FERTILIZING MADE EASY

Phalaenopsis Orchid

With the right conditions and our simple ice cube watering method, your Phalaenopsis orchid will thrive for up to three months without fertilizer.

But using fertilizer on occasion gives your orchid the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, strong and ready to rebloom.

Luckily, fertilizing your orchid is almost as easy as watering it.

Wait For the Last Bloom to Fall Off

Step One

Don’t worry: your orchid isn’t dead. In fact,

it’s just entering a “resting period.”

Make sure you prepare your orchid for

reblooming.

Check out our reblooming guide for help with this.

Select a FertilizerStep Two

Read the label!

Either a balanced orchid fertilizer or an all-

purpose flower fertilizer will work—just make

sure it contains equal parts:

(This is often labeled 20-20-20.)

N - NITROGEN

P - PHOSPHORUS

P - POTASSIUM

Don’t Forget to Dilute

Step Three

Straight fertilizer will be too strong for your

orchid. Instead, you want a half-strength

mixture.

To dilute, mix equal parts fertilizer and water

together.

Find a Proper Dispenser

Step Four

You want the fertilizer solution to get as

close as possible to your orchid’s bark,

while also avoiding contact with your plant’s

leaves. Fertilizer can “burn” orchid leaves

and cause harm to your plant if not applied

properly.

Look for a pitcher or watering can with a long,

narrow spout that allows for easy aiming.

ApplicationStep Five

Take your orchid out of its decorative

pot and hold the clear grower pot

over the sink.

Lift any leaves out of the way.

Pour the fertilizer solution directly

onto the bark of your plant.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

DrainStep Six

Continue holding your orchid over the sink

until all the standing water drains through the

grower pot. Once your plant is fully drained,

you can return it to its decorative pot.

RepeatStep Seven

You’ll need to continue the fertilizing

process until your orchid begins to rebloom.

You should plan to fertilize at least once a

month, but no more than every other week.

You should skip your normal watering routine

on the weeks you fertilize.

These seven steps will get you on track with a fertilizing schedule that can help keep your orchid healthy for many blooming cycles to come. Want more details on the importance of orchid fertilization?

Learn Even More About Orchid Fertilization

Download our

Full Guide to Fertilizing Your Orchid.