Many people love orchids because they delight the eye with their flowers almost all year round. Although these indoor plants are quite undemanding, it doesn’t mean that ordinary watering will suffice.
For the growth of roots and flowers, regular fertilization is necessary. Fertilizer itself can be easily prepared in the comfort of your home. All you need is ordinary potato peelings. Prepare homemade fertilizer to save money and time.
Why is it useful to fertilize orchids with potato peelings?
Understanding when the plant needs fertilizer is very simple: the leaves start to wilt, it doesn’t bloom for long, and there is a significant halt in growth. Potato peels contain many useful trace elements that help accelerate the growth of orchids and extend the flowering period. The peels contain organic acids, starch, ascorbic acid, phosphorus, potassium, and fluorine. Fertilizing orchids quickly replenishes the supply of vitamins if they are lacking in the soil.
HOW TO PREPARE FERTILIZER FOR INDOOR PLANTS
Decoction
Peel 5-6 potatoes and finely chop the peels. Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then add the chopped potato peels to the water and boil them for 15 minutes. Strain the resulting decoction through gauze and let it cool. Pour it directly into the orchid pot. Repeat after 15 days. Store the fertilizer in the refrigerator, but not for longer than 3 weeks. Prepare a new batch of fertilizer after that time.
Dry fertilizer
Start by rinsing and drying the potato peels. This can be done in the oven by placing the peels on a baking sheet. The process itself takes 3-4 hours at a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. You can also dry the peels naturally. Simply spread them on a baking sheet and take them outside to the balcony. The main thing is for the circulating air to be dry; otherwise, the peels will start to rot. However, they should not be placed in direct sunlight. Otherwise, ultraviolet light will destroy all the useful compounds, rendering the fertilizer unusable. Air drying takes about 10 days. Then crush the dried peels into a powder using a blender and add them to the orchid soil. Store the dried peels in fabric bags away from moisture.
Fertilizing orchids with potato peels will undoubtedly provide your plants with the necessary elements for growth. Additionally, this fertilizer is suitable for other indoor flowers such as violets, cacti, ficus, and others.