Orchid fertilizer can be made at home from a variety of different items. Some of the more popular ingredients are:

• Milk (nitrogen, potassium)
• Tea leaves or tea bags (nitrogen)
• Eggshells (calcium)
• Crushed dried chicken or fish bones (calcium)
• Molasses (potassium)
• Potatoes or potato peels (potassium, phosphorus)
• Rice water from cooked rice (most western rice has vitamins in the rice, add it to the mix as a bonus)

Why are these items used?

As we described above, fertilizers for orchids (or any plants) contain Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) and the above items are organically rich in these three different elements. Combining them will help you to add needed levels of these three elements to your orchids and help them thrive.

How to Collect These Ingredients

Before you rush out to the grocery store and buy these items separately, keep in mind a few different things.

1. You will likely have these accumulating on a regular basis in your kitchen. For example, discarded tea bags or egg shells can be collected and saved to be used later in making fertlizer.
2. You will need to provide the proper ratios to your orchids in order to get the proper balance. It is usually very hard to fertilize "wrong" unless you are using a prepared fertilizer mix but you should try and have the ingredients in the correct ratios.
3. Your water where you live may have higher levels of different types of minerals and elements, so you may need more or less of specific ingredients, but still need a balance.

Creating Your Orchid Compost

We recommend using a small composting device like the awesome Epica Stainless Steel Compost Bin. You can provide equal parts of the ingredients listed above and simply allow some time for the compost to be created.

Self contained composting units like the Epica listed above provide a simple way to create organic fertilizer without bad odors or complications.

Adding Composted Fertilizer to your Orchids

If you are familiar with normal composting methods, you think of adding the broken down materials to your potting mix, garden or dirt.

However we know that orchids grow most of the time in orchid media (such as bark, perilite, or spaghnum moss.)

How to Add Your Organic Fertlizer

Add your finished organic fertilizer to the top of your orchid media and soak through as you would normally.

Compost may be added to the top of your media

This method is best vs re-potting your orchid with the fertilizer mixed through. Mixing your fertilizer into the media can cause material to be left behind. Although it will break down over time, you can manage this mix better if you place it on TOP of your orchids and then water through.

USE CAUTION USING THIS FERTILIZER METHOD

We want to point out that using a home made fertilizer created without a proper guide can lead to imbalanced fertilizer. 

You should be okay, but will have to monitor your orchids to ensure that they are still happy and thriving with the home made fertilizer mix you are providing.

Signs of over fertilizing include:

• Dis-colorization of leaves
• Different textures to leaves
• Pre-mature wilting of blooms
• Root rot or discoloration

How to Make the PERFECT Organic Home Made Fertilizer

We have had great success using this special guide on how to create and use your very own at home fertilizers.

It was worth our time buying and reading and may help you too if you wish to create your very own perfect fertilizer.

Check it out at the link below. This is an affiliate link and if you do end up buying the guide, you help support Caroline's Orchids to bring you more great orchid related content.

What About COMMERCIAL Fertilizers?

Using commercial fertilizers can be great if you can get an organic fertilizer. Using a pre-mixed organic option can provide a simple mix with water solution.

We have been using a product called "Orchid Love" as well as our own home made fertilizer for some time and find the two compliment each other well.

You can find Orchid love at this Amazon link (purchasing through this link helps support Caroline's Orchids) by clicking the picture of orchid love or this link

How do YOU Fertilize?

How are you fertilizing your orchids? Be sure to leave a comment to let us know how you are keeping your orchids happy and be sure to share your stories with others.

Questions and comments are always appreciated.

Many thanks. Much love

Caroline's Orchids