Orchids are often considered demanding and difficult to care for. This opinion is not completely wrong, but that does not reduce the popularity of the Phalaenopsis. It is still in full bloom in many living rooms.
How should you fertilize a Phalaenopsis?
Phalaenopsis orchids require few nutrients and should therefore be supplied with special orchid fertilizer once a week during the growth phase. In winter the fertilizer application can be reduced or stopped. Too much fertilizer can harm the plant.
What is the nutrient requirement of a Phalaenopsis?
Even if the lush flowers of a butterfly orchid (bot. Phalaenopsis) might not suggest it, the nutrient requirements of this orchid are quite low. As a rule, the plant tolerates it better if it is not fertilized enough than if it receives too much fertilizer.
How often should a Phalaenopsis be fertilized?
You can fertilize your Phalaenopsis once a week during the growth phase and flowering period. If you forget it, that's no big deal. As already mentioned, less is better than too much. In winter, reduce the fertilizer application if your Phalaenopsis continues to be in a warm place. In cooler temperatures, stop fertilizing completely for a while.
Which fertilizer is suitable for butterfly orchids?
In its natural habitat, a phalaenopsis does not grow in the ground, but on trees. Therefore, it does not tolerate “normal” soil and therefore no commercial flower fertilizer. For this reason, use special orchid fertilizer. This may seem a bit expensive at first glance, but it is only given in small doses.
Does fertilizer help produce more beautiful flowers?
If your Phalaenopsis isn't blooming, there could well be care errors behind it. However, it is rarely due to a nutrient deficiency. However, you may have watered the butterfly orchid too much or too little. So check the roots. If these are soft or even mushy and rotten, then they should be cut off.
The most important things in brief:
- no high nutrient requirements
- Does not tolerate normal potting soil or common fertilizer
- fertilize once a week during the growth phase
- only use special orchid fertilizer
- reduce the dose in winter or avoid fertilizer altogether
- It's better to fertilize too little than too much
Tip
After flowering, the nutrient requirements of your Phalaenopsis are reduced, so you should definitely take this into account when dosing the fertilizer.
