From my experience growing Epis, I've realized that the nutrients inside whatever soil medium your using is sufficient fertilizer for that point in time. My thought is, if your not patient and you decide that you want to increase the Epis growing process by adding fertilizer, your going way too fast and in the end you may lose your cuttings due to rot of over-fertilization.
Cuttings are your basic start to something very rewarding through years of patient waiting. Don't go overboard and assume that certain ingredients will boost your success of obtaining flowers. Believe me, just let things happen over time....
*PEACE*
~BARRY~
Starting Orchid Cactus cuttings
Barry, when do you start fertilizing your plants, and for cuttings do you start fertilizing after the 2nd year? I've got both.
Annette
I just stick them in the soil, water when I remember, and enjoy the new growth. I used a little "high diluted" fishy fertilizer but that was because I forgot it was in there when I filled the watering can.
Cem9165,
What do you mean exactly when you said that you have both?
Barry
I've got plants that were bought last year and I've got cuttings that I rooted in the past year that have had some wonderful growth. They were rooted in a mix of soil, perlite, manure and orchid bark. You stated that ingredients shouldn't be added to boost flowering, so my ? was when do you start fertilizing your rooted cuttings, and what do you use? Just getting guidance to grow the best plants.
I've been told to use 10-10-10 fertilizer in spring. Same with your Epi plants. It takes years for these plants to bloom. You need atleast 5 or more years from the point of a cutting to become rootbound in a smaller pot to repot it to a slightly larger pot.
The reason why I say that if you fertilize your plants in a very nutrient rich soil medium, your just giving the plant/cutting too much fertilizer/eat that it will get sick from over doing things to it. For instance, if young kids eat too much candy what happens? Do they get an upset stomac. Same thing goes for cuttings and plants. Try to lessen the food intake. The soil surrounding the roots is as nutrient rich as a big hamburger for humans
Thanks for the info. I've got 10-10-10 sustained release. I'll apply it in Spring when it starts to get warm.