How Much and How Often Should I Feed My Orchids

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Much has been written about feeding orchids.  Since that fateful day in 1975 (when I purchased my first paph), we have tried a number of different fertilizers.  I love good food and variety.  So do orchids.  Our suggestion: use a variety of fertilizers, but always under fertilize.  If the manufacturer’s recommendation is a teaspoon per gallon, use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.  It is imperative to use diluted concentrations only since most orchid roots are sensitive to fertilizer burn.  A good year-round fertilizer is Peter’s 20-20-20.  We also use Epsom salts once a month at a rate of one teaspoon per gallon of water.  The magnesium promotes good flowering and root growth.  The so-called “Orchid Fertilizers” that are high in nitrogen are best avoided unless you can discipline yourself to use it only as a new growth appears and to encourage new growth.  The problem is that if a high nitrogen fertilizer is used too frequently, it tends to inhibit flowering.  Unless you love orchid foliage and few or no flowers, we suggest using high nitrogen fertilizers in moderation.