And where would one get steer manure? I could see the availability of horse manure but not steer poo. But you might have a ranch down the road,I don't know? i would let it "rest" before you used it if I were you. gb

Home Depot, neatly bagged. Regular fare for lawn fertilization.

Nick

Nick, I would advise against using Steer Manure. What the practice has been with some cymbidium growers is in using well aged steer manure. You should empty out a bag in something outside and let it age for a year or so.
But I have used Nitrohumus in potting up Cypripediums.
Probably about a tablespoon per gallon of mix. But the mix
is very well draining and I use r/o water.
I would rather use a liquid fertilizer for orchids and cut it down to 1/2 and water every watering while the plant is in active growth. Miracle Gro is pretty safe. It is 12-4-8 and could probably be fed at recommended dosage without harming your plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miracle-Gro� Liquid All Purpose Plant Food

Can't argue with your recommendation, certainly the gold standard. This old timer suggested something outside the box and I'm going to try it on one plant. I ended up with 2 Calanthe Rozel, not clones or divisions so not identical plants but close enough so that one in standard mix, the other in 50% steer manure, should give an indication of the effect.

Nick

Sounds like a bunch of bullsh*t to me ;-)

Bob

That is correct, thanks for all your help.

Nick

Hi, Nick, It sounds interesting, something different. Would you keep us posted on the result of using steer manure.

Jeez Nick lighten up...

Bob

I'm totally 'loose' about this. Have absolutely nothing to prove but would love to produce a set of big pseudobulbs just for the conversational value. I have a daughter who is absolutely uptight about stuff like that. If I brought a plant to her kitchen table and she found out it had steer manure in the pot, she'd sterilize the entire table, or better yet discard the table and get a new one. She is on a constant crusade to protect her cubs from the evil germs who lurk everywhere.

Nick

:) How ironic to "get a set of BIG pseudobulbs" from steer manure. Oh no it's BULLS that have Big pseudobulbs! sorry.....LOL.gb

Nothing 'pseudo' about their knockers.

Nick

Nick, don't you mean: "That ain't no bull!"

Correct, my stuff comes from steers who ain't no bulls.

Nick

The deed is done. I have 2 seedlings of Calanthe Rozel Mendenhall Pink x Rozel Newberry, as yet unnamed and unbloomed. Same size, 2 adult bulbs plus one new growth, both starting new root formation on the new bulb, but they are not clones, could be divisions but cannot confirm, so unfortunately not truly identical. This is the closest set of twins I could come up with, they may be fraternal not identical twins. One went into 50% steer manure and we'll have the answer by Dec. Around Nov they'll go deciduous and by Dec start the inflorescence, if they are old enough to bloom, with the next new growth appearing in Feb/March.

If and when they bloom, they make 3' long upright/arching sprays of 50 odd deep burgundy red flowers.

I shall report the results.

Nick

At this point the one in regular dirt is doing better than the one in the manure mix. Both look healthy.

Nick