Orchid Plant Food Mist/ Watering Question
 

So far so good- my orchids are all still alive and many have grown (or are growing) a new leaf! Still no flowers on a lot of plants I've had for a few years now (that might be due to a host of issues, one of which may be lack of bright light), but I'll leave that for another post.

My question comes as things start to get a bit warmer in our area- what's the best way to water an orchid (mostly Phals), so that it gets the water it needs but doesn't get soggy and at risk for root rot? When I repotted most of my Phals, they had some root rot (which I trimmed), and so far so good- but I'd like to avoid this if I can! Right now the temperatures have been somewhat wonky in our area (we were getting mid 70's in the day and 50's at night, but there have been random storm fronts moving through all winter that drop us to 50 in the day and low 40's at night). I've been watering everyone once a week with a watering can, unless I see soil that's really dry- in which case I water as I see it.

I've also been using an Orchid Plant Food mist (from Miracle Gro). It's also been used weekly around leaves, roots and media in addition to water, as per the directions. I haven't seen any significant improvements (but it's only been a few weeks), nor any problems. Has anyone used this product before? What's it like long term?

Thanks in advance. :)

Doesn't sound like much more than marketing. Just get a balanced plant food. Miracle Grow is ok but it doesn't have to be a mist if I am understanding what it is. Here in San Diego (one of the orchid growing capitals of the world by the way) just about anywhere you buy anything plant related you can find a balanced fertilizer. Preferrably urea free. But even they work. My biggest question is why you haven't joined the world famous San Diego Orchid Society which will be hosting one of the best orchid shows in the US this month. Google them and you can get all the details. If you are in North San Diego county come join Palomar Orchid Society in Carlsbad. SD is the first teusday of the month in Balboa Park rm 101 Casa del Prado. First Wednesday of the month is Palomar and it meets in the Carlsbad Womens Club on Monroe St in Carlsbad. Come see us. We'll have you growing orchids right in no time.

The biggest reason I haven't joined is that I'm the newbie buying all the random Miracle Gro products (or perhaps that's even more reason to join so I can learn to do it right!) I live in SD and work in Carlsbad so it looks like I have options! It'll come down to timing and work sched, but I'll certainly look into which fits the best!

Any fertilizer is better than none and once a week is the most common schedule for fertilizing. If you can find a fertilizer that gets a significant amount of it's nitrogen from nitrate, the orchids will use it more readily. The label will tell you what percentage of nitrogen comes from nitrate, ammonium and urea. Nitrate is most desirable and urea is least desirable.
Allow your phals to get almost completely dry between watering but don't allow them to stay dry too long. If in doubt, wait an extra day to water. You can use a bamboo skewer pushed down into the media to see if it's still moist. The phal should be in a pot and a potting media that will allow some air to get down to the roots. If you're worried about the plant getting enough moisture while you're waiting for it to dry, you can mist the aerial roots or the roots right on the surface of the media. It's not a good idea to mist the leaves much because it can lead to fungus problems. Good luck.

Heh, OK, I will challenge you on that, how about terra cotta orchid pots? Shallow and with multiple slits or holes on the side. I can buy a 6" terra cotta orchid pot from my local Home Depot but for anything else I have to mailorder from Florida. I would love if I could buy terra cotta orchid pots by merely driving 2 hours to San Diego.

WOW!!! Some mood YOU'RE in today!

Actually, I would say that about you. I asked a genuine question. I plant mostly in terra cotta and have to buy the pots in Florida and have them shipped across country to me. For some weeks now I have been wondering if I would be able to find terra cotta orchid pots at the San Diego show. If so it would be well worth it to drive 2 hours south and purchase a several years supply of pots. If I knew of a vendor who would be at the show with terra cotta orchid pots I would contact them to place a pre-order.

I would bet you can find clay slotted pots at the SD show. And....you can get them at Andersons Nursery on La Costa Ave. in Carlsbad. That is where I get mine. Google and call. They also have a better clay pot that is wider and more shallow. I use them and break out the bottom a little. Put 1/4 in screen in the bottom. The plants stay just moist enough to get the benefit but not wet down in the bottom. Then I just vary the mix accordingly. There must be somewhere in LA that sells slotted pots. Sheesh with 10 million people it would seem like;ly. Are you coming down to SD show? I'll be around both days. Our display will be next to the coffee mess. Hope to see you there.

Thank you! I have searched and searched on the internet. There was a place in San Francisco but they did not ship. I have been avoiding orchid shows because my solarium is crowded with plants. I need to stay home and do more work on the solarium to make more space for more plants and then I can go to more shows but you are seriously tempting me.

David, I just returned from Walter Andersons nursery in San Diego and they have a load of pots with slits. $1.09 for 5 inch pots and $1.99 for 6 inch pots. Shallow, slotted orchid pots. If you come down here for the show Walter Andersons is on coast hyway just south of the 8 freeway. Very easy to find.

Have you checked Walmart? Our Walmarts in Canada carry terra cotta pots with side slits. They are not too deep and are actually called orchid pots. They are not the fancy glazed ones. Just unglazed terra cotta colour. They used to have a variety of sizes from small to at least 6 inches. Sadly I never see the small ones anymore. The U.S. always seems to have more in their stores so you might have some luck there.