Best Orchid Fertilizer

We get asked all the time:  what is the best orchid fertilizer?  My Dad, the original grower at Turtle Pond Orchids, also had a science and medical background.  He always told us, the name brand didn't matter, it was all in the numbers:  the NPK.  He would say, "fertilizer is just salts", and would even show us by putting a little on his tongue and tasting it!!  I am no scientist, but i have found this to be true for the most part.  I have never seen the point in buying fancy name brand fertilizers, especially ones that are marketed to be designed specifically for "Orchids".

So, I would love to pose the question to the orchid community...what is your experience with fertilizing your orchids ? Brand of fertilizers ? techniques in fertilizing ?

Thanks...Turtle Pond Orchids

How do I water my orchid?

From www.aos.org
by Turtle Pond Orchids

Avoid overwatering which leads to the demise of many more orchids than underwatering. Constant wetness will cause the roots to rot, which leaves the plant without a means for taking up nourishment which then causes the leaves to droop and will eventually kill the plant. The classic advice is to water the day before the plant dries out. If you have to let the plant go dry to figure out what a dry plant weighs, it will not kill the plant and will make you a better grower. Another measure is to use the pencil trick (the point of a sharpened pencil, when inserted into the medium, will darken with moisture if the plant has enough water). And, there's always the old standby - put your finger in the mix. If it feels wet, it is wet. If you aren't sure whether it is time to water, wait one more day.
"Evenly moist," while the most commonly given advice on watering, is the least easily explained. Because most plants are grown in plastic containers a good diagnosis is the weight of the plant: heavy - does not need watering; light - does require water. With a little practice, one can easily tell the amount of moisture remaining in the container.
Water your orchid early in the morning. This insures complete water evaporation on the foliage as well as the crown by nightfall. If your home is very warm or has low humidity you will most likely need to water more often. The best place to water your plant is in the kitchen sink. Use lukewarm water (do not use salt softened or distilled water) and water your plant for about 15 seconds and be sure to thoroughly wet the media. Then allow the plant to drain for about 15 minutes. It may appear dry but it has had enough water. After the plants are watered, they should be placed so that the pots do not stand in water. Some people like to place the pots on "humidity trays" or in trays or saucers of gravel or pebbles and water. The pot is placed on the pebbles above the water line. This helps to insure that the base of the pot is not immersed in water, increases humidity for the plant, and provides some air circulation under the pot.

Please share your watering tips with us!!

Celebrate Thanksgiving With Orchids

from Orchidcarezone.com:
by www.turtlepondorchids.com

 You know autumn is here when leaves start to fall and cover the street with their wilted array of colors – red, orange, yellow and brown. Such colors give vibrancy to the occasion we know today as Thanksgiving.
Thankful for all the blessings we have received this year, we often celebrate it with a luscious dinner together with family and friends complete with a turkey as the centerpiece.
Orchid lovers and growers alike find ways to tie in their favorite flower in any event. Commonly seen as decorations at gatherings these flowers can give a contemporary take on something very traditional, in this case Thanksgiving.
The variety of colors that orchids provide make them perfect for any occasion. Depart from the traditional turkey centerpiece. (I’m not suggesting you remove it, just find another place for it.) In its place spruce up a floral centerpiece with a variety of orchids.
If you are shy to move away from the traditional turkey centerpiece, why not incorporate orchids on other aspects of your dinner? Need some ideas? No problem!
Here are just a few orchid related tips that you can use when you want to spruce up your Thanksgiving gathering:

• A good choice for orchid flower to use for Thanksgiving is the yellow Moth orchid. Moth orchids are very common and can even be bought from your neighborhood grocery store or department store.
• You don’t have to use all orchids on your arrangement. Place a purple colored orchid flower here and there on your mostly yellow, gold and brown floral arrangement for the perfect color contrast.
• Add flair to your table napkin rings or ties by adding fresh orchid flowers to finish them off.
• Plate up some edible orchids as salads or even use them as garnish for food or drinks.
• Nothing says “thank you” better than a well arranged bouquet of flowers, preferably orchids, or even a whole orchid plant your guest can take home to enjoy.

This Thanksgiving season do not limit yourself with the traditional. Think outside the box and use orchids to liven up your gatherings. Think Martha Stuart! There are a lot of things you can do with a few orchids and just a little ingenuity. Happy Thanksgiving! And thank goodness for orchids!
What are you using for your Thanksgiving spread? Please leave a comment below and let me know!