Give your water utility a call and get them to send you an analysis, or at least tell you the latest dissolved solids content.

[irrka]

thanks Ray!! i was totally planning on getting tap water MSU since i'd just assumed tap water is tap water!

[nynighthawk]

Thank you kindly, folks.

The info on First Ray's site is very useful, a great primer on the basics!

Also, thanks for the info on navigating/searching the threads. That'll be very handy.

I am in a part of New York City that uses the same municipal water as Manhattan. Actually, some areas of Queens-an adjacent borough-use well water, which is sometimes problematic. I must say our water is very tasty! Good to know that the plants like it, too. LOL

Best wishes.

[AHAB]

Dyna-gro
MSU

All work, I rotate between Dyna-gro "grow", Dyna-gro "bloom" and MSU.
AHAB

[nynighthawk]

Thanks AHAB,

I'll definitely check out those brands.