How to fertilize orchids naturally ?
Orchids growing in pots are limited by the size of the container and a strictly defined amount of substrate. They often grow in the same soil for many years, therefore, in order to develop properly, they must be regularly supplied with minerals.
Fertilize orchids naturally. It is one of the most important care treatments that will ensure growth and abundant flowering.
Natural fertilizers for orchids are:
Synthetic orchid fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers for orchids are effective, but, unfortunately, they are not the cheapest.
The method of their production is not ecological and they are sold in plastic bottles. A safe, fully environmentally friendly and beneficial alternative are natural fertilizers that you can make at home.
Orchids grown in pots require systematic fertilization with multi-component mixtures. In the case of flowering plants it is necessary especially in the period of budding and flowering, and in the case of green plants, in the spring and summer period.
Lack of proper fertilization can cause numerous diseases or one of the reasons for leaf breakage in an orchid.
The risks associated with artificial fertilization
If you decide to buy and use synthetic fertilizer you may run into issues. This is because those preparations are highly concentrated.
Given that indoor plants usually grow in relatively small containers, it is easy to overdose and harm them. The problem is particularly acute in the case of orchids, which can be seriously damaged by even a small excess of fertilizer.
The disposal of fertilizer packaging is also a problem. They are plastic and contain residues of concentrated chemicals. In addition, if there are children at home, you must ensure proper storage of fertilizers so that the little ones do not have access to them, because drinking such a preparation by a child will cause severe poisoning and is dangerous to health and life.
Natural organic fertilizer
All these arguments support a return to proven natural methods of plant fertilization, known for hundreds of years.
They are safe, effective and cheap.
You can make ecological fertilizer for orchids on your own from so many ingredients that it is impossible to list them all. These are among others:
- coffee grounds
- tea grounds – white, green, black, herbal teas and even fruit teas
- water from cooking various vegetables, for example potatoes or carrots
- peel from fruit, such as apples or bananas,
- egg shells
These ecological fertilizers are rich in minerals necessary for the proper growth, development and flowering, such as nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and many micronutrients. They also have an extremely positive effect on the structure of the soil itself and its water capacity.
It is good to know how to prepare the most popular types of these fertilizers and how to use them.
Natural fertilizers for orchids
Mineral water
This is the simplest natural fertilizer. It is the fastest and safe way for plants to provide them with the elements necessary for life. Minerals are present in mineral waters in such low concentrations that they are not able to do any harm. Therefore, there is no risk of over-fertilization, and the minerals contained in the water are easily absorbed.
Of course, you do not always have to buy mineral water specifically for watering plants, but the possibility of using it for this purpose is useful if, for example, you have the mineral water in the bottle from the previous day.
In practice, this happens quite often.
Remember that after opening a bottle of water, you should drink its contents within 24 hours, because later on, microorganisms that are unfavorable for your health begin to multiply.
However, they are not harmful to plants, and the richness of minerals remains in the water, so it is worth watering home potted plants with it. Of course, I am talking about still mineral water. The one with bubbles is not suitable for watering.
Potato boiling water
The water after boiling potatoes is extremely rich in minerals (it contains a lot of potassium, among other things), and also starch.
Therefore, it will enrich the substrate in the pot and contribute to the improvement of its structure, and will also be a good source of nutrients for orchids. Watering the plant with boiling water during flowering is especially beneficial.
Remember, however, that in order to be able to use such water, you cannot salt the potatoes while cooking. Salt water is not suitable for watering and can be very harmful to plants.
Egg shells
Fertilizing plants with ground egg shells is an effective method of providing them with valuable minerals, especially calcium, known for years. Remove all protein residues from the shells of boiled eggs, and then crush them very finely in a mortar or grind them in a grinder. Mix a small amount of the powder from the shells with the soil in a pot or with water for watering.
You can use this fertilizer once every 3-4 weeks.
This method appeared here more as a curiosity and a proposal to fertilize other plants. Orchids prefer a more acidic substrate, hence the shells are not the best for them.
Remember that egg shell fertilizer is not suitable for all plant species. It is perfect for species that prefer a neutral or alkaline substrate. So it definitely will not work for plants that like slightly acidic soil, such as orchids, ferns, azaleas or rhododendrons.
Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds, in turn, are an excellent natural fertilizer for plants that grow best in slightly acidic soil, because they have natural acidifying properties.
They are perfect for orchids – almost any species.
Moreover, they are a rich source of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. When added every 2-3 weeks in a small amount to the substrate in a pot, they will fertilize it and improve the water and air conditions in it.
Due to the high content of potassium, ecological coffee fertilizer is perfect for watering flowering plants.
In addition to coffee grounds, you can also use the remains of unfinished coffee as fertilizer. It is enough to dilute them with water in the ratio of 2-3 tablespoons of coffee per liter of water. Remember that only coffee grounds and coffee without sugar, milk and other additives are suitable for fertilizing plants.
Banana peel
It is an ideal organic fertilizer that can be used for indoor potted plants, flowers that decorate our balcony or terrace, as well as garden plants (ornamental, vegetables and fruit).
It is really universal.
You can mix a little ground fresh banana peel into the planting medium or use it to fertilize the dried peel. They contain a lot of potassium and phosphorus, as well as magnesium, calcium and other valuable minerals. They are especially recommended for flowering plants, as they contribute to better setting of buds and more abundant and longer flowering.
Banana fertilizer is enough to apply once a month, because the peels decompose in the soil over several weeks, gradually releasing and supplying the plants with minerals.
Let’s summarize the topic
That’s all I wanted to share with you when discussing organic fertilizers.
In addition to caring for a healthy and clean planet, you can use the things you throw away in the bin on a daily basis (such as egg shells, coffee grounds or banana peels).
Before you start applying any fertilizer to plants, it is worth finding out first what are the requirements of specific species of orchids or other plants.
This is important because some species prefer slightly acidic soil, others alkaline, and some do not like fertilization at all (e.g. avocado or hoja).
The key to success in the cultivation of indoor potted plants is to provide them with optimal growth conditions adapted to their natural needs. It is no different in the case of orchids.
