Keep your house plants looking lush and healthy, with the help of our feeding advice.
Plants drink a lot (no judgement), but like any living thing they also need food. Learn why, what and when you need to feed them. It’s really simple.
Plants consume food the same way they consume water, through their roots. These are the most important things to know about plant food:
-Plant food, or fertiliser, provides nutrients
-Just add fertiliser to your watering can and water as normal
-Most plants only need feeding in spring and summer
-Feeding once per month is generally enough
-Cacti, succulents and orchids need special food
That’s the basics. Now let’s really get our teeth into feeding.
-Plant food, or fertiliser, provides nutrients
-Just add fertiliser to your watering can and water as normal
-Most plants only need feeding in spring and summer
-Feeding once per month is generally enough
-Cacti, succulents and orchids need special food
That’s the basics. Now let’s really get our teeth into feeding.
Why do plants need feeding?
Plants make a lot of their food themselves, converting sunlight into energy. That doesn’t give them all the nutrients they need to grow healthily.
In the wild, plants suck up the nutrients they need from the soil. Those nutrients get refreshed with rotting plant matter, animal or insect droppings and other delightful things. Indoor plants don’t get that, so we need to provide it.
In the wild, plants suck up the nutrients they need from the soil. Those nutrients get refreshed with rotting plant matter, animal or insect droppings and other delightful things. Indoor plants don’t get that, so we need to provide it.
What is plant food?
Firstly, ‘plant food’ and ‘fertiliser’ are different terms for the same thing. Fertiliser is just the slightly more science-y word. Manufactured plant food can contain lots of things, but it typically has three key ingredients:
Nitrogen – Encourages strong growth
Phosphorus – Helps your plant produce stronger roots and healthy flowers
Potassium – Helps your plant fight off disease
For indoor plants, plant food is typically a liquid you mix with water and pour over your plants’ soil.
Nitrogen – Encourages strong growth
Phosphorus – Helps your plant produce stronger roots and healthy flowers
Potassium – Helps your plant fight off disease
For indoor plants, plant food is typically a liquid you mix with water and pour over your plants’ soil.
Essential Nutrients For Plant Health
When purchasing plant food, you’ll notice an NPK ratio listed on the package, like 10-10-10 or 18-18-21. This refers to the proportion of 3 chemicals—Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K)—each of which performs specific functions to meet your plant’s needs:
.Nitrogen stimulates leaf development
.Phosphorus promotes strong plant roots and lively blooms
.Potassium encourages stem growth and disease resistance
A well-balanced fertilizer will contain almost equal amounts of each of these main macronutrients. You can also feed your plant with sources that have higher levels of certain elements; for example, a flowering plant may need more phosphorus than a plant that’s foliage-only.
Fertilizer also contains other secondary macronutrients and micronutrients that can boost plant growth, including:
.Calcium
.Magnesium
.Sulfur
.Boron
.Copper
.Iron
.Manganese
.Molybdenum
.Nickel
.Zinc
.Chlorine
While quantities of each nutrient will vary depending on the houseplant fertilizer you use, you can also feed your plants by taking a nutrient-specific approach. Some indoor gardeners supplement plants’ fertilization regimen with an occasional Epsom salt feeding, which provides extra magnesium and sulfur to encourage plant vigor.
.Nitrogen stimulates leaf development
.Phosphorus promotes strong plant roots and lively blooms
.Potassium encourages stem growth and disease resistance
A well-balanced fertilizer will contain almost equal amounts of each of these main macronutrients. You can also feed your plant with sources that have higher levels of certain elements; for example, a flowering plant may need more phosphorus than a plant that’s foliage-only.
Fertilizer also contains other secondary macronutrients and micronutrients that can boost plant growth, including:
.Calcium
.Magnesium
.Sulfur
.Boron
.Copper
.Iron
.Manganese
.Molybdenum
.Nickel
.Zinc
.Chlorine
While quantities of each nutrient will vary depending on the houseplant fertilizer you use, you can also feed your plants by taking a nutrient-specific approach. Some indoor gardeners supplement plants’ fertilization regimen with an occasional Epsom salt feeding, which provides extra magnesium and sulfur to encourage plant vigor.
Tips For Buying Fertilizer
When deciding on the best fertilizer for indoor plants, there are a few things to keep in mind:
.Plant type – Fertilizers are formulated to provide the ideal nutrients for a growing plant, but different types of plants have different nutritional needs. For many houseplants, a general indoor house plant fertilizer will work just fine, but you’ll want to look for variety-specific food for plants like orchids, African violets, and succulents.
.Container type – The pot that your houseplant lives in could also influence the type of fertilizer you choose. You might want to consider a granular or extended-release fertilizer for a hanging basket. On the other hand, a large or fast-growing floor plant in a heavy planter might fare better with a liquid fertilizer that delivers nutrients quickly.
.Feeding frequency – If you’re a pro at sticking with your watering and feeding schedules, a liquid fertilizer could work well for you. If you tend to take a more relaxed approach to plant care, you may prefer a slow-release fertilizer since they slowly give nutrients to plants for months before you’ll need to replenish them. Consider how consistent you are with watering and feeding, and choose accordingly.
.Plant type – Fertilizers are formulated to provide the ideal nutrients for a growing plant, but different types of plants have different nutritional needs. For many houseplants, a general indoor house plant fertilizer will work just fine, but you’ll want to look for variety-specific food for plants like orchids, African violets, and succulents.
.Container type – The pot that your houseplant lives in could also influence the type of fertilizer you choose. You might want to consider a granular or extended-release fertilizer for a hanging basket. On the other hand, a large or fast-growing floor plant in a heavy planter might fare better with a liquid fertilizer that delivers nutrients quickly.
.Feeding frequency – If you’re a pro at sticking with your watering and feeding schedules, a liquid fertilizer could work well for you. If you tend to take a more relaxed approach to plant care, you may prefer a slow-release fertilizer since they slowly give nutrients to plants for months before you’ll need to replenish them. Consider how consistent you are with watering and feeding, and choose accordingly.
When To Fertilize Your Indoor Plants
Even though they’re living the good life in your warm, cozy home, most houseplants still adhere to a seasonal growth schedule. So, how do you know how often to fertilize indoor plants?
In general, your indoor plants should be fed during periods of active growth. They need a boost when they’re putting extra energy into unfurling those little baby leaves or flowering stalks. As days get shorter and the weather cools, most houseplants will quiet their growth schedule and won’t need much more than occasional watering.
The type of fertilizer you select will help you determine a proper feeding frequency as well. Again, follow your chosen fertilizer’s instructions to determine the optimal amount and frequency of feeding.
In general, your indoor plants should be fed during periods of active growth. They need a boost when they’re putting extra energy into unfurling those little baby leaves or flowering stalks. As days get shorter and the weather cools, most houseplants will quiet their growth schedule and won’t need much more than occasional watering.
The type of fertilizer you select will help you determine a proper feeding frequency as well. Again, follow your chosen fertilizer’s instructions to determine the optimal amount and frequency of feeding.
Signs Of Overfeeding
If you notice any of these symptoms of fertilizer burn in your houseplants, you may be nurturing your indoor plants a little too much:
.Yellowing leaves
.Stunted growth
.Lack of blooms in flowering plants
.Loss of leaves
.Crust on the surface of the soil
When this happens, try diluting your fertilizer or lengthening the time between feedings. Remember, it’s important to account for the added nutrients from your potting mix when determining when and how much fertilizer to give your plants. Some potting soil, like Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix, contains slow-release fertilizers that can feed for up to 6 months (which means extra fertilization isn’t necessary right away).
.Yellowing leaves
.Stunted growth
.Lack of blooms in flowering plants
.Loss of leaves
.Crust on the surface of the soil
When this happens, try diluting your fertilizer or lengthening the time between feedings. Remember, it’s important to account for the added nutrients from your potting mix when determining when and how much fertilizer to give your plants. Some potting soil, like Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix, contains slow-release fertilizers that can feed for up to 6 months (which means extra fertilization isn’t necessary right away).
How often do plants need to be fed?
When you buy a plant from Patch it will be potted in nutrient rich compost. It has all the nutrients it needs for a while, so you won’t need to feed it for about three months.
In spring and summer your plants are growing fast, so feed them about once a month. In autumn and winter, no need to feed as most plants are dormant, i.e. not growing.
In spring and summer your plants are growing fast, so feed them about once a month. In autumn and winter, no need to feed as most plants are dormant, i.e. not growing.
Fertilizing Indoor Plants vs. Fertilizing Outdoor Plants
Indoor potted plants have different needs than outdoor landscape plants due to their growing environment.
In an outdoor environment, plants have more room to spread their roots and seek out nutrients and water. Depending on the type of plant, they generally need to be fertilized twice: once at the beginning of the growing season and once mid-summer.
Indoor plants, however, are restricted to the pots or planters we place them in. This limits their ability to access energy sources, which means they may need to be fed more frequently.
In an outdoor environment, plants have more room to spread their roots and seek out nutrients and water. Depending on the type of plant, they generally need to be fertilized twice: once at the beginning of the growing season and once mid-summer.
Indoor plants, however, are restricted to the pots or planters we place them in. This limits their ability to access energy sources, which means they may need to be fed more frequently.