AusBonsai

Hi guys...

recently i went to grab some fertiliser from the garage and noticed the lid of the Osmocote plus (native gardens) had popped open due to its contents expanding.

i bought this not that long ago (say 6mths), it lives up on a shelf in my garage next to my other fertilisers.

i have removed the top crusted portion to get a better view i am curious if anyone could shine some light on what has happened / going on.

Also.., is this worth keeping or should i bin it. Cheers

hi

looks like moisture has got in there and the granulars have started to

open and release their stored nutrient.

platinum

G'day Dom

The way I understand it its got to do with temp. I have had the exact same thing happen up here....but only with the native one....weird.

Gott

I have had batches spoil like this, think its just the nutrient salts leaching out of the granules and recrystallizing.
My problems had definitely been due to moisture, wont say it cant happen for other reasons.
I figure the ratios of chemical salts are still the same, I still use it with good results, but prob doesn't last as long as the intact granules.
I would use less than recommended, as the salts are free to dissolve and wont be controlled release any more.

Hi Dom
I would say all of the above except I would only use this in the open soil now and sparingly. Be good to spread around the vegy garden

Agreed Brett, I wouldnt be putting this onto a 'finished' bonsai, tis ok in sprinkles in my growing pots and for my herbs. Just be careful, now its broken down, its very concentrated. Maybe tossing it in the vege patch is the best idea.

Good article guys, I always wondered what caused this. It's good to know that it can still be used albeit more cautiously.

Dont leave the lid off, Ive done it a few times, function of minding children and a dozen other things while I garden absentmindedly.

Thanx for the reply's everyone...

i will use it as Brett and others have mentioned for the vegies and garden beds / boxes etc.

it was a bit of a supprise to find it overflowing like a bucket of half popped pop corn....

Cheers

As others have warned this material is ruined. I have killed bonsai by applying it to the soil after the resin surface has deteriorated. It will be the equivalent of applying dry chemical fertilizer to your bonsai pots.
Used in the garden, with the larger buffering capacity of soil should be OK in very light doses.
Jerry

Ok... thanx for the advice Jerry