The orchid in the glass has a special charm. But in order for it to thrive for a long time, bloom lushly and grow quickly, it needs nutrients. Unlike conventional houseplants, she only gets them through irrigation water. We explain how you can fertilize orchids without soil and what home remedies you can use.
Fertilizing orchids without soil: What variants are there?
One of the biggest challenges when cultivating orchids in glass is supplying the flowers with sufficient nutrients. If the orchid is growing in a pot with moss, orchid substrate or bark mulch, you can use both liquid and solid fertilizer. Things are different when it comes to hydroponics. There are basically three variants to choose from:
Fertilize orchids properly in hydroponics
Hydroponics: The orchid does not stand in water, but is placed on a glass. You then fill some water into the vase so that the roots are directly above the water. The goal of this method is for the roots to absorb moisture from the air. The water stays at the bottom of the vase 5 days a week. Then the orchid is completely dry for two days.
The right time to fertilize the exotic is immediately after this two-day dry period. The roots are first sprayed with water so that they can adjust to the change. Then they are fertilized. For this purpose, dissolve a household remedy in the irrigation water and give the orchid a dip. This should take around 30 minutes. After the roots have become saturated, theOrchid from the dipping bathtaken. She remains in the bath for about 30 minutes so that the excess water can drain off. Then it is placed in the glass. Fertilizer is applied every two weeks and only during the growth phase.
For hydroponics you can either use liquid fertilizer or dissolve the fertilizer in the irrigation water. However, since the orchid without soil absorbs significantly more fertilizer than conventional potted plants, you should use significantly less fertilizer than usual.
Cultivating orchids in expanded clay: What do you have to consider when fertilizing?
Another variant is to stabilize the orchid in the glass with expanded clay or clay granules. Expanded clay absorbs water and releases it slowly over a longer period of time. Basically, the irrigation water is enriched with fertilizer and then poured directly onto the expanded clay. After a few hours, the orchid and the expanded clay are rinsed several times to avoid over-fertilization.
Fertilize an orchid without soil using home remedies
There are several home remedies that can be used to fertilize orchids without soil. We list some of them and explain how you can use them to make your own fertilizer.
Fertilize orchid with milk solution
Do not throw away used tea bags. You can use it to fertilize your orchids. This is how it works:
Pour milk and water (1 to 4 ratio) into an empty bowl. Milk contains potassium, nitrogen and magnesium, as well as a protein that orchids need.
Make your own liquid fertilizer from tea
Already used tea bags contain a lot of nitrogen and are therefore a good fertilizer for orchids. You can use it to make your own long-term fertilizer. Simply add the contents of a tea bag to 1 liter of water and leave for about an hour. Then strain the liquid and use it as water for the orchids. Water it once a month (in spring and summer).
Fertilize the orchids with a decoction of potato water and banana peels
Cut the potatoes into small pieces including the peel and put them in a pot. Pour water over them so that the water completely covers the potatoes. Then bring the water to the boil and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, chop and add the banana peels, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat, let it cool and strain the liquid. The potato water can be used alternately with the milk solution as irrigation water.
Molasses in irrigation water can save orchids with limp leaves
If the orchid urgently needs nutrients, you can dissolve 1 teaspoon of molasses in the irrigation water. It contains important organic acids, vitamins, various salts and fructose that can revive the plant.
Fertilize orchids without soil with eggshells
Eggshells are the cheapest way to supply your orchids with calcium. For the fertilizer you need 5 eggshells, which you boil in 2 liters of water for about 20 minutes. Then let the brew cool at room temperature overnight. The next morning, remove the eggshells and use the water once a week for irrigation.
Use rice water as fertilizer for orchids
Alternatively, you can also use rice water as fertilizer. It's best to use whole grain rice because it contains all the important nutrients that the orchids need for vigorous flowering. It is best to mix rice water with irrigation water in a ratio of 1 to 1 once every three weeks.
