When is the best time to fertilize my house plants? SPRING !!
If you have ever wondered about when to fertilize your own plants, let us tell you that springtime is the best time. The days are rapidly getting longer and your heat is not running as much so that your air is not as dry, making conditions ripe for new growth on your plants. As we, at Plants a la carte, service the thousands of plants in our clients' office and public spaces, we spend March making sure that our plants were ready to get fertilized and are spending April and May "feeding" our plants. We may continue through the spring and summer for plants in very high light situations.
What is plant food, really?
Actually, plants feed themselves via photosynthesis. Remember 7th grade biology? Plants take CO2 and H2O and with the crucial help of light, convert it to O2 and glucose or sugars, for their own energy. The best thing you can do is provide light for your plant, directly or indirectly from your windows or your indoor lights. Assuming you have that taken care of, now you can provide the nutrients that will help your plants use that glucose to produce lush healthy foliage.
What NOT to fertilize
Did you get your plant in the last 6 months? Then it probably came with plenty of slow release fertilizer to last for another 6 months. Are your plants very sickly, in low light or fighting bugs? If so, it will not have the stored energy (glucose) to make use of those nutrients in fertilizer and may even get more stressed if you are pushing it to put out new growth. Move it into more light, treat for the bugs and then think about fertilizing during summer, and make sure that the potting mix is moist before adding fertilizer.
Is the plant prepped for fertilization?
If you have had your plants for awhile, they may have accumulated salts from past fertilizations and from your water source. Check the top of the soil (potting mix) and the drainage holes for white crusty residue. Those salts can burn the root tips which in turn show up as spotted or burned leaf tips. Wipe off the residue before you add the fertilizer.
If your plant is root bound and showing exposed roots at the top of the pot or growing out the drainage holes in the bottom, add some fresh potting mix to the top or pop the plant out and add a bit pf potting mix on the bottom. If there is no room to add mix or if the plant is very root bound, consider potting it into the next larger size pot (but no larger than an inch or two wider).
Is your plant taller, wider or longer than what is ideal for your space, and where do you want the new leaves to grow in? Prune or trim it back to where you want it to fill in with new growth.
NOW, you are ready to fertilize!
What fertilizer should I use?
Most major garden centers favor just a couple of brands - primarily Miracle Gro. We are not fans because they usually have a high salt content which can burn your plant roots. Exterior plants usually have the luxury of excess water and fertilizer draining away from their root balls, so they aren't in as much danger of getting burnt as your interior plants are. The name brand fertilizers often are formulated to work quickly, burning up your plant's food reserves and are not a slow and steady source of nutrients. They focus on the three most obvious elements - nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to the exclusion of trace elements which are important too.
Consider all purpose liquid fertilizers that are not in as strong concentrations. They may be at garden centers or can be ordered online. Our favorite is Nature's Source because we know it is low in salts. Other organic liquid fertilizers are probably low in salts as well and at a similar low concentration such as 3-1-1 so you can add it every couple of weeks during spring and summer if you like.
A good alternative or supplement to watering frequently with a liquid fertilizer is an all-purpose slow-release fertilizer in the form of pellets which will release nutrients over a few months. Osmocote Plus includes trace elements and has a no-burn pledge if used according to instructions.
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But I have "special needs" plants!
Orchids, African Violets, other blooming plants, and palms will benefit from fertilizers labeled especially for them because they need extra magnesium or phosphorus. It is worth it to get the smallest amount you can buy for those plants. But we have found that typical foliage plants don't necessarily need very specific fertilizers. We see fertilizers advertised for ficus, monsteras or dracaenas. The all-purpose fertilizers for indoor plants should be fine for those plants.
To summarize:
-Have your interior plants in as much light as possible so they are producing enough energy for new growth.
-Check you plants' roots for salt accumulation and need for fresh potting mix.
-Prune plants if needed, back to where you want new growth to come in.
-Don't fertilize sick, weak, or new plants.
-Choose fertilizers that are not too strong or high in salts and have more than the three major elements.
-Organic liquid fertilizers are good for frequent and fast acting nutrition.
-Slow-release fertilizers are good for fertilizing gradually over a few months.
-With these guidelines, your plants will thrive and fill your home with increased oxygen and clean air!!
