Help with ppm and fertilizer

[LadyOrchid]

Help is for beginner as a treasure. There is sooooo much things to read and learn. English is harder to read. If I could have information on my language. Reading English I need also google translate many words and sometimes one sentence really took my energy to "discover" what is meaning ;-)

It was really discover for me find out that I can't use tap water with every plant. In Croatia we drink water from pipe it is save and clean BUT it is tap. So this is another issue.

I don't know can you even imagine how is.

I have got Vanda for about 1,5 years and she love what ever I do. She love tap water, sun, fertilizer for hibiscus (I didn't know Orchids need different fertilizer) and also Vanda loves to be mist with combination of Magnezium and potassium ;-))) Don't ask further ha ha. My only doubt is to change this or to continue.

Thank you so so much for help ;-) I can bet we will write again in some other topic ;-)

[estación seca]

If your Vanda is happy don't change anything!

Some tap water is good for orchids. Many water companies place the water quality report online. Maybe you can find the report for your water company. Here is the one for Phoenix, Arizona, USA:
https://www.phoenix.gov/waterservice...y%20Report.pdf

[PaphMadMan]

The most important thing for a beginner to know about orchid fertilizer is that it will never be the thing that limits your success until you have mastered almost every other aspect of orchid culture. It can never make up for a lack in anything else. Just give them a little bit of any good fertilizer, and don't worry about it. The exact amount does not matter. You're way ahead of the game.

[LadyOrchid]

PaphMadMan thank you for posting. This is also true. My nature is little heavy because I'm control freak and everything needs to be perfect ;-)

estacion seca this is great suggestion. But I already have this results from Croatia because we drink water from pipe so of course it is need for me to know what I drink ;-)

Thank you guys ;-)

[bethmarie]

Welcome to the Orchid Board! My compliments on your mastery of English, and orchids!

[LadyOrchid]

Thank you very much bethmarie.

And question TDS meter say that my water contains 150 ppm. Is this a lot?

I know it is for my Miltoniopsis.

I had this TDS metere really cheep, almost free but I really don't know why I need one ;-)))))))

[Ray]

Two comments on the TDS, first the meter: don't trust the absolute reading, as it's probably not particularly accurate. It ought to be OK for relative readings, though.

For example, if your plain water reads 100 and it's 200 after adding fertilizer, you can probably count on that reading to make up the same fertilizer concentration (of that brand and formula) in the future.

If we go out on a limb and presume the 150 is accurate, whether that is good for your plants or not really depends on the type of plant. Vandaceous orchids might find it great, while mist-dwellers from the Andes might die. I could be wrong, but I've always viewed miltoniopsis as being on the lighter side of "middle of the road," meaning they'd likely be OK, but would prefer purer...

[LadyOrchid]

Hello Ray!

Great to "see" you here.
Thank you for your reply. You are so right about Miltoniopsis as I have them and have experience with them. The humidity in the air is not such a problem IF they have got humidity in pot and other conditions satisfy. One of them "Red Tide" is now in cascade bloom and she is so adorable. They don't like even much fertilizer so I keep them at minimum with everything exept my wish to "kiss" them very often as they are cooking with me ;-)))

Vanda is "eating" tropical hibiscus fertilizer ;-)))) more than a year and she is doing just fine. Of course this was before I started to read about Orchids. She loves whatever I do.

Ok so in my water ppm will tell me how much salt is in the water (for example Magnesium). This should watch out only for plants who doesn't like salt bild up. I see white from salt bild up at LECA.
We can't talk about every Orchid as they are so different, but is there some general rule for "not so fuzzy" Orchids. What concentration of this should tolerate many Orchids?

Is that 100 ppm in water or not above 200?

Ray no meter can say correct. This is true ;-)

[Ray]

That was merely an example. Without knowing the true chemical contents, and true TDS of your water, nobody can give a solid recommendation.

[LadyOrchid]

Ray got it!

I can have water analyse in my town. I will do my best to find out more ;-)

Thank you all for your answers and time to teach me and help me! I hope one day I will be able to do the same