@Ursula, have you ever used slow release pellets with your plants, something like Osmacote 20-20-20?

I thought Dynamite was slow release? It seemed like several orchidists on this site were using that. Now I have to be confused... again...

Perhaps Dynamite is slow release, 9 mo., but it probably comes in 8-10 formulations. I don't think I have ever used it. I purchase the Osmacote in really large bags, several each year, and I don't know whether Dynamite comes packaged that way.

Ken, no I have not! Except outside on my Bletillas in the Spring! They appreciate a bit of Osmocote.
But, I have seen on occasions pellets like that at Silva Orchids, so perhaps they do use slow release fertilizer in occasion. But I wouldn't swear to it.

Not sure if it is for certain but I have been told Dynamite is the retail form of Nutracote.

Meant to add, that would be available in large bags. Most growers in this area use Nutracote.

I need to check on its availability in "bulk", Alice. Thanks.

I made little 'sachets' of Dynamite pellets for a lot of my orchids last year. I can't say for sure whether it was much of a success because I had an awful year of disease and insect problems, too. I can tell you for sure that I really had a ton more weeds growing in the cracks of my patio pavers, though, and algae on the pavers too.

I also had little pellets all over the place when I began bringing my orchids into the house for cold protection in January. The sachets I made of panty hose material gave out from the sun, and the pellets spilled all over . . .

I have a couple of plants with sachets made of window screening that are holding up fine, but I'm now fertilizing with a couple of different products including msu and potassium nitrate so I think that has given me a lot more positive results than the pelleted fert did.

My feeling is that the fert from the pellets doesn't get on the leaves very much, so a lot of it is wasted washing through the medium instead of being absorbed by the whole plant like sprayed fertilizer is.