Time/slow release fertilizer help

[Cattleya17]

Hello! I have been wondering about time release fertilizer. How exactly do you use it? Should you mix it in with the media or can you just sprinkle it on the surface? Can you put it on any media? I use bark, lava rock, and sphagnum. Not as a mix but I have plants in each of those types of media.

I know not to use it on plants that have a definite rest period.
So I just need to know the do's and don'ts of time release fertilizer. thanks a lot!!!!!!

[Fairorchids]

You can sprinkle on surface of those plants you wish to give it to.
My co-renant uses it on both Catts & Cymbidium.
I don't.

[FSUOrchids]

I use it on catts and they are really liking it. Yes, you just sprinkle the recommended amount depending on the pot size on top, and as the plant gets watered it releases a bit of fertilizer each time.

[Cattleya17]

Sounds simple enough. I have a hard time keeping up with fertilizing my collection with liquid fertilizer. It's time consuming and I honestly don't do it as regularly as I should because of that. This I think will be a little easier for me to make sure everyone is getting what they need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FSUOrchids]

Yeah it also saves me a lot of time, and it's also a plus since when my plants get rained on (pretty often) from June-Sept, they get fertilized also

[tucker85]

The one that's commonly used here, in South Florida, is Dynamite, in the red can, from Home Depot. Some growers sprinkle it on top of mix and others make little bags out of panty hose or plastic screen or herb bags and place it on top of the mix. That way they can take off when they want to. I sprinkle it on top of the mix because I always thought the bag idea concentrates all the fertilizer in one area. That might not be a problem though.

[Cattleya17]

Yeah this is what I will be doing wen I grow outside I'm irregular with fertilizing because 1) I'm too lazy to mix the liquid type for my collection size. 2) when it rains I don't water them thus I don't fertilize. I'm always afraid to overwater. This will eliminate both of those issues. If I use the panty hose or the little baskets I can put it on the cats that need a definite rest period and take it of easily. And when it rains in the summer it will fertilize! Just wonderful!

Thanks for all the help!

[katrina]

If it's going to be your main source for fertilizing...it's best to get one that has the micros as well as the macro-nutrients. I like Dynamite (red can)...like Tucker mentioned.

[Cattleya17]

Well then that's what I will get. I have to look and see if any of my Home Depots have it

[katrina]

My HD carries it in the spring but not later so the past couple of times I've purchased it on Amazon. They usually have the small and the large containers.

Dynamite makes an orchid granular but I have never seen it locally and I can't pull a label online so I have never tried it. It says it has micro-nutrients but until I can see a label...I'll stick w/the red can.