For far too many of us, the only time we’ve ever seen our orchid in bloom was when it first came home with us.
We bought an orchid, or one was given to us.
A stunning plant with flowers that are unearthly and graceful.
And we swore that this time, we could get it right, and we would keep that orchid happy and thriving, and yes, even blooming.
Then, eventually, the blooms faded, and we muddled along trying to keep it alive until that fateful day when we realized we hadn’t watered it in a month…and you know how the rest of this story goes.
But, truly, orchards aren’t difficult to keep happy despite their reputation of being finicky.
It’s a bit like having a vegan friend at your dinner party. You’re so used to feeding everyone one way. But once you know the rules of how your vegan friend eats, it’s easy to make them feel included and well-fed at your party, too.
So, let’s take a look at the rules of feeding an orchid.
Why Orchids Are “Different”
If you’ve ever seen the movie The Fantastic Mr. Fox, there’s a running theme about being “different.” The characters use a funny hand motion when talking about someone being different.
We’ve kind of adopted this in our household. When one of us is being extra silly or weird, the rest of us look at each other and do the hand motion.
Well, orchids are also ::wiggles hands:: different.
That’s because many of the more popular orchids we grow as houseplants, such as Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, and Oncidium, are all epiphytes. Epiphytic plants grow on trees, not in the soil. They’ve evolved to take up nutrients a little differently than their ground-dwelling cousins.
The soil is (generally) packed with all the nutrients a plant needs to thrive, but when you’re living in a tree, food becomes a game of catch-as-catch-can.
Instead of a steady supply of nutrients, you get what you need in small doses – decomposing leaves and fruit from the canopy above you, bird and other animal droppings, etc. – all washed down the tree to your roots via rain.
Dialing in the Fertilizer Formula for Orchids
In our homes, we can mimic this pretty easily—no bird poop required.
The most important aspect of feeding orchids is the type of fertilizer we use. And that, my friends, should always be a water-soluble fertilizer.
I know, I know, those slow-release formulas are so much easier.
You sprinkle them on your growing media and forget about it. Unfortunately, this kind of fertilizing doesn’t mesh well with the needs of orchids for a few reasons:
Orchids don’t grow in soil. We use an orchid medium mainly made up of bark, so those little granules can get trapped in weird spots, burning roots, or not reaching some roots at all.
A water-soluble fertilizer is more readily absorbed by the bark, so it can be slowly released to the roots around it. It’s also much easier to ensure all of the roots are wetted and receiving nutrients.
Water-soluble fertilizers are so much easier to dilute and get right than something like a granulated formula. This means you’re less likely to burn tender aerial roots.
It’s much easier to water “weakly, weekly” with a water-soluble fertilizer than a slow-release fertilizer. (More on that momentarily.)
And finally, it’s super important to prevent fertilizer or salt buildup with orchids. Watering only with a water-soluble formula makes that so much easier since you don’t have a solid fertilizer sitting in the bark at all times. You can flush the plant with plain water.
Weakly, Weekly”
“Weakly, weekly” is an easy way to remember how orchids should be fed. You want to water them weekly and include a diluted fertilizer with just about every time.
Now, here’s the thing: I’m not saying you need to deluge your plants with water every week.
That whole ice cube method works for a reason. (Yes, it is safe, and it works quite well; you can read why here.)
What to Look for In an Orchid Fertilizer
You’ll notice right away that orchids need a much higher NPK ratio than your average balanced fertilizer. They especially need a lot more nitrogen when you use a bark growing media.
A good ratio for orchids is somewhere along the lines of 20-20-20 or 30-10-10.
The War Raging in Your Orchid Pot
Most of us who grow orchids do so in a bark medium. That means there’s a tiny little war happening inside our pots. Naturally occurring organisms are slowly breaking down the bark, but to do so, they rely on nitrogen.
So, when you feed your orchid, these organisms are like, “Actually, I’ll take that, thank you.” If you don’t compensate for that nitrogen being tied up in the bark, your orchid can become deficient.
To offset this natural process and make sure there’s plenty of nitrogen for your plant, most quality orchid formulas have a higher ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus and potassium.
Here are a few popular blends among orchid aficionados for normal feeding and watering while the plant is actively growing.
MSU Orchid Fertilizer
Developed at Michigan State University, this is the good stuff. The serious orchid gurus swear by this stuff. You can order it here.
Jack’s Classic Orchid Special
This is another popular formulation, and a small tub will last you quite a while.
SuperThrive Orchid-Pro
I use another formulation of SuperThrive for my African violets and they are constantly blooming. They make great fertilizer. Grab a bottle here.
Feeding For Blooms
When orchids begin spiking (growing the stem that will eventually contain those beautiful flowers we’ve been working so hard for), you’ll want to switch to an orchid formula that’s specifically meant to support this process.
You’ll be looking for something with lower nitrogen and higher phosphorus and potassium. Shift to a bloom formulation like Orchid Better Bloom, which has an NPK ratio of 11-35-15.
The Broader Scope of “Weakly, Weekly”
As the seasons change, you’ll want to change how you feed your orchids. They’re generally in their active cycle when the days are longer, and they go dormant (if you’re growing a species that goes dormant), usually when the days are longer.
During these periods, you’ll still use the “weakly, weekly” method as follows:
- Active growth (spring to early fall) – ¼ to ½ strength fertilizer. It’s important to prevent the buildup of salts from the fertilizer, so it’s a good idea, every 4th or 5th week, to flush the pot with plain water. This will keep the roots healthy and happy.
- Dormant period (usually winter) – ¼ strength once a month or skip feeding altogether. You’ll be watering less during this time as well. Phalaenopsis, the most common orchids kept as houseplants, usually keeps growing slowly through winter and can be fed and watered lightly.
Some Pro tips:
Let’s just say, for the sake of example, that you forgot to water your orchid for a week. Maybe two. Not that I do this several times a year, I’m just, ya know, saying, for example.
It’s important never to fertilize dried-out plants. Always water them first and then pick up fertilizing the following week.
(Also set a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget next time.)
Another great tip is to catch and use rainwater if you live somewhere with especially hard water. (Hi friend! Water spots and frizzy hair are my life.) This will keep the leaves looking nice and prevent salt buildup.
Keep leaves dry. Avoid splashing fertilizer on the leaves. I have one orchid with a hole in the leaf still from when I gave it a good dousing with fertilizer the first year I had it. Oops!
How I Water & Fertilize My Orchids the Easy Way
One thing you should know about me when it comes to gardening. I have no patience for finicky plants. None. Which is why there isn’t a single member of the Calathea family in my home.
Yet, I have no problem with orchids.
That’s because I’ve figured out the lazy way to keep them happy. As you may recall, in the beginning, I mentioned using the much-debated ice cube method to water my orchids.
Now, I’m not going to defend this method here. There is peer-reviewed evidence to back up that it not only works but doesn’t harm the plant. I broke it down here.
Well, it dawned on me one day that if I were smart, rather than fertilizing my orchids separately, I could make the ice cubes with the fertilizer already mixed into the water. (Another reason to use water-soluble fertilizer.)
Now, I’ll be honest; it took me several batches before I realized I was still making it harder on myself by adding the fertilizer one drop at a time. These days, I mix it up in the watering can and then pour the mixture into the ice cube trays.
If you’re going to use this method, be sure you store and label the bag you keep your finished ice cubes in clearly! It’s also a good idea to use a dedicated ice cube tray so you don’t have to wash it out each time.
Using this method keeps my orchids happy, healthy, and, yes, blooming without a lot of fuss.
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