Like all other houseplants, orchids need the right nutrients to grow and thrive; however, unlike most plants, they need a special type of fertilizer that will fulfil its nutritional needs. To maintain your orchid's vivacious health, it's important to use the desirable type of orchid fertilizer, which is different from other fertilizers, along with the correct amount.

Before adding fertilizer to your endearing orchid, consider these important tips:

Check the label of a commercial orchid fertilizer that displays the primary ingredients with three numbers: 30-20-10. These numbers are a percentage of the key nutrient components that orchids need to flourish which include: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. You could test different proportions of the main nutritional values; however, you should either contact your local nursery or contact one on the Internet to determine the best type of fertilizer for your precious orchid.

Understanding how orchids thrive in the wild helps you to better care for your orchid, and this includes fertilizing. First of all, various orchid species are able to survive in extreme climatic conditions, including tropical areas of the world and even the Arctic. As a result, orchids are constantly seeking nutrients which often come in small but very virile quantities. Fertilizing your orchid excessively is not characteristic of how its predecessors obtained nutrition in the wild.

Applying orchid fertilizer is also important, in addition to the type and quantity. In the wild, orchids acquire their nutrients in the water they consume. Rain water picks up nutrients from rotting vegetation that lies close to where orchids grow. This water feeds the roots of the orchid, and in most cases, is the only way orchids are feed. As such, fertilizer should be added to the water that's being applied to your orchid rather than feeding the fertilizer directly into the potting mix.

While your orchid is in its growth stage, it should be fertilized. Once in bloom, you don't need to fertilize.

Orchid's nutritional requirements differ from common houseplants; as a result, don't use common houseplant fertilizer to feed your orchid.

Orchid's nutritional needs are different from other plants, but then again orchids are different from other plants. Fertilizing your orchid is a main part of orchid care, and should not be taken lightly. Make sure you use only orchid fertilizer in the right amount, and dispensed in the proper way.