Too many people overlook the importance of fertilizing houseplants. However, it is essential for growing healthy, beautiful plants. Unlike an outdoor garden, where nature provides rain and plants can grow new roots looking for food, the nutrients available to a houseplant are strictly determined by the amount of soil in the pot and that of you Fertilizers provided are limited.
Fertilizing houseplants is important for their health and vitality. In this article, we'll give you lots of tips for choosing the best fertilizer for your plants. Learn here when, how often and how much fertilizer you should give them and how to use it.
What is a fertilizer?
First and foremost, a fertilizer is not food for plants. They make their own food using sunlight in a process called photosynthesis. The fertilizer is more of a type of multivitamin that promotes new, healthy growth. It can also be used to replace important nutrients that the potting soil loses as the plant grows. Fertilizers can contain a variety of nutrients, but the main nutrients, or micronutrients, are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Think of fertilizer as the second half of your potting soil. If the potting soil is fresh, the plants will not need much or any fertilizer. This is especially true for commercially prepared potting soil, which often contains fertilizer and other additives. However, after about two months, the plant will have depleted the nutrients in the soil, so you will need to fertilize if you want continued, healthy growth.
What types of fertilizers are there?
Not all fertilizers are created equal. In fact, it's common to use the wrong type or too much fertilizer and kill your plants. Liquid and slow-release fertilizers are best suited for indoor use. Fertilizer sticks and granules seem convenient, but they don't distribute nutrients particularly well into the soil. Once you put a stick in your pot, you can no longer control the release, and granular fertilizers are intended for outdoor use. We therefore recommend that you use organic liquid or slow-release fertilizers.
- Liquid fertilizer:They are diluted in water and applied with a watering can. They provide a consistent supply of nutrients that you can precisely control. Depending on the label instructions, you can fertilize every time you water the plants or every other time. There are many liquid fertilizers made from natural ingredients. They are obtained from plants and animals as well as from cultivated minerals and they not only provide houseplants with nutrients but also promote growth. Another advantage of liquid fertilizers is that they pose a lower risk of fertilizer burns.
- Long-term fertilizer:These products have quickly become favorites among many gardeners and professional growers. The liquid nutrients are encapsulated in a coating that slowly decomposes and releases the nutrients in small doses over a long period of time. This means you need to fertilize less frequently. A single application can last between four and nine months. They are very practical, but you should be aware that they are not always made from environmentally friendly ingredients.
When and how often should you fertilize your houseplants?
Every houseplant has different needs when it comes to the amount and frequency of fertilizer, but there is no reason to overcomplicate the process. The truth is that the vast majority of common houseplants have such similar fertilizer needs that a one-time treatment is enough to meet their nutritional needs.
However, some plants need more fertilizer than others, but a proper fertilization schedule provides a good balance.
Fertilize your houseplants every two to three weeks from late March to mid-September, then give them a break during the growing season.
- Spring:Start fertilizing in March, when the days become noticeably longer and the houseplants transition from half-sleep into an active growth phase. The first three fertilizer applications should be made at half the recommended strength.
- Sommer:It is time to introduce a more regular fertilizing program depending on the type of fertilizer. Liquid fertilizers are applied more frequently, for example every two weeks or monthly. Slow-release fertilizers break down slowly and a single application of most of these products lasts three to four months.
- Herbst:About 8 weeks before the first expected fall frost, you should reduce the amount of fertilizer by half and extend the time between the last 3-4 fertilizer applications, which is usually until winter arrives.
- Winter:Houseplants are not in an active growth state andshould therefore be in winternot be fertilized.
Potted plants that should not be fertilized often
Succulents andCacti don't like too much nitrogen-based fertilizer. To be on the safe side, only fertilize them once every six weeks. If you provide your plants with good soil and compost, they will also have a good chance.
