Natural Fertilizers for Orchids

Easy Homemade Fertilizers

• You'll find that a few household items make effective fertilizers for orchids. Next time you make eggs, crush the shells into crumbs and sprinkle them over your orchid's soil for a calcium carbonate boost. If you have a fish tank, drain some of the dirty water into your orchid's potting material, as it's packed with nitrogen. You can also pour watered-down coffee over your orchid's soil next time you brew a pot.

All-Around Fertilizer

• Commercial fertilizers have three main ingredients: nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. You can create a single fertilizer with all three elements, making it easy to store for future applications. For a healthy balance of these nutrients, "The Wisconsin Garden Guide" recommends mixing 1 part blood meal, 1 part bone meal and 2 parts wood ashes. Blood meal is particularly high in nitrogen.

Healing Fertilizers

• Orchids that show symptoms of a nutrient deficiency may need an extra dose of specialty fertilizer. Fortunately, you can make many of these naturally in your home. For instance, if your orchid's foliage turns red, it may indicate a lack of magnesium. Mix 1 tbsp. of epsom salt into 1 gallon of water and pour it into your orchid's soil to remedy this. Meanwhile, extra nitrogen is especially necessary for orchids grown in bark, according to horticulturalist Kent Kobayashi on the University of Hawaii website.

Fertilizing Tips

• Orchids need fertilizing once or twice a month. Skipping a month won't kill them, according to Kobayashi, but fertilizing regularly encourages health and blooming. You can reduce applications during the winter dormant period. Run water through the orchid potting material regularly to flush out salts, which may burn the roots if they build up from regular fertilizing. Beware of fertilizing with coffee grounds or apple cider, as their acidity can burn orchid roots if you apply them too frequently or without enough water to dilute them; they may also attract pests, such as fruit flies.