Questions and Answers for Osmocote Smart-Release 8 lb. Indoor and Outdoor Plant Food

A:  The NPK analysis for Osmocote Smart-Release Indoor and Outdoor Plant Food is 15-9-12. Total Nitrogen: 15% (8.4% Ammoniacal Nitrogen, 6.6% Nitrate Nitrogen, Available Phosphate: 9%). Soluble Potash: 12%. Magnesium: 1.3% (0.9% Water Soluble Magnesium) Sulfur: 6.0% (6.0% Combined Sulfur). Boron: 0.02%, Copper: 0.05% (0.05% Water Soluble Copper), Iron: 0.46% (0.09% Water Soluble Iron, 0.01% Chelated Iron), Manganese: 0.06% (0.06% Water Soluble Manganese), Molybdenum: 0.02%, Zinc: 0.05% (0.019% Water Soluble Zinc).

A:  Yes, this product can be used on citrus trees. However, for best results regarding fruit or vegetable production, we recommend Osmocote Flower & Vegetable.

A:  Osmocote is manufactured by Scotts.

A:  Osmocote Smart-Release 8 Indoor and Outdoor Plant Food can be used around ornamentals. Work or water into soil.

A:  Potting soil. Check to see if there is a liner pot within the pot as the plant could die if the water stays in the bottom of he pot and has no way to escape. i have a orchid that's in a pot with no hole in the bottom. I grab the stalk of the orchid and pull it out of the pot. The orchids roots are surrounded by a plastic container with a hole in the bottom. I water it and when the water runs out of the plastic container, I place it back in the pot which doesn't have a hole. That way the plant is not sitting in water.

A:  Hi, it's hard to answer the question without knowing what plant your referencing. Is it an indoor plant or outdoor plant? Most plants require a good potting soil mix, unless it is a succulent or cactus. Watering is usually determined by the plant and its likes and dislikes.

A:  For best results, you should always use a pot with a drainage hole for your plants. Without a drainage hole, the roots can sit too wet and rot. How often you water will depend on how quickly the plant is drying out. Always test the top 2 inches of soil before watering. Type of soil can also vary due to the type of plant you have.

A:  Azaleas require slightly acidic soil for best growth. Osmocote is a good general fertilizer with an NPK value of 19-6-12. That means it is high in nitrogen and lower in phosphate and potassium. High nitrogen generally promotes leaf growth, which is especially nice in the spring, prior to flowering. To promote flowering, a fertilizer lower in nitrogen is usually used. Osmocote comes in pellets that dissolve quickly at first and then slowly as the season progresses so it should not inhibit flowering but can provide nutrients over several months meaning that one application in the spring is often all that is needed. Azaleas are not heavy feeders so a less costly fertilizer NPK of 15-15-15 is usually fine when scattered lightly in a three-foot swath, outside the drip line of the shrub. Ideally, the soil should be tested. The ideal pH for Azaleas is about pH 5 - pH 6 and they need fertilizer usually only if the pH is 7 or more. In that case it is best to use a fertilizer that is made to acidify the soil and is specific for acid loving plants. Azaleas also love moist soil so an application of 3 + inch deep mulch in a wide swath around the plant can go a long-ways to improving and maintaining healthy plants all summer.

A:  NA

A:  Osmocote Smart-Release INdoor & Outdoor Plant Food can be used around all ornamentals.

A:  Works on all my different plants and bushes. I do not have azaleas but I would think it would work well.

A:  I have been using this for years, While I don’t often examine the dirt closely and there is a lot of mulch and debris that might obscure the presence of last year’s fertilizer I have never noticed it after 8 months. You might want to go to the manufacturer’s website to see what the pellets are composed of but I suspect that some components are simply less soluble rather than plastic. These are, after all, designed to be released over a period of many months which means you are going to see those little spheres well into the summer if you apply them in the early spring. All the more so if less water hits them and the soil in the garden.

A:  No, the pellets do not fully dissolve.

A:  No, they do not completely dissolve. The husks remain.

A:  The ‘pellets’ are resin coated according to Osmocote. I’ve spent a couple days digging in my large pots & I can see evidence of old Osmocote pellets. I don’t see that as a problem. If anything, it can promote drainage in my pots so the soil won’t compact, maybe on a small scale. But no worries. Osmocote is awesome. Hopefully, the company is working on a more biodegradable approach. Most fertilizer, even organics, will leach out of the soil eventually. So, there is that to consider as well.

A:  I have never seen a little plastic ball left behind. I have been using this for over 15 years, and it really is fantastic plant food. It is an essential component of my planting soil and amendments.

A:  The nutrients slowly are released through the prills special coating to the plant's root zone through osmosis. The prills will not wash away nor do they disappear.

A:  The prills will not wash away nor do they disappear.

A:  I water my garden by hand so I get a good look at the ground ad soil. The granules disappear within a season.

A:  Over a period of time. What is applied in the spring is usually dissolved by autumn.

A:  That’s a great question. I have been using Osmocote for maybe 20 years. I went out to look at my big pots where all my bulbs are plus my Cymbidium orchids. I did not see any evidence of the Osmocote resin coverings. So maybe they do breakdown with time. Either way it’s not a problem. Osmocote is the best!

A:  The shell of these beads does not dissolve. At least not in the years I have been using them. They just stay in the soil. Maybe they eventually dissolve, but it would probably take years.

A:  Just add water. They are timed-release like many meds you take.

A:  The prills will not wash away nor do they disappear. The nutrients then slowly are released through the prills special coating to the plant's root zone through osmosis.