Best orchid fertilizer is a negotiated discussion amongst gardeners and many orchid enthusiasts and full-time gardeners working with other plants. Everyone wants their plants to grow healthy and engages their counterparts in these discussions to get the best suggestions.
Your being on this page also shows your interest in getting the best fertilizer that helps your orchid grow optimally. So, let’s take you through the guide we have put together to help you make your best fertilizer purchase decision.
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JR Peters Jacks Orchid Fertilizer
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JR Peters Jacks Classic Blossom Booster
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Osmocote Plant Release Plant Food Plus
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The Best Orchid Fertilizers for Optimal Plant Growth
There are many fertilizer options that exist on the market with different packaging, effects, and usage procedures depending on the plant. Some give you better effects while others prioritize easy usage and balance the features out for both newbies and experts.
1. Miracle-Gro Plant Food Spikes
Pros:
- Perfect for indoor use
- Includes spike accessory
- Doesn’t require extra preparation
Cons:
- Solid product
- Small spike quantity
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 9/10
- Effectiveness: 8/10
- Availability: 8/10
- Packaging: 8/10
The products from Miracle-Gro give you great results and this plant spike especially makes it convenient to grow orchids. The benefit in this case is that no preparation is required, and the plants that are medium-sized will require it.
It’s made as food spikes that you embed into the soil raising the easy usability of the product. You also don’t need to worry about making a mess indoors since it doesn’t require mixing to apply in potting mixes, and this is a way that it will ease the task for you.
In addition to this, the given fertilizer is the kind that already comes in three different packages which are 10, 24, and 48 spikes with the accessory to make holes when fitting the spikes. You can use them for up to two months depending on the season that you prioritize them, especially during the winter. It has a short stick-like appearance with blue color and you will also find a plastic spike accessory in the package for making holes in the soil.
When you are going to use it, all you need to do is fit the spike and ensure you water it regularly just like the orchid demands, so that it wouldn’t be fertilized more than necessary.
Keep in mind that the product is also durable but only when kept away from water since it dissolves to function properly that way. Otherwise, the plant food spikes work well to give your plants nutrients, returning them to full health. It’s especially useful for growing your orchids indoors regardless of the weather conditions once you meet the plant’s demands, and this way, they will establish and grow much better without any hindrance.
Overview: It’s an efficient fertilizer for your orchids and several other ornamental plants you might be nurturing in your home. Note that the product is best for small-sized indoor plants since larger plants need more spikes to show considerable effect.
2. Miracle-Gro Plant Food Mist
Pros
- Reusable spray bottle design
- Easy to use
- Fragrance included
Cons
- Small quantity, only eight ounces
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 9/10
- Effectiveness: 8/10
- Availability: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
The Miracle-Gro liquid orchid food works well to provide your plants with nutrients while bringing the easy usability to your operations. It is made in a plastic reusable bottle and comes in three bottles for continuous usage until it’s exhausted. On another note, the packaging is also sturdy for storing purposes so the liquid plant food mist doesn’t leak out when it is being kept, used, or moving about.
Your orchids get enough nutrients with every spray you schedule, depending on the plant and season that you grow it. The recommended application is also effective enough to rejuvenate your dying plant and get those yellowing leaves back to green. The product comes in a plastic bottle with a pink, white, and green design representing the brand, as it also has a little fragrance to give and is mostly sold in a pack of three bottles.
Following the orchid requirements and manufacturer’s information can even help you get your orchid flowers to bloom twice a year. This is because your plant will require the feeding process to be done when it is growing and, more specifically, during its opening season.
It’s also a great product to use for both indoor and outdoor plants but mostly suits those that are small-sized. However, indoor usage can get it over surfaces since it’s a spray-type product, so environmental cleaning is required afterward. The better news of all is you do not need to mix with water or prepare it beforehand to use, increasing its benefits.
Overview: The Miracle-Gro food mist is the type of fertilizer that counts as a quality product when making orchid bloom fertilizer selection, especially for newbies. You can cut down the preparation time that would have been necessary with other products when you use this liquid fertilizer.
3. JR Peters Jacks Orchid Fertilizer
Pros
- Water soluble fertilizer
- Easy to use
- Works better for orchids
Cons
- Requires preparation to use
- Dry form
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Effectiveness: 8/10
- Availability: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
JR Peters comes at you and other orchid enthusiasts with the easy-to-use orchid food to help grow your favorite plants. It’s a product that comes in unique packaging containing high-quality powdered fertilizer and a measuring spoon to gauge application.
You will find the product to have the JR Peters Label on the cover top and around the container. The granules in the container are also tiny and have a blue color with little to no smell.
The texture of this product is actually a dry type which is a powered type, and the packaging is sturdy enough to keep it safe from moisture that may dissolve it. You should keep it away from humidity, which is why it is very important always to keep it covered, as it may react with
The product also requires preparation by mixing with water since it’s a water-soluble fertilizer for both indoor and outdoor use. It also has a certain level of versatility since you can apply it by watering or spraying the plant. You only need to worry about assembly when using a spray bottle, on the other hand, you shouldn’t worry about that otherwise, because it is done in a very simple manner.
Its effectiveness is also top-notch as it rejuvenates your plants, improving their health with the possibility of blooming twice. This means that you don’t have to be surprised if the plants you are nurturing show more growth after applying them to a stagnant one. Moreover, you will also start to notice the effectiveness of changes in the leaves and new blooming flowers that show up on the plant.
Overview: JR Peters Jacks’ product works great, especially when growing Phalaenopsis orchids, fruits, and several other plants similar to them. In addition to the matter, it is also a good choice for intermediate or expert gardeners and those with enough time to prepare the mix.
4. GS Plant Foods – Orchid Love
Pros
- Non-deodorized formula
- Easy to use
- Less quantity, more quality
Cons
- Preparation is required to use
- Different measurements for varying plant sizes
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Effectiveness: 8/10
- Availability: 7/10
- Packaging: 9/10
Orchid love comes to compensate all orchid lovers, including you with its quality fertilizer for your favorite plant. The product comes in a one-liter bottle packaging and is liquid based but can serve your nutrient application needs. It’s a concentrated liquid product contained in a white bottle that is not designed as a spray container so the container is quite small with a white color and has little to no odor when you open it.
However, you will need to prepare it and pay strict attention to prevent applying it in excess due to the concentration, because this fertilizer is one that will require the given matter.
It’s easier to use as you can only apply it when watering, and will require you to mix specific measurements with larger quantities of water. You will need to match a max measurement of two ounces to one gallon of water for the appropriate effects, and it will work wonders. Moreover, reducing the measurement is also essential and proportional to the size of the plant, so keep this fact in mind as well.
The product is also not deodorized, as a result, you may go ahead and prepare to get hit with a surprising smell of fish and seaweed, and this is a downside it has, for some who are picky. Other than that and the attention to measurement, nothing should pose an issue with using this fertilizer. It gets better with the benefits that it gives, which are not limited to orchids as other plants enjoy them too.
Overview: Orchid Love is a great product for fertilizing orchids to improve their flower and leaf growth with moderate effort. It’s best for outdoor use due to the odor it gives, but also works indoors if you can ignore the smell.
5. Schultz SPF70600 Orchid Food
Pros
- Easy to use
- Presence of micronutrients
- Soluble in water
Cons
- Require preparation
- Dry texture and form
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Effectiveness: 9/10
- Availability: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
Schultz SPF70600 is a product that takes your plant growth seriously including orchids to guarantee its healthy status. Your orchids require enough nutrients but not in excess and this product brings the right amount with a 20-20-15 NPK ratio. The packaging is also designed to keep it protected from water or even from excessive moisture in the air to prevent dissolving before use.
Applying this product to get the perfect plants leads you to follow the manufacturer’s instructions included in the package. You will need to mix a spoonful of the fertilizer with half a gallon of water before applying it to the plants; this is because of the characteristic of the fertilizer being a water-soluble one.
There aren’t any instructions for mixing any lower measurements, as a result, you can prepare it for multiple uses beforehand. On another note, be keen on how you will need to shake it well before every use if you choose to prepare it beforehand for multiple uses, and your orchids will be given the right minerals needed.
Another great benefit is that you combine the fertilizing and watering process when using this product to fertilize your plants. It works best and lasts longer when used in small quantities due to the indirect application procedure.
The product comes in a white container having a black cover and a black wrapper around the body holding the product information. It also has blue-colored granules in minute sizes packaged in the slightly cuboid-shaped container of the product.
Overview: Dry fertilizers that are soluble in water give you more than you expect with their lengthy use to improve your plant health. Remember always to maintain watering with the fertilizer in two rounds and perform plain watering for the third.
6. JR Peters Jacks Classic Blossom Booster
Pros
- Detailed directions for use
- Soluble in water
- Easy to use
Cons
- No mix less than a gallon
- Needs preparation to use
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Effectiveness: 9/10
- Availability: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
The bloom booster fertilizer from JR Peters pushes your plant growth up several notches with the nutrients that it supplies. It’s manufactured in powdery form and comes in plastic packaging that protects it from dissolving outside preparation to make it last longer. You also get a pamphlet containing the application instructions and a spoon to help you measure the fertilizer for accurate use.
It’s soluble in water giving you more to use with less power addition and you need one gallon for one tablespoon of fertilizer. You should ensure the application frequency stays at two weeks intervals while using the product with the correct ratio that you have dilute it in. Consider using a quarter tablespoon per gallon if you plan to use the fertilizer when watering your plants to avoid overfertilizing.
You get a cylindrical-shaped product that looks similar to an ice cream container with flower patterns on the wrapper. The wrapper also has a mix of green and orange to form the borders and contains a spoon for measuring the fertilizer.
The product works great as a garden fertilizer and potted plant making it more suitable for usage outdoors than indoors. Its effectiveness also takes a high spike with its ratio of 10-30-20 which might not match all plants but works well with orchids especially. However, it might be technical for you to handle it without having a certain level of experience with orchids.
Overview: JR Peters solves your nutrient deficiency problems with this product, and it’s an awesome haul for every passionate gardener out there. The measurement might seem a bit technical at first, still, it’s nothing you can’t handle with practice and experience with the process.
7. Osmocote Plant Release Plant Food Plus
Pros
- Indoor and outdoor use
- Easy to use
- Longterm usability
Cons
- Direct application
- Dry form
Characteristics:
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Effectiveness: 9/10
- Availability: 7/10
- Packaging: 8/10
Lastly on the list of fertilizers to consider is the plant release fertilizer from Osmocote to help your orchids grow. It comes in a different design and packaging to give you the best benefits with its resin-coated granule. It comes in different packages with varying sizes and styles depending on the type of plants you need it for.
It is formulated with 11 nutrients and is easy to apply when feeding your plants in their pots, and these would vary from macro to micronutrients that your orchid would need. You just need to sprinkle three tablespoons of the granules per four square feet and mix with the potting mix. After that, you will only need to satisfy the regular watering requirements and reapply every six months and repeat the process.
The effect of using this fertilizer gets better as you don’t only notice improved growth but your orchid roots don’t burn. However, the guarantee is only attached to the proper use of the product so noting that will reduce any adverse effects. You also get to choose between the product made for edibles and flowers or the one for other plants.
It comes in a customized sealed bag designed with pink and white colors and a flower image on the outside. The contents are also granules that aren’t too small with an orange resin color to coat the fertilizer nutrients in them.
Overview: You get an effective, easy-to-use fertilizer along with detailed instructions when you take up this product for your orchids. Its best use is for plants in pots as it mostly doesn’t do well and lasts in large gardens.
Conclusion
Jumping on any product you see on the market will spell bad news in the long run. You run the risk of killing your orchids before they even bloom without any hope for rejuvenation especially when noticed late. The list of fertilizers above contains quality product options that will give you value for your money without any issues.
You should consider purchasing the Miracle-Gro mist or spike if you are a newbie and can’t handle fertilizer preparation yet. However, if you are experienced and have more time on your hands, then do consider using the Classic Bloomer Booster from JR Peters.
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