Basics of Houseplant Fertilizer

 Basics of Houseplant Fertilizer: How and when to feed houseplants

Being a home plant parent can be a confusing business! Unlike human babies, houseplants do not cry when they are hungry or embarrassed. Instead, they respond to their environment in different, more subtle ways. Knowing when it is time to feed houseplants can be challenging, even for those who have been growing houseplants for a long time. Today, I would like to review the basic nuances of houseplant fertilizers and tell you how and when to feed your houseplants.

When to feed houseplants

Houseplants wither when they need water. Their leaves grow pale and thin when they do not receive enough sunlight. When the humidity is very low, they become brittle; When it is too high, they can rot. But, knowing when to fertilize your houseplants is very tricky. "Hey, it's time to feed me!" There is no clear signal from your plant to shout that, except for perhaps slow or stagnant growth, which is not noticed by many houseplant parents. So, instead of waiting for the signal from the plant, you should take things in your hands and apply home plant fertilizer on a schedule based on their growing cycle.

Each particular houseplant has slightly different requirements when it comes to the amount and frequency of houseplant fertilizer, but there is no need to complicate the process too much. Yes, each houseplant species you care for can determine its specific nutritional needs, but the truth is that most houseplants have fertilizer requirements that are sufficient to treat in the same way. To meet their nutritional needs. Some houseplants feed heavier than others, that's true. But, the houseplant fertilizer table, like the one below, provides a good balance, both of which satisfy heavier fodder and prevent it from going too far with those houseplants that require less fertilizer.

Here is the best fertilizer table for the most common houseplants. It is based on the cycle of the growing season and affects houseplants in the same way that it affects outdoor plants, even when the temperature is very constant.

Best Home Plant Fertilizer Table

In a little while, I will discuss the various household plant fertilizer products mentioned here and how to use them, but here is a brief description of when they should be used.

Spring Houseplant Fertilizer Schedule:

Start fertilizing houseplants 8 weeks before the last expected spring frost. For example, in Pennsylvania, where I live, the risk of spring frosts usually passes on May 15th. This means I start fertilizing my houseplants in mid-March. When the days begin to prolong significantly, the houseplants will change from semi-dormant to periods of active growth.

The first three fertilizer applications should be done at half the recommended strength. If it is a granular product, use half of the amount recommended on the label. If it is a liquid household vegetable fertilizer, mix it with half-strength (after a while about these two types of fertilizer). It feeds on houseplants, which are actually preparing for active growth, and they do not need large amounts of nutrients to stimulate prosperous growth.

Summer Home Plant Fertilization Schedule:

 When summer comes, it is time to switch to a regular home plant fertilizer program.

Based on the type of fertilizer you use and the frequency of summer fertilizer applications.

Liquid fertilizers are often applied, for example, fortnightly or monthly.

Granular products are used sparingly, probably every month or two.

 Slow-releasing household plant fertilizers break down slowly and release small amounts of their nutrients over a long period of time. The single-use of most of these products lasts from three to four months.

Follow this table regardless of whether or not you can move your houseplants outdoors in the summer. Regardless of the constant temperature of the home environment or the fluctuations that occur when sitting on the patio or terrace, houseplants will be inactive growth when the summer light is high.

Autumn Plant Fertilization Schedule:

About 8 weeks before your first expected autumn frost, plant your houseplant Reduce fertilizer quantity and frequency. In my house, i.e. starting in mid-August, I start to halve the amount of fertilizer and extend the time to fertilize for about 3-4 applications, which usually takes me to the arrival of winter.

Winter Home Plant Fertilization Schedule:

No. In winter the houseplants are not in active growth, so do not fertilize. Doing so can lead to fertilizer burns and brown leaf tips (more on why this happens here).

There are two exceptions to these rules:

If you live in a climate that does not receive regular winter frosts, continue to fertilize houseplants throughout the winter, but do so at half the strength and frequency of your summer applications. Again, this is due to light levels rather than temperature.

Also, if you live in a tropical climate and it is always hot, keep your houseplants on the summer fertilization schedule throughout the year.

What is in-home plant fertilizer?

Most home plant fertilizers contain a mixture of macro and micronutrients. The three primary macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium found in the fertilizer container are listed as the front ratio of the bottle or bag. Called the N-P-K ratio, these numbers tell you the percentage of each nutrient in the container. The ratio of these macronutrients in tomato manure or lawn manure is different from that found in houseplant manure because each group of these plants has different nutritional needs. That means it is necessary to use a fertilizer designed specifically for houseplants. This is the first thing you should look for when buying home plant fertilizers. It should say "for houseplants" somewhere on the packaging.

Flowering phosphorus (medium number in the container) is essential. Phosphorus in houseplant fertilizers for flowering plants should be slightly higher (for example, 1-3-1). Green houseplants that do not normally produce flowers should have slightly more nitrogen. They may also have a balanced ratio of nutrients (for example, 5-3-3 or 5-5-5). I usually use a houseplant fertilizer for my flowering houseplants and a separate fertilizer for non-flowering varieties. This is not necessary until you grow flowering houseplants such as African Violet, Begonia, or Gloxinia.

Many, but not all, fertilizers contain secondary macronutrients such as calcium and magnesium, as well as micronutrients such as iron, zinc and boron. These nutrients are used in smaller quantities than the primary macronutrients of N, P, and K, but they are essential for the metabolic pathway of each plant. Make sure your home fertilizer contains small amounts of these nutrients.