PSA: That $40 orchid fertilizer set on Amazon was a total scam

I bought this 3-bottle fertilizer kit for my orchids back in February... spent $40 on it. Used it for 2 months and all my phals started dropping leaves. A guy at the local nursery told me the nitrogen ratio was way off for epiphytic orchids. I lost 4 plants that I'd had for over 3 years... easily $80 worth of orchids gone. Has anyone else had bad luck with those all-in-one fertilizer kits?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley7771mo ago

Woah hold up, I gotta disagree here. Ive been using that same 3 bottle set for over a year now and my orchids are doing better than ever. The issue isnt the fertilizer itself, its how you use it. You gotta dilute it way more than what the bottle says. I do like a quarter of the recommended dose every other watering and my phals are shooting out new leaves and roots like crazy. The nursery guy probably just wanted to sell you his own stuff. Also leaf drop can be from a bunch of things like overwatering or temp changes. Ive got 12 orchids on my windowsill right now and they all got through the winter just fine with that set.

spencerl321mo ago

...and see that's the thing, @finley777, I diluted mine like crazy too but still had issues... I think some of those cheap kits just have bad batches or something because my leaves went yellow no matter what I tried. Ended up switching to just plain worm castings and my orchids are finally bouncing back after months of looking sad.