How to Fertilise Indoor Plants
Do you remember when your mom or dad would tell you to water the plants? Well, now it's time for another type of watering – Fertilisers!
Fertilisers are great for feeding your plants every once in a while to enhance their health and growth. It may seem daunting at first but the good news is that fertilising your plants can actually be really simple. Most plant parents who want to take care of their indoor plants better are opting for indoor plant fertilisers to provide the most optimal growing conditions for their plants.
What are the main types of Indoor Plant Fertilisers?
Indoor plant fertilisers come in a wide variety of forms, but you’ll have the best luck and growth rate if you select the correct fertiliser type depending on the species of your plants. The most general type of fertiliser that works with most varieties of indoor plants is a liquid fertiliser that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Applying fertiliser to plants provides them with extra nutrition which encourages growth, healthy leaves and root system.
There are two main types of fertilisers: organic fertilisers and chemical fertilisers. Organic plant fertilisers range from general compost, worm castings, aquarium water when doing water changes for a fish tank, seaweed extracts to egg shells and more. Chemical fertilisers come in liquid form, slow-release pellets, fertiliser spikes and more.
Indoor plant liquid fertilisers need to be diluted with water before applying them. Make sure to read the instructions provided with the fertiliser to avoid any issues with your plants. If you give the plants too much nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, it will be detrimental to its health and can cause both leaf and root damage.
Why do Indoor Plants need Fertiliser?
Tired of always buying plants for your home only to watch them eventually die? Here’s a tip! Go ahead and pick up some plant fertiliser and learn how to fertilise your indoor plants. You can find different kinds available but many plant owners recommend using liquid fertilisers because they are easy-to-use (just pour on) and will work well with most houseplants. This type tends to have nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium as their main ingredients which is great for any indoor species looking for an added nutrient boost.
Fertilisers are great because they supplement the minerals and vitamins that your houseplant would usually have access to in their natural environment. When you keep plants indoors in pots, nutrients in the soil will eventually be used up by the plant or will be washed away after a while. Using fertilisers will solve this common problem and allow your plants to stay alive and healthy for longer!
When do you use Fertilisers for Indoor Plants?
It’s only natural to want your plants to be healthy and lush. To keep them this way, you need the right type of fertiliser that will suit their needs best and importantly, you need to apply them at the right time. A rule of thumb for when to apply fertilisers is to do it in spring or summer. In the colder winter months, most plant species are slow growing so it would not be a good time to use fertilisers.
You can make your houseplants happy by ensuring that they always get the nutrients they need. A perfect time for replenishing nutrients for your plants is when you are re-potting your plants. You can use compost, worm castings or diluted liquid fertiliser for your re-potted plants. This will promote lush greenery, new leaves, and a long-lasting plant!