Different types of houseplants growing indoors need different
feeds and fertilizers
Houseplants that are grown for their flowers,
need a different type of Fertilizer than houseplants that are
grown for their foliage effect.
Houseplant fertilizers for feeding plants indoors are many and
varied. They all contain the main ingredients of N-P-K.
N=Nitrogen P=Phosphorus and K=Potash. Some plant feeds also
contain other elements of food - Trace elements. We will not
deal with those here.
All plant feeds should have the symbols NPK
with their percentage rate on the packet or container. The
higher the % rate the more of that particular feed element there
will be in the houseplant fertilizer. Nitrogen, is generally needed for good healthy
foliage, Phosphorus is needed by houseplants for growth of healthy roots
and flowers, and Potash is generally for the overall wellbeing of the
plant - healthy, sturdy stems and plant framework.
Houseplants need feeding quite soon after feeding, for
the feed in most composts will be exhausted after just a few weeks.
(This is also true of general composts!). With plants grown indoors,
there is a regular watering regime, which aids the loss of nutrients
from the root zone, and also bear in mind that the compost is not
replenished with re-cycled food - such as dying organic matter - as
normal soils are in the outdoor environment. We have to provide the Feed
for the indoor plants.
High Nitrogen feeds are often recommended for foliage
houseplants. In an indoor artificial growing environment, this can lead
to overly lush growth, which in turn leaves the plant susceptible to a
wide range of fungal diseases - botrytis being among them.
Bearing in mind that most houseplants will have very
little of any of the mentioned elements - NPK - of substance in their
pot soil after a month or so, it is normally quite alright to go for
just a general liquid feed. No need for high Nitrogen or Phosphorus in
most cases. A general houseplant liquid fertilizer will do the trick for
most plants. Another favoured alternative, is to use a weak solution of
a Tomato feed. This will typically have a ratio of 7-7-7 NPK or similar,
together with which most will also have traces of other elements such as
Magnesium. The great thing about Tomato feed for houseplants, is the
fact that tomato feeds have been formulated for use in composts (Growbags
etc. ) where the growing requirements are very similar to houseplants in
compost!
-
Little and often through the growing season
-
Don't feed any houseplant in the winter months.
-
Do NOT feed a houseplant compost when it is dry.
Make sure that the compost is at least moist - or the plant will
fold and die!
-
Use half recommended dose of Tomato feed for all
houseplants.
-
Start feeding gently at first sign of spring -
March/April and continue through season - probably best at
fortnightly intervals.
-
Your houseplant will grow well, so may need
re-potting during the season.
An alternative to liquid houseplant feed, is either
plant sticks - which are simply pushed into the pot around the edges -
or Osmocote, which is a granular fertilizer which can either be
incorporated into new potting soil, or can be bought as 'single plant'
dose capsules to be pushed down into the soil. The great thing about
Osmocote, is that it will feed the plant for the whole growing season.
best incorporated in early spring.
|
