Use these simple fertilizing tips to ensure your houseplant thrives.
How to properly fertilize houseplants is often misunderstood, but care is important whether you grow tropical plants, succulents or orchids in your home. All plants, including ornamental plants, require nutrients to grow. Over time and with frequent watering, nutrients will be lost or depleted from the potting soil, leaving your plant without the nutrients it needs to thrive. Here you can learn when and how to fertilize your indoor plants to keep them green and growing .
Related: 13 Best Soils for Indoor and Outdoor Plants
Types of fertilizers for ornamental plants
There are two main types of fertilizers : synthetic and organic . It is often said that synthetic fertilizers fertilize plants, while organic fertilizers fertilize the soil.
synthetic
Synthetic fertilizers are made from ammonia, natural gas and various mineral sources. These fertilizers are formulated according to specific needs and specific NPK (which stands for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) ratios, allowing farmers to precisely meet the needs of their crops. High-quality synthetic fertilizers also typically contain small amounts of micronutrients (nutrients needed by plants in very small quantities).
When using synthetic fertilizers, be careful not to overfertilize your plants (called fertilizer burn) because synthetic fertilizers contain high amounts of nutrients. As with any fertilizer, follow the mixing instructions on the product label.
Because synthetic fertilizers are made with a lot of chemicals and are widely used in livestock, golf courses and gardens, they can (and do) cause runoff problems in waterways. Uncontrolled flow can be harmful to the environment, so care must be taken to avoid overuse.
organically
Organic fertilizers consist of natural ingredients that may or may not be organic. These fertilizers are typically obtained from agricultural or industrial byproducts such as manure, bone meal, and blood meal, but other fertilizers, including seaweed and worm waste, are harvested intentionally.
Organic fertilizers are considered a greener choice than synthetic ones because they protect the environment and the garden or plants where they are used. Another advantage of organic fertilizers is that, due to their biological origin, they contain a variety of macro and micronutrients, which ensures that your plants receive the various nutrients they need when fertilized.
While organic fertilizers are an excellent source of nutrients, they are available in lower concentrations than inorganic fertilizers. Therefore, the likelihood of a fire in the plant is reduced.
Pet owners should be aware that due to the slight odor of organic manure, dogs and cats often find it very attractive, leading to uprooting plants and breaking pots.
Acidifying fertilizers
It is worth noting a subtype of fertilizers - soil acid fertilizers. Typically, but not always, these are synthetic fertilizers containing the same macro and micronutrients as other fertilizers. However, they also contain soil acidifiers that promote the growth of plants that require acidic soil. Unless your plants require particularly acidic soil, it is best to avoid this product.
RELATED: 11 Best Homemade Fertilizers in 2023 to Help Your Greens Grow
When should you fertilize indoor plants?
Knowing when to fertilize your plants is just as important as choosing the type of fertilizer. Many plants grow cyclically in their natural environment. Under certain conditions, such as a dry season or cold weather, they slow down their growth until conditions improve. While indoor conditions typically don't vary as much as outdoor conditions, our homes and personal schedules can affect houseplants and create less than ideal growing conditions.
When plants are stressed or go through a dormant period, they grow more slowly and require fewer nutrients. Fertilizing dormant plants can be detrimental to plant health by overloading the plant with nutrients it cannot use. This overfertilization can lead to disease or death of the plant, especially if the plant is young or already weak.
To be safe , only apply fertilizer to actively growing or flowering plants . Actively growing plants produce many new leaves, stems, flowers and roots, which require certain nutrients to develop properly.
Tips for fertilizing ornamental plants
Fertilizers come in many forms, including liquid, granular and water-soluble, and each has its own specific use. In addition to being fertilizers designed to be absorbed relatively quickly by plants, many also release nutrients into the soil within one to six months. This slow release fertilizer is a good slow release fertilizer, but it requires moisture to be effective.
It is important to water the plant thoroughly between fertilizations to avoid mineral buildup in and around the roots. Make sure all plant pots have holes in the bottom to drain excess water.
Whatever fertilizer you choose, follow the label instructions and properly dispose of excess, old or unused fertilizer.
Fertilizing plants is an art and a science and is very important for the good and healthy growth of potted plants. Once you get the hang of it, the process will become second nature.
On the subject: Why you should not use banana peels as fertilizer for indoor plants
FAQ
How often should you fertilize indoor plants?
During periods of active growth, feeding the plant with liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks is sufficient to keep it healthy. Always follow the directions on your fertilizer package to determine the correct amount of fertilizer to apply.
Do I need to fertilize indoor plants in winter?
Since most houseplants are tropical and grow well year-round in a warm, bright home, you can fertilize your plants all winter while they are still actively growing.
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