Slow release fertilizer and flushing

[SmellyCat40]

Hi all,

I'm interested in possibly taking the route of slow release fertilizer, but I'm curious how that works when we're supposed to flush orchids weekly to remove salts. How is this possible if it takes 6 to 8 weeks for fertilizer pellets to break down? Wouldn't flushing be pointless since water releases the nutrients?

Many thanks.

[Ray]

The idea behind flushing is to remove excess minerals and plant wastes, and to draw fresh air through the medium. If you are not overdoing the fertilizer application, seems to me that flushing still works, but fresh nutrients are replenished fairly promptly, but certainly not instantaneously.

Slow-release fertilizers usually have a life span far greater than 6 or 8 weeks. The release rate is controlled by temperature - the warmer, the faster - but a decent slow-release fertilizer for ornamental plants ought to be good for many months, unless you purchased one that's intended for much cooler conditions (in which case, you'll be overfeeding).