A variety of home remedies, tips and tricks for orchid care are circulating on the internet, including some interesting fertilizer products as an alternative to commercial orchid fertilizer. From beer to banana peels to tea to Epsom salts, it seems like just about everything is included and some are more, some less effective. Have you heard of using milk for this purpose? Then you'll definitely want to find out more! We explain whether you can fertilize the orchid with milk.
Milk fertilizer for orchid care – yes or no?
Even if it may sound a bit strange at first, upon closer inspection it is not that illogical that cow's milk etc. can also be beneficial for plants. After all, they contain plenty of useful nutrients such as various vitamins, protein (and the amino acids they contain), phosphorus, calcium, fluoride or iodine. All minerals that plants also need.
The substances mentioned promote the growth of your plant because they are components that are important for cell formation.
contains milkbut also fats that the plant can't use as well and doesn't actually need. Therefore, you do not need to use high-fat milk. 1.5% is completely sufficient. It doesn't matter whether you use fresh milk from local farmers or long-life milk from the supermarket. The only difference is that UHT milk contains slightly fewer vitamins due to the heating process. However, all the other minerals are contained in the same amounts in both versions.
Is plant-based milk also suitable?
However! Since plant milk usually contains the same nutrients, they are also ideal as an alternative, regardless of whether it is almond milk, rice milk or soy milk etc.
Find out how to use banana peelsin this article.
How to fertilize orchids with milk?
On the other hand, we also know that milk spoils quite quickly. Wouldn't it smell terrible after a while if we used milk as liquid fertilizer? Not if you do it right. This is how you should fertilize the orchid with milk to get all the positive effects from it:
- Do not use the milk pure, but dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:5 (e.g. 100 ml milk and 500 ml water). You can also dilute a little more, in a ratio of 1:8.
- Dip the plant in this water or water it with it.
- You can also spray the leaves with the mixture instead or in addition.
How often can you fertilize the orchid with milk?
With this natural fertilizer, you don't have to worry about over-fertilizing your plant. On the one hand, because the concentration in the milk is not high and on the other hand, because you further dilute and reduce the whole thing with the water. Accordingly, you canevery four to six weeksFertilize your orchid with milk.
By the way!If the mixture is combined with direct sunlight (i.e. if the plant is in the sun after watering, for example), it also has a disinfectant effect. However, you should be careful here, as orchids cannot tolerate direct sun in the long term. However, this tip proves to be quite useful with other plants or in the garden.
