If you are using R/O water do you add any fertilizer over winter?

[Carkin]

I have read that you shouldn't use fertilizer when your plant is not in active growth. But does that apply to R/O water too?

 

[Justin]

i fertilize year-round, but at reduced rates in the colder months. i would think with R/O the plants would still need minerals and Nitrogen.

 

[SlipperFan]

I would think especially with RO, since it is void of nutrients.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

I'm growing indoors, under fluorescent lights. With the paphs and especially the phrags, I have active vegetative growth year round. Perhaps reduced in the cooler months, but then that also tends to be the season when a lot of things are spiking or in bloom. Combine that with the fact that RO (and rain) water is pretty much completely devoid of nutrition and minerals, and it just makes sense in my collection to feed year round. I do cut back or eliminate feeding for some things that are clearly dormant. But I usually do still mix in some tap water or fish tank water to get a little something in the water, if only to help buffer the pH.

 

[NYEric]

Yeah, I was going to say, what is "not in active growth"?

 

[Stone]

All my multi growth insignes and old hybrids and anything not in the hotbox with lights and 20 to 28C temps get nothing but a splash of water in winter. There is enough residual food held in the mix.
I think a rest is good for them.

 

[Carkin]

Yeah, I was going to say, what is "not in active growth"?

I'm not sure but I assumed they meant when the roots don't have any growing tips. All of my Paphs are in black plastic pots so I can't tell if there is any root growth over winter. But the leaves don't stop growing.

 

[Carkin]

Thank you for your replies.
I have kept fertilizing over the last two winters without actually thinking about it. But when I repotted my Paphs this spring, I was kind of disappointed with the roots (only a few and they just looked old) so I was wondering if maybe it had something to do with not giving them a rest from fertilizer.

 

[Kawarthapine]

I grow the majority of my plants in pots with colour preventing the viewing of roots and media.

I started using a few clear pots and this has been very helpful in tracking media quality and root growth/vigour.

I highly recommend it.

I've learned that I had been over watering some paphs and underwatering several phrags.

 

[Ray]

Since going to K-Lite, I dropped my concentration to 25 ppm N, and use that at every watering, all year long, allowing the frequency of application be the controlling factor.

For example, in winter, when the skies are gray and the greenhouse tends to stay on the cooler side, I don't get to water very much, but as spring approaches and the sun is higher, and many of the pants start to put on growth, I water more frequently, thereby increasing the mass of nutrients avaialbelto the plant.

 

[Rick]

I kept up with daily watering at 5ppm N (K lite based) all winter. Although not completely RO water (I add back in about 10% well water for a hardness of around 15ppm as CaCO3).

I really can't think of anything that's been "dormant" this winter except a Catesetum (so haven't been watering it at all).

In general all my Bulbophyllums have been growing at a fast rate this winter.

I started a Q&D test with a Paph lowii seedling in November of 2014 in a SH like system, but using glass beads instead of LECA, and changing the water in the sump each day with the same 5ppm N solution I water everything else with.

It's been getting new leaves and roots (certainly not dormant) over the winter. It's actually moving ahead of its potted siblings getting the same daily dribble of water and feed.

 

[TyroneGenade]

In winter I have severely low humidity so I don't fertilize (I grow in SH with K-lite) but I then switch to misting with K-lite. When the weather warms and humidity increases I mist with RO and water with K-lite. In winter I water with RO water. So I give fertilizer all year but the amounts vary. No problems so far.

 

[Migrant13]

I grow under lights and water once a week in winter with municipal water (76 ppm) and fertilize every two weeks with K-Lite alternating with KelpMax. In summer when the plants are outside, I water more frequently and fertilize once a week with the same alternating regimen plus a monthly dose of Mag Pro and occasionally some SuperThrive.

 

[Brabantia]

I kept up with daily watering at 5ppm N (K lite based) all winter. Although not completely RO water (I add back in about 10% well water for a hardness of around 15ppm as CaCO3).

I really can't think of anything that's been "dormant" this winter except a Catesetum (so haven't been watering it at all).

In general all my Bulbophyllums have been growing at a fast rate this winter.

I started a Q&D test with a Paph lowii seedling in November of 2014 in a SH like system, but using glass beads instead of LECA, and changing the water in the sump each day with the same 5ppm N solution I water everything else with.

It's been getting new leaves and roots (certainly not dormant) over the winter. It's actually moving ahead of its potted siblings getting the same daily dribble of water and feed.

Interesting Rick, would you remind to me your temperature conditions night and day actually?

 

[ALToronto]

All my orchids are growing through the winter, so they're getting fed. I have one Lycaste that drops its leaves and goes dormant, so it's not getting watered at all. But the rest are getting 10-15 ppm N in RO water from either K-Lite or a high N fish fertiliser.

 

[eaborne]

I also add 1/8 - 1/4 tsp fertilizer to my RO during the winter.