Orchids fertilize with simple household means – natural & nutrient-rich fertilizers
While the orchids were difficult to maintain until a few years ago and were reserved only for professionals, today’s cultivars are very suitable even for beginners. And her beautiful sight really did it to some. If you don’t want to fill your house with plants, but still value a nice accent with real flowers, you can opt for orchids with their wide variety of flower colors. But so that you can always enjoy new flowers, it is important that you fertilize the orchids and thus provide them with nutrients. Today we explain to you exactly what you should pay attention to and which everyday (waste) products you can do this with.
If you want to fertilize orchids, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on special fertilizers. Every day there are plenty of products in your household that you can use for this purpose and your pretty plants will thank you! Find out now what you can use to fertilize orchids and how you can look forward to healthy orchids.
From when fertilize orchids and how often?
So that your plants are doing well, it is not only important to know what is suitable as a fertilizer. The right time is also important. So what should you watch out for if you want to fertilize your orchids properly?
Fertilize orchids – time
So when do you fertilize orchids? Basically, orchids are only fertilized during the growth phase and in turn are left to rest during the resting phase. The rest phase usually takes place in winter. Accordingly, you do not need to fertilize orchids in winter.
Orchids fertilize during flowering, don’t they?
As soon as the growth phase starts again, you will start feeding again, because then the plant will need strength. You can recognize the right time from the fact that new leaves, stems or flower umbels are forming. So you can continue to fertilize orchids during flowering. If the flowers have withered, you do not need to cut off the stem, because it is not uncommon for a new umbel to grow from one of the so-called “eyes” and of course the plant also needs sufficient nutrients for this.
Furthermore, you should also fertilize the orchids if they are not blooming (except during the resting phase), because during this time new leaves will grow and hopefully soon new umbels will need to be taken care of.
Fertilize orchids after repotting
Except during the resting phase, you should also take a break from fertilizing when you have repotted the orchids. It is best to skip fertilizing the orchids for 4 to 6 weeks.
Fertilize orchids – how often?
Good news for all beginners who want to buy an orchid is that this plant is a weaker. This means that you don’t have to worry if you forget or skip fertilizing for a long time. In fact, if you fertilize your orchids too often, it will harm the plant. Every two weeks is enough.
Fertilize orchids with home remedies
Now that we have clarified the question “When to fertilize orchids”, we can also come to the question “What to fertilize orchids with”. If you want to fertilize your orchids naturally, you have a wide range of options at your disposal to make fertilizers for orchids yourself. We have listed below which natural means you can use to make orchid fertilizer yourself.
With tea from compost
Since compost can smell unpleasant and substrate is not too easy to mix, a tea made from compost is the ideal variant for this type of natural fertilizer. It is important that you only use compost from leafy plants (e.g. from salads) and old vegetables when fertilizing orchids. How the tea is made:
Mix one liter of water (free of lime and chlorine) per kilogram of plant material in a bucket, for example, and set it aside for at least 24 hours so that the plants can start to rot in the water and thus release their nutrients. An ambient temperature of at least 20 degrees is ideal for this. Then strain the plant parts and use the water to dip the orchids.
Fertilize orchids with yeast
Dry yeast is the most suitable. This provides the plants with plenty of potassium and phosphorus and can be used for fertilization before and during the flowering period. However, a yeast cube that was used for the following recipe is also suitable: Make a solution by dissolving a cube of yeast in 10 liters of water (lukewarm and lime-free) while stirring. Only when all the yeast has dissolved can the solution be used to water the orchids. It is best to submerge the plants. In this way, you can not only fertilize your orchids, but also water them at the same time.
Fertilize orchids with beer
What is meant is not fresh, but stale beer. It may happen that you haven’t finished drinking your beer the night before and then throw it away the next day. You no longer have to do that. Instead, let it sit for another day and then dilute it with water. Then use it every 4 to 6 weeks for watering. It is the contained hops that do the plants so good and work like compost. The smell of beer can also prevent pests, as some do not like it at all.
Fertilize orchids with coffee grounds
You are also welcome to fertilize your orchids with coffee grounds. So instead of getting the coffee grounds in the trash or on the compost every morning, use them instead to make a natural fertilizer. The special thing about this variant is that the coffee really contains all the nutrients that the orchid needs: potassium, nitrogen and phosphate.
Simply spread the coffee grounds over the substrate and water the plant a little immediately afterwards. At the latest after 3 days or as soon as it has dried. Then you can lay out new coffee grounds again after 2 weeks. Do not keep the set moist after watering, otherwise mold can form, which damages the plants.
Black tea
As an alternative to coffee, black tea can also be used because it contains the same nutrients and can therefore also provide the orchid with the best possible care. However, never use fresh tea or tea bags when fertilizing orchids, because this is too strong. Instead, simply take the set or sachet after making your tea and soak it in warm water for 20 minutes (250 ml of water per sachet).
Then remove the tea bag and let the liquid cool. Then you can water the plants with it, even daily, without risking oversupply. Use this irrigation water only freshly prepared and for the preparation lime-free or at least lime-free water!
Fertilize with baby pill
It sounds strange at first, but the contraceptive pill can really do wonders for your plants and this includes the orchid. The pill does not provide your plants with nutrients, but it promotes growth. So if you fertilize orchids with a baby pill, you can achieve a kind of fertilizer effect. So combine them with other fertilizers of your choice. If you have stopped taking your pill and have a few left, you can use it as follows:
Dissolve a pill in 1/4 to 1 liter of water overnight and use it to water your orchids. You can repeat this once after 4 weeks or you can take care of your plants in this way every 6 months (or at least every 2 weeks). Alternatively, the pill can also be inserted directly into the substrate. With each watering a little fertilizer is spread.
It is important that you do not use this type of fertilizer for edible plants (vegetables, herbs, fruit trees, etc.) because the hormones get into the plant. It is also advised not to do this in the field because the hormones seep into the groundwater.
Garlic as a nutrient supplier
Garlic also has an invigorating effect on orchids. You can also stimulate flowering with this home remedy. You can get a good fertilizer by using succinic acid. Heat a liter of water, add a tablet of succinic acid and let the liquid cool. Then finely chop 3 cloves of garlic, add them to the liquid and let them cover covered for 24 hours.
It is irrigated with this liquid by diving. To do this, pour the fertilizer through a sieve into a bucket of standing water and immerse the orchids in this water. Alternate garlic watering with normal watering and do not keep the fertilizer in the refrigerator for more than 3 days. It is best to always produce as much as you need when fertilizing your orchids.
With apple
Apples are particularly effective when you want to stimulate orchid flowering. You can put an overripe apple piece directly on the substrate for this purpose, but then you risk mold growth. Instead, you can simply place the apple piece next to the pot. The apple piece then releases the so-called gas ethylene, which stimulates flowering.
Potato and rice water as fertilizer
Plain rice water is known for its many benefits. This also includes the use of water as a fertilizer for plants. It is simply used lukewarm every two weeks after boiling rice as irrigation water, which then supplies the orchid with potassium, calcium and vitamin B. Use potato water in the same way if you want to fertilize orchids in a natural way.
How to use egg shells
Calcium, carbon and oxygen are those minerals in the eggshells that are so valuable to your orchids. So if you want to fertilize orchids in a natural way, simply use the bowls of your breakfast eggs. On the one hand, you can soak the bowls in water and then use it as irrigation water. Or you can take the water in which you boiled the eggs after it has cooled. Simply water your flowers with it.
Banana peels for the nutrient supply of orchids
Last but not least, we would like to introduce you to the banana peels as fertilizer, of which you are sure to have enough at home on a regular basis. They contain plenty of valuable potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamins as well as nitrogen, albeit in small quantities. In order to get a fertilizer from you with which you can fertilize orchids, you first have to dry them. Then cut them into small pieces and mix or spread them over the substrate.
Alternatively, you can use a blender to make a powder from the dried shells, which you can combine with dry coffee grounds.
Attention! Bananas usually contain large amounts of pesticides (except organic bananas). Therefore, do not use the bowls for the garden if you value organic cultivation. But the peels of organic bananas are also more suitable for flowers or even for cosmetic use.
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