Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Grasshopper Lycaste (Lycaste locusta)— schedule & NPK
Also called Grasshopper Lycaste.
More about grasshopper lycaste
About Grasshopper Lycaste
Lycaste locusta · also called Grasshopper Lycaste · tropical
Lycaste locusta is a small, fragrant Central American orchid whose vivid green flowers gave rise to the common name 'Grasshopper.' It grows sympodially with pleated deciduous leaves and demands a clear winter dry rest to flower reliably. Ideal for intermediate orchid collections with good humidity and airflow.
Growth habit: Sympodial orchid with compact, egg-shaped pseudobulbs and 3–4 large pleated, deciduous leaves per growth
What fertiliser grasshopper lycaste actually wants — and why
Grasshopper Lycaste is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for grasshopper lycaste: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed grasshopper lycaste, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For grasshopper lycaste:
Feed at quarter-strength balanced orchid fertiliser (20-20-20) fortnightly during active growth. Shift to a bloom-booster (high-P) formula as pseudobulbs approach maturity in late summer. Stop feeding entirely through the dry winter rest. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when grasshopper lycaste is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for grasshopper lycaste
Half strength is the safe default for grasshopper lycaste — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water grasshopper lycaste first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the grasshopper lycaste watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding grasshopper lycaste
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for grasshopper lycaste:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding grasshopper lycaste
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full grasshopper lycaste care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of grasshopper lycaste with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for grasshopper lycaste
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising grasshopper lycaste — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does grasshopper lycaste need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Grasshopper Lycaste is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed grasshopper lycaste?
Feed at quarter-strength balanced orchid fertiliser (20-20-20) fortnightly during active growth. Shift to a bloom-booster (high-P) formula as pseudobulbs approach maturity in late summer. Stop feeding entirely through the dry winter rest. Feed at quarter-strength balanced orchid fertiliser (20-20-20) fortnightly during active growth. Shift to a bloom-booster (high-P) formula as pseudobulbs approach maturity in late summer. Stop feeding entirely through the dry winter rest. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for grasshopper lycaste?
Half strength is the safe default for grasshopper lycaste — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding grasshopper lycaste look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding grasshopper lycaste year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of grasshopper lycaste?
Flush the pot of grasshopper lycaste with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Grasshopper Lycaste care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water grasshopper lycaste — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise alocasia baginda
- How to fertilise alocasia odora
- How to fertilise alocasia calidora
- All 8452 fertilising guides in the Growli library