For beautiful flowers and healthy leaves, you should fertilize your orchids properly. Sometimes classic orchid fertilizer is not enough and you can use a few home remedies that provide the plant with additional minerals it needs. This article explains how and why Epsom salt will make your orchid more beautiful and healthier than ever.
Before we explain why you should fertilize your orchids with it, it is important to clarify what Epsom salt or Epsom salt actually is. It was discovered in the well water of Epsom, England and soon became very popular. Back then, the benefits were medicinal, as bathing or soaking in Epsom salts was said to help in many areas, such as lowering blood pressure, relieving headaches, and increasing serotonin levels.
It is important to note that Epsom salt is not table salt. Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) and Epsom salt is epsomite, which is composed of magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S) and oxygen (O). Table salt will destroy your orchid and burn the roots, so never add regular salt to your orchid!
Fertilizing orchids: What influence does Epsom salt have on growth?
Epsom salt is an Epsom salt that can be broken down into magnesium, sulfur and oxygen. These are all nutrients your orchid needs. Most orchid fertilizers are sold with only NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), and if you only use these, your orchid will become deficient in other micronutrients over time. One of these deficiencies is magnesium.
A good source of magnesium for your orchid is Epsom salt as it is made from magnesium sulfate.Epsom salt is for plantsuseful primarily because of the magnesium, as it contains about 10 percent magnesium and 13 percent sulfur.
Determine magnesium deficiency
Magnesium is absorbed through your orchid's roots and transported throughout the orchid, unlike some other nutrients and minerals. Because magnesium flows freely through the orchid, if there is a deficiency, the orchid will try to save the younger leaves at the expense of the older leaves. The older leaves begin to turn purple or develop green spots.
Your orchid uses magnesium primarily for photosynthesis. This means that most of the magnesium is in theOrchid leavesis stored, where the light that reaches the leaves is converted into chemical energy. Orchids with higher light exposure require more magnesium to carry out these processes, and when magnesium is not present (or only in very low doses), the leaves have difficulty producing energy to thrive.
If your orchid is suffering from magnesium deficiency, it will sometimes also show small red spots on the leaves, which is due to chlorosis between the leaf veins - all curable with Epsom salt.
What else does Epsom salt regulate in an orchid?
Magnesium isn't the only chemical element that Epsom salt helps regulate. It also regulates aluminum, iron and calcium (in their own way). Please note that these elements are not found in Epsom salt, but Epsom salt will help absorb (or break down) these nutrients when added at a later date.
How the orchid responds to the intake of these elements depends largely on the substrate as well as the genus and species of your orchid. It is not correct to assume that Epsom salt will automatically increase or regulate these three substances with a single application, nor that all orchids respond to these nutrients to the same extent or in the same way. However, it can be assumed that the use of Epsom salt will have a positive effect on the orchid, even if only slightly.
Does adding additional minerals and nutrients make fertilizing unnecessary?
You shouldn't go to thatclassic fertilizationAvoid if you use another method to increase your orchid's magnesium, iron and calcium levels. Fertilizers are made for specific purposes, and watering alone will not provide the proper balance that plants need.
Dose and use as orchid fertilizer like Epsom salt
There are two different methods of using Epsom salt as fertilizer for your orchids. One may be superior to the other, but we will mention them both. You can decide which method works best for your care or combine them.
Fertilize orchids by misting
Spraying orchids with fertilizer is a common and effective practice. They have aerial roots that allow the plant to absorb water and nutrients.
Misting supplies nutrients to these aerial roots, which typically grow between the leaves, so that the nutrients go directly to the leaves, which grow further away from the central root system.
To do this, mix 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt with 4 liters of water, pour it into a spray bottle and mist your orchids thoroughly. Do this every three months for best results.
Delivery by pouring
One of the benefits of using Epsom salt in orchid care is that it helps flush out salt residue from the orchid's root system.
However, nebulization does not have this effect. You're unlikely to reach most of your orchid's central root system this way. Spraying doesn't do much to wash anything away.
To achieve this particular benefit, take the same solution (1 tsp/4 liters) and pour it through the orchid substrate and thus over the central root system of the plant.
This way the roots will absorb a lot of the solution. They also have the added benefit of allowing the roots to reabsorb water and fertilizer. This measure should also be carried out every 3 months.
A combination of both methods
Of course, there is also the possibility that a combination of both methods is even more efficient. We encourage you to incorporate Epsom salt into your orchid care, no matter how you do it.
If you prefer to water your orchids with ice cubes, you can make Epsom salt cubes a few times a year. If you prefer watering by immersion, you can submerge the roots directly into the Epsom salt solution. Soak the orchid roots in the mixture for between 10 minutes and three hours, depending on how dehydrated the plant is. This is a test you need to do to find out what time is best for your orchid.
We recommend combining spraying with one of the other methods to deliver the valuable nutrients of Epsom salt to both the roots and aerial roots of your plant. Just be careful not to overdo it. Orchid roots are delicate and it is usually a good idea to be conservative when introducing new products.
Fertilize orchids with Epsom salts for larger flowers
Epsom salt is extremely useful for the care and nutrition of your orchid. Not only does it help produce chlorophyll, but it also supports cell structure, proper hydration and flushes the orchid of salt residue. Epsom salt makes the flowers larger and the leaves more vibrant without harming the orchid.
In summary, occasional application of Epsom salt will provide your plant with essential nutrients it needs to grow larger, greener leaves and larger, more colorful flowers.
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