- What are the nutrient requirements of a Phalaenopsis?
- How often should a Phalaenopsis be fertilized?
- Which fertilizer is suitable for butterfly orchids?
- Does fertilizer help to flower better?
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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.
The butterfly orchid needs surprisingly few nutrients
What are the nutrient requirements of a Phalaenopsis?
Although the profuse flowering of a butterfly orchid (bot. Phalaenopsis) might not suggest it, the nutritional needs of this orchid are fairly modest. As a rule, the plant tolerates it better if it is given too little fertilizer than if it is given 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, that's no problem either. As already mentioned, less is better than too much. In winter, reduce fertilizer if your Phalaenopsis stays in a warm spot. In cooler temperatures, stop fertilizing altogether for a period of time.
Which fertilizer is suitable for butterfly orchids?
In its natural home, a Phalaenopsis does not grow in the ground, but on trees. Therefore, they do not tolerate "normal" soil and consequently also no commercially available flower fertilizer. (1.95 €) Use special orchid fertilizer for this reason. This may seem a bit expensive at first glance, but it is only given in small doses.
Does fertilizer help to flower better?
If your Phalaenopsis does not bloom then there may well be care mistakes behind it. Rarely, however, is it due to a nutrient deficiency. 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 essentials in brief:
- no high nutrient requirements
- tolerates neither normal potting soil nor ordinary fertilizer
- fertilize once a week during the growth phase
- only use special orchid fertilizer
- reduce the dose in winter or do without fertilizer altogether
- Better to fertilize too little than too much
tips
After flowering, the nutrient requirements of your Phalaenopsis are reduced, which you should definitely take into account when dosing the fertilizer.