Easy gardening
tips & news
every month
Subscribe to In & Around Your Garden.
The difference between 'slow release' and 'controlled release'
OsmocoteŽ PLUS releases plant food AT THE RATE THAT PLANTS NEED IT.
Unlike many slow-release fertilisers, the release of fertiliser from the OsmocoteŽ prills is controlled by soil temperature.
- When the weather is warm in the active growing seasons of spring, summer and early autumn, plants need more food and the OsmocoteŽ prills release fertiliser more quickly.
- In winter, plants need less food because they are not growing as much, so less plant food is released from the prills.
How does controlled release work?
OsmocoteŽ prills are made up of many thin layers of soy coating, all of which contain tiny fissures.
Water can be absorbed into the prills to dissolve the fertiliser inside, but cannot be released until the prills expand sufficiently to allow the fertiliser to escape through the tiny cracks.
When it's warm and plants are in active growth, the coating expands and fertiliser is released. When it's cold, less fertiliser is released.