Very interesting Lisa.Good photo examples.Its a tricky business,this fertilizer question. Knowing when enough is enough is the hard part.For those of you that have perfect lighting year round,its much easier to get the good results in color and conformation.Here in the Northeast,with the fast changing and limited lighting we get for the majority of months,I've found it best to cut way back on the fertilizer.If not,you get long strappy leaf production.
No fertilizer use would be a mistake,I think,as the plants would eventually starve.Its a real balancing act,especially when you have a variety of species to care for.Experiance is the best teacher.But thats the challange,and part of the enjoyment of competing with Mother Nature.
Bob

Oh boy the fertilizer debate. Very hard balancing act. One thing I do know about fertlizers here in Texas, the over-use of them burn heck outta the plants in our heat. I use them sparely in most cases. And never fertilize a plant with no roots. I have ssen folks do this on bare root broms and I cringe when I see it happen. My plants are grown pretty hard and seem to do well but I do feed a liquid of my own mixing to reduce stress and it does not turn the plant green. Lisa I agree size does matter, dont laugh Im talking about the pot size :)
Once a plant has bloomed for me I use the nutricote and repot it to make room for pups(I wont take pups unless they are 50% or better). I depend alot on the organics of my soil mix(another tuff balancing act) to help feed the plant.
Bottomline on fertlizer really seems to be: collectors grow for show and commercial growers need pup production.

I want show AND commercial production, hdd. If I don't fertilize I get neither. You do use some, though. I know people who say they never fertilize AT ALL, and I can't figure out how their plants are not yellow and washed-out looking. I guess this is where light levels figure into it, the lower light you have, the less fertilizer you need to use, or like Bob says, they'll get all strappy.

I have high light, even in my shadehouse, which is mostly 40% shade. In the winter it's fine, but in the summer when it gets really hot and humid things start to look bleached out. If I get the timing right and give them a little shot of food right before it starts to really cook, it seems to help keep them from looking so faded, but this is where I got into a debate with Sharon, who says that fertilizer makes them burn more easily because it creates a softer leaf, so therefore you should fertilize LESS during the hot summer months.

I disagree, but I think it's all a matter of degree, and the trick is to walk the middle line instead of either extreme.

Lisa ..your correct about the middle line. I also think that more is never a good thing. If the fertilizer does its job thats exactly what happens. Fertizer is supposed to soften leaves and stems to produce more vigorius lush growth. If fertilized in the heat and plants are already heat stressed, it causes the bleached look very quickly here
If our heat dropped at nite it wouldnt be quite so hard on the plants. Our nite temps stay 85F and days 100F+ for 60+ days in summer. This year was very hot. We hit 90F in Jan several times and had that trend right into full blown summer and now we have set new heat records for the fall season. Even the mfg's of the fertilzers caution against the use in fertlizer in the heat. Im proud we have a mfg here that formulates time release fertlizers that work in high heat because a few years back many folks burned up their lawns using fertlizers formulated for cooler areas
We typically fertilize from Feb 15 thru May
Then Sept thru Oct 15th
No fertizer after Oct 15th because we want the plants to harden off before winter and that takes approx 45-60 days.
Our temp swings in spring and fall, range around 40 degrees i.e. 50 at nite 90 day temp. (temp band time)
Which also is te recommendation of most of the experts: no fert 60 days prior to what ever your first annual freeze date and the reverse coming out of winter, be sure freeze time is over. We dont have a real freeze here but the temp swings are what we deal with. Most broms (that I grow here)dont care for temps below 40F so here we go.. get out the covers the houses in case temps dip..uncover to ventilate when temps hit 90 in Jan. I try not to leave the plastic on during winter unless its needed cuz that nasty word comes in to play..FUNGUS. Even with all the work I will not give up my broms!

All well said. When I first began collecting broms around 1980,I ruined many by over fertilizing after reading articles that said broms loved fertilizer,[but without any mention of their need for good lighting to process the NKP beneficially.] Lesson learned.
There is a very detailed write up in Baensch's 'Blooming Bromeliads'in the Culture section,well worth reading,and where I finally got my 'system'for fertilizing to fit my growing conditions. To sum it up,the optimal NPK ratio he recommends is N=1.0 ; P= 1.5 ; K=2.0
I find that works good for me,allbeit,with adequate lighting.I use Osmocote slow release plant food pellets when the time to fertilize rolls around. Very small amounts of liquid fertilizer during the winter months.
So far,so good,and a big difference from the early years.
Enjoying the comments .
BOB

I have never fertilized any of my broms at all. They look pretty good to me. But...I grow them all outdoors where they tend to collect some leaf litter, which I eventually remove. I am merely theorizing, but I think that's enough "food" to keep them happy. After all, broms in the wild don't get Nutricote pinches on a regular basis -- and of course they aren't as perfect as what you all grow -- but they are healthy enough and reproduce, right? Experts, what do you think?

Cat if your happy wth the way your plants perform then dont change what you are doing. Growing in pots vs the soil are 2 different animals. Broms in the wild never have the pristeen look we strive for in cultivation but do receive nutriets from their surrounding enviroment that potted broms do not

Does it make any sense to fill the cups with a little compost so that low-level nutrients are always dissolving and being absorbed?

I have always wondered if a very dilute fish emulsion (spelling) added to the cup or vase every so often would be the way to go. My guess in is that in the wild they collect junk in their cups which fertilizes them.

I have been using an orchid fertilizer 1/2 strength once a month in the potting soil with Superthrive.

Superthrive is an old vitamin/hormone thing that allows plants to better use fertilizers. I do not know how or why it works, but I have been using it in a group of clivia seedlings and they are way ahead of the group I am not using it on. I have also been spraying my monted neos with just water and Superthrive, and they are all putting out pups. I'm bot talking one here or there, I'm talking multiple pups.

I was wondering though if you folks push your seedlings with fertilizer, and back off after they are grown.

As I recall, when I visited John Arden's place, he said he includes a very -very- light amount of fertilizer in his watering system, so the plants are continually fertilized, but lightly, lightly.

In recent months, if I pot up a pup, I am including a bit of Osmocote or Dynamite in the mix, but less than the label recommends. It doesn't seem to hurt if I keep it light. Very low dosage seems to be the key. My plants in the ground remain on their own.

I think I've caused more problems with overwatering than with fertilizer.

I bought some tillandsia food to mix in a spray bottle, but I've been afraid to use it. Those little gray dry tillandsias can be so touchy...

So Lisa, have you perfected the dosage for commercial purposes?

Not at all, Kim. I'm still struggling with it. I wish there was a good, stable slow-release with a 6-9-12 formulation that was locally available in wholesale quantities. Oh, and cheap, of course!

I don't know anything about Superthrive, but I think I'd stay away from fish emulsion. For one thing, it's mostly nitrogen, and I've had bad results with using high N-- brittle leaves, funnel-shaped plants as opposed to bowl-shaped, and of course too much green. Also it seems like it would leave an oily residue in the cup.

Putting compost in the cup may simulate natural conditions but it's sure not a look I want for a commercial grown plant!

Superthrive is formulated to help plants process water, light and fertlizer better by increasing root growth. Its a vitamin/hormone supplement..but not a fertilizer. Heat stessed plant respond well to Superthrive 6 drops to a gallon of water

BOB writes: "There is a very detailed write up in Baensch's 'Blooming Bromeliads'in the Culture section,well worth reading,and where I finally got my 'system'for fertilizing to fit my growing conditions. To sum it up,the optimal NPK ratio he recommends is N=1.0 ; P= 1.5 ; K=2.0
I find that works good for me,allbeit,with adequate lighting."

My question: Bob, for which bromeliads do you use this ratio? It's simple for me to mix Grow More products to achieve this balance.

--Stitz--

Very interesting topic ,I was once a piece of fertilizer was used the fan ,The purpose is to let my plant be thick and more strong ,But I have neglected the color to change ,Now Why some plant unable effective display issues of color I know ,I will face this question and study again

i am wondering were abouts do you put the fertiliser in the cup or one the soil underneath. as i have herd 2 things 1 that the roots do nuthing but hold it to the tree and 2 that they asorb the water. also i have herd that the brom asorb water through the leafs, is this true.

Feeding in the cup works best for all of my broms. I mostly have Vrieseas Neos and Bills.
Be carefull not to overfeed though.

Read the posts above well, it's all in there.

Sander

Phil, it depends on what kind of fertilizer you are using. A foliar fertilizer is one that can be disolved in water and applied as a dilute solution to the leaves and cup of the plant. If you are fertilizing this way it should be fairly weak and has to be done fairly often if you want to have even growth.

We use slow release pellets mixed into the potting mix, and then later applied (sparingly) around the base of the plant as needed. This doesn't have to be done nearly so often, as the pellets release over a period of time which is specified on the label-- it may be 3 months, 6 months or whatever. NEVER put this kind of fertilizer or any granular type into the cup, unless you want to burn a big fat hole through your plant!

Read the labels and apply according to directions, but cut the amount down to about 1/4 what they recommend, at least until you've used it enough to get a feel for how it will affect the growth of your plant. Broms with long strappy green leaves (Guzmanias, Vrieseas, etc.) can generally take a heavier feeding than ones with colorful foliage and tight rosettes. You'll lose all the color and form on a Neo if you overfeed it.

kool thanks lisa and sander that info was quite usfull um just one more question, well its more of a stapment, for hanging broms such as old mans beard or any other mounted brom ill take it that you would use a foliar fertilizer on them. thanks again

I found this on FCBS:
Using Tillandsias as a Screen by Bob Reilly (Queensland, Australia)In southern coastal Queensland, Spanish Moss and Tillandsia mallemontii can be used to form screens in the garden. In both cases, select locations which, at least, receive shade in the afternoon. This isespecially important in summer. Good air movement, such as that occurring in "breezeways" or locations with a northeasterly aspect, is also important. This is especially true for T.mallemontii.However, avoid locations which are exposed to cold, dry winds.Build a framework for the screen out of wood or galvanized pipes. A wide variety of material can be used to form the lattice from which the Tillandsias are hung. Examples include: timber lattice panels (but not those which have been treated with a timber preservative), plastic garden mesh, weldmeshfencing panels, and galvanized wire netting (but avoid rusty wire).For Spanish Moss, hang strands along the mesh. Use strands which are two or three plants "thick", and hang down the full length of the framework. Leave a gap of two to five centimeters between each strand.Tie two to five plants of T.mallemontii to the lattice. Use plastic covered wire or strips of nylon pantyhose to do this job. Each cluster of plants should be separated at intervals of about five centimeters horizontally, and seven to ten centimeters vertically. (This job can be quite time consuming. However, you can do it when you are watching television or similar activities. In this regard, it is a bit likeknitting).Water the Tillandsia "walls" once a week in winter and twice weekly in summer. Use diluted 1/4 strength of recommended label liquid fertilizer every two weeks.The Tillandsias will form an effective screen within one year. They need "renovation" every three years, as they "thicken up" over that period. In turn, this results in plants, which have formed in the centre of the clumps, not receiving sufficient light, air movement, water or nutrients.Bob Reilly is a long-time member of the Bromeliad Society of Queensland (Australia) and a frequent contributor to the Journal of the Bromeliad Society International. He points out to take into consideration that his growing conditions could be different from the ones prevailing in Florida.EDITORÂS NOTE: Tillandsia ionantha or any other small to medium size clumping varieties could be substituted for T. mallemontii