Fertilizing Indoor Plants

Plants need different elements from the soil to grow.  If they are not present in the right amount the plants will not be as healthy or grow as they should.  This is the reason plants need fertilizer, to add the missing elements (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium).  However, keep in mind that you can give your plants too much fertilizer and that will have the opposite effect you are going for. 

Image via WikipediaThe same species of plant that is grown indoors or outdoors will have different fertilizing needs.  Plants that are grown indoors will not need as much fertilizer as the ones grown outside.  The rate of growth is slower indoors and you can harm your plant by over-fertilizing it. 

How do you know how much fertilizer to give to your plants and when to feed it to them?  If you have purchased a plant meant for the indoors chances are the information tag it comes with will give fertilizing instructions. But a better method to follow is observing your plant for any signs that would indicate it is lacking nutrients.

Your plant might need fertilizer if it is not growing as fast as it should.  If you notice the growth of the plant is stunted and it is spring or summer you can safely add fertilizer in small amounts over a period of one to two weeks.  Many indoor gardeners will add fertilizer as part of routine maintenance each spring and that is fine too.  Just be careful not to over-fertilize.  Some signs that you have added to much fertilizer are the tip of the leaves are turning brown or the leaves are drooping downwards.

All fertilizers are not made the same; they are available in different ratios of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.  Purchase an organic fertilizer meant for indoor plants or one that is made for a specific type of plant. (Remember not to use chemical fertilizers on anything you will eat, or any plants that are indoors - you certainly don't want to bring toxic chemical fertilizers into your home.) You can also top-dress your indoor plants with compost (made via worm composting or traditional methods), but you may want to do this in the warmer part of the year, so you can set the plants outside while adding the compost, and not make a mess.

Related articles on Fertilizing Indoor Plants:

• What is a good natural fertilizer for my plants? (greenanswers.com)
• Learn How to Make Fish Emulsion for Fertilizing Indoor Gardens (brighthub.com)

Watering and Fertilizing your Indoor Garden Plants

Unless it is the middle of summer and there has not been enough rain, watering your outdoor plants is usually not necessary (or not very often).  But indoor plants rely on you as a source of water and extra nutrients in the form of fertilizer.  It is important to know the individual water and nutrient needs of each plant to keep them healthy.

Image via WikipediaAs mentioned, individual plants will require different amounts of water to keep them growing optimally.  But what all plants do like is moist soil.  If you are worried about over-watering your plant, make sure that the pot you choose has a good drainage system.  With holes in the bottom of the pot or gravel inside the pot the soil and plant will soak up the necessary water and the excess will run out through the bottom. (See our previous blog post on choosing good pots for your indoor garden.)

If your houseplants are not thriving no matter what you do, there are two things to look into.  If you are using tap water to water your plants there may be too much chlorine or salt present.  A solution to this is to use distilled or filtered water or you can leave a container outside to collect rainwater - which is also more sustainable and healthier for the planet.  This may just be the change you need to make to grow healthier plants.

Choosing to fertilize your plants is another way to give them a boost.  Fertilizer contains nutrients and elements that plants need to grow.  Indoors plants do not need as much fertilizer as their outdoor counterparts do.  Because of a slower rate of growth, feed your plants minimal fertilizer (and always opt for natural, non-chemical fertilizers - you don't want to be bringing extra toxins into your home!).  In the winter time you can probably skip this step altogether.  The spring or summer time is the best time to fertilize indoor plants.  This is during their growing phase when they need the extra nutrients the most.

A Few Good Natural Fertilizers To Try: