anyone else get good results with slow release fertilizers?
 

I had great growth and blooms with my orchids using them over the summer.

I was wondering if this was just luck or if others get the same results.

But my situation may be different than most. I use the clay pellets for my medium. I sprinkle the fertilizer pellets on top of the media when I start my misting schedule when it gets warm enough outside....so basically my orchids stay wet the entire time that the fertilizer is used.

I started using slow release fert in cyms early last year. I always water the cyms with the hose, so they seldom got fertilizer before that, and I got sparse blooms. Since using the slow release fert the bloom and spike count has increased. I can't really compare to using fertilizer in the water, since I never did that much, but I'm rather happy with the results.

I grow outdoors in Florida. I've had good luck in the past with Dynamite over the summer. This past summer I tried the weakly weekly routine - didn't work as well in my opinion. I believe a big part of the reason is that during rainy season I seldom water, so there is little opportunity for fertilization. When we get a few dry days together I want my plants to dry out, so watering (and hence fertilizing) is difficult. With the time release (just a couple of pellets in each basket) - every time it rains they get a weak fertilization. This summer I plan on going back to the time release program. During dry season I use a balanced soluble fertilizer until December/January.

I have used Dynamite (in the red can from Home Depot) also. I had good results with it. This year I used a water soluble fertilizer and had the same problems that Bob mentioned. Several growers in South Florida use a commercial version of Dynamite.

I've heard that these can work well, and I'm planning to use some next year on my Cyms. Last year the Cyms got so much rain water I couldn't fertilise enough because I didn't want to water than again, someone suggested slow release fertiliser as a solution to that.

All the members of my local orchid society use a type of slow release that someone got before I joined. Don't know what it's called, but it looks like large perlite or sponge rock. They only put a couple of pieces on the surface of each pot and water as normal. They're all quite pleased with it.

Cheers.
Jim

I am experimenting with the slow-release version of the MSU fertilizers on some tropical houseplants in S/H culture, and they are responding very nicely. Of course, they were getting essentially no food prior to that (no fertilizer dosing pump on the household water lines).

A few professional growers I have spoken to use the stuff as a steady, low rate of feeding, but still use water-soluble ones routinely.

Just keep in mind that the only thing that controls the release rate is temperature - the warmer, the faster - but you still need to keep the plant watered, or the nutrients released will not be available to the plants.

this last summer i just started mixing a little pearlite with slow release fert into the topdressings of my mix. I'm quite lazy about the whole fertilizing thing, so i'm trying to see if having a little fertilizer every time they get watered might up the ante, so to speak. I also have one plant that's getting a scoop of goatberries once in a while. Little test of organic fertilizing too lol.

Actually, all concerned have been quite robust this year. I think i might see the first bloom on a C. lueddemanniana this year, and i have shealth on all of my spring-early summer catts...we'll see how bloom counts compare to last year.

-Cj

I use a "slow-release fertilizer" (Dynamite) on my Vanda's and get strong aggressive roots. I take a small quantity and tie it in a small cloth pouch and then suspend it over the basket. When I laid the bag in the basket it seemed to burn any roots it came in contact with. Since the Vanda's pretty much get daily water they get this supplimental fertilizer regularly. I didn't use it on anything else, thinking I'd be added fertilizer throughout the year whether I wanted it or not, but once I started using the "slow-release baggies", I intend to try it this coming year, removing the bag in fall on those plants that I don't want to fertilize in the cooler seasons. I'm told, Dynamite and Nutricote are less temperature sensitive than other slow-release types, but I don't know whether that's true...