Re-fertilizing

[Brokken]

Normally, I do weekly sprays of a weak orchid fertilizer but I'm pretty leary about using ground fertilizers. About 6 months ago though, I decided to put about 3 pellets of osmocote in each pot and though I have no controls, it didn't seem to harm them either. Tonite, I re-fertilized all the neps in the hopes that I'll see good growth. I'd like to hear how others feel about using osmocote and other time-release fertilizers on your neps.

 

[swords]

Sorry, I've never used time release pellets, but I do flush the substrate with dilute orchid ferts as my main form of fertilization.

 

[kulamauiman]

i use it for D. regia in addition to MaxSea. it seems to be working nicely
have not really tried large neps. did try seedlings. caused moss explosion

 

[seedjar]

I've used a lot more than three pellets of Osmocote before, with no ill effects.
~Joe

 

[Brokken]

I've used a lot more than three pellets of Osmocote before, with no ill effects.
~Joe

Do you see a significant difference over NOT using it?

 

[seedjar]

Oh, right, I was going to get to that part.
A slight bit... but I wouldn't necessarily call it significant. It's been like three years though, so I'm a little fuzzy on the details.
~Joe

 

[swords]

I think the difference is if you notice your Neps actually growing. People who don't fertilize at all often tend to say my plant is X years old and still only this big.... and in 1/2 that time my plants had grown to a vine. At least it seemed that way years ago.

*except for that dirty little N. lowii...

 

[seedjar]

I guess my situation is similar. Around the time I started using Osmocote I started seeing some monster growth on certainly plants. I wasn't watching closely though, so I can't say if it was exclusive to the pots I fertilized or not. These days I'm mostly going with the fertilizer-in-the-pitchers method, although they also get some root fertilization when I feed the orchids in the same tray.
~Joe