FertilizationDo Not Forget to Fertilize your House PlantHouse plants need fertilizer just like all other plants specially since the nutrients in potting soil eventually get depleted and these plants are not getting nutrients from outdoor soil and rain. Do not wait until your plant is already looking "sick". Fertilizing needs to be matched with the specific plant, it's age and how it is growing. Make sure you save the info you received when you bought the plant for some guidance. Plant food is made of three major components -- nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium. It also contains a smaller amount of calcium, magnesium and iron. As a general guideline, green foliage plants need more nitrogen and flowering plants need more phosphorous. Most commercially sold fertilizers are labeled with the ratio of each of these ingredients. Select appropriately and make sure you follow directions exactly. If in doubt use a more diluted solution rather than less. Remember over fertilizing, just like over watering, can harm your plants greatly. You can also purchase time release fertilizers can come in a form of a spike that you embed into the soil for the specific amount of time. When time is up you just insert a new spike. Plants in lower light do not use as much fertilizer as plants in high light. General guidelines are to fertilize every two weeks during all seasons but winter as no significant growth is achieved during these months. Again, be sure consider the exact species of the plant you have. Most nurseries will be glad to help. |