Please help! Sorry to bother you about this, but I've got dyscalculia (a learning disability like dyslexia, but regarding math and numbers), so for numbers I often have to rely on the kindness of strangers. This year I'm experimenting with some containers of pure cat litter (diatomite/ kieselgur), it's a bit like vermiculite, I guess, but more water retentive. I've just bought some organic NPK slow release fertiliser, but I have NO idea how much to use. -I've read through the above posts three times to no use. The product I have is: 5 liter = 4 kilo NPK 9-2-5 N: 9.0% P: 2.0% K: 5.0% Magnesium (MG) 0.2% Content of dry matter: 88% How much do I need to use (preferably in volume)? Even though I'm on metric here, you can tell me in fluid oz & gallons, as long as you tell me if it's the American or British system (I can convert it via an app on my phone). If any of you could help me, you would make me VERY happy! VG PS: I noticed a couple of places above "#" used after a number... What does that mean? Here it's used in front of numbers, and simply means "number", like #1 is "number one" or #5 is "number five".

I personally dont recommend osmocote due to its release action. I recommend Dynamite/Nutricote. The difference is that Osmocote is temperature release and Dynamite/Nutricote is chemical release. The difference is that Osmocote will just sit there no matter how much you water it if the temperature is cool, once the temperature is above 80 F it starts to slowly release. Although if the temperatures get 90 or above, it all disperses at once, over fertilizing your plants and then there is no more left to fertilize later on. However Dynamite/Nutricote is a chemical release fertilizer. What that does is every time there is water and moisture that is surrounding the fertilizer capsule, it slowly releases into the soil. But if you only have Osmocote a balanced fert would be me bet.

I use Dynamite on all my plants including a large collection of orchids. I live in Florida. I supplement with regular fertilizer. I do not bury the Dynamite, I sprinkle it on the surface. My plants do very well with it. I see no reason to disturb the soil. Jane

Could someone explain the benefits of foliar spraying fish emulsion? Plants take up nutrients best through the soil from the roots, not the leaves. Use of organic fertilizers in containers with fast draining soilless media seems unnecessary to me and probably wasteful. Fish emulsion also has excessive nitrogen (5-2-2 or 2.5-1-1). Using it on plants in ground I can understand, but is it really a good idea for containers?