How to Feed Your PlantsHow to Feed Your Plants

CONSIDERATIONS:CONSIDERATIONS:

Type of plant.Type of plant.

Volume of soil (pot size).Volume of soil (pot size).

Light intensity.Light intensity.

How to Feed Your PlantsHow to Feed Your Plants Many indoor gardeners have the Many indoor gardeners have the same problem with fertilizer than they same problem with fertilizer than they have with water. They want to give have with water. They want to give their plants too much.their plants too much. The danger from overfertilization The danger from overfertilization occurs because any fertilizer used occurs because any fertilizer used (whether liquid, powder, or tablet) will (whether liquid, powder, or tablet) will dissolve in soil water and will form dissolve in soil water and will form “salts” in the water.“salts” in the water.

If you continue to add more fertilizer If you continue to add more fertilizer when plants haven’t yet used the when plants haven’t yet used the fertilizer already present, the water in fertilizer already present, the water in the soil becomes so “salty” that it the soil becomes so “salty” that it “burns” the plant’s roots by removing “burns” the plant’s roots by removing water from them.water from them.

How to Feed Your PlantsHow to Feed Your Plants The secret to fertilizing plants The secret to fertilizing plants indoors is to apply small amounts of indoors is to apply small amounts of fertilizer as the plant grows. Without fertilizer as the plant grows. Without new growth, the plant has only a new growth, the plant has only a limited need for more fertilizer.limited need for more fertilizer. During winter when light levels are During winter when light levels are reduced, a plant’s need for fertilizer is reduced, a plant’s need for fertilizer is reduced.reduced.

During summer when light levels During summer when light levels increase, and the plant is growing, its increase, and the plant is growing, its need for fertilizer is increased.need for fertilizer is increased.

How often should you fertilize your How often should you fertilize your plants?plants?

““Less is better than more.”Less is better than more.”

How to Feed Your PlantsHow to Feed Your Plants As a starting point, you could use As a starting point, you could use

about about ¼¼ the label rate for monthly the label rate for monthly applications.applications. If the overall plant color becomes If the overall plant color becomes lighter green, fertilize every two weeks.lighter green, fertilize every two weeks.

If the new growth is dark green but If the new growth is dark green but leaves are small and distances between leaves are small and distances between leaves seem longer than on older leaves seem longer than on older growth, decrease the fertilizer rate.growth, decrease the fertilizer rate.

If you do overfertilize a plant If you do overfertilize a plant occasionally, immerse the plant and its occasionally, immerse the plant and its container in a pail of water. The water container in a pail of water. The water line should be higher than the soil line. line should be higher than the soil line. Remove when bubbles stop emerging Remove when bubbles stop emerging from the pail.from the pail.

Forms of Fertilizers Used Forms of Fertilizers Used IndoorsIndoors

LIQUIDSLIQUIDS POWDERSPOWDERS TABLETSTABLETS SPIKESSPIKES GRANULESGRANULES

SoilSoil Any well-drained and aerated soil mix Any well-drained and aerated soil mix is good to use for your houseplants.is good to use for your houseplants. Make sure the soil mix has good water Make sure the soil mix has good water and nutrient holding capacities.and nutrient holding capacities. Professional mixes should provide Professional mixes should provide adequate water and nutrient holding adequate water and nutrient holding capacities, support for the roots, and capacities, support for the roots, and good drainage and aeration.good drainage and aeration.

• coarse sand, processed bark, coarse sand, processed bark, sphagnum peat moss, perlite, sphagnum peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, leaf mold or other vermiculite, leaf mold or other ingredientsingredients

• avoid heavy muck soils.avoid heavy muck soils.

Adaptation of a PlantAdaptation of a Plantto the New Environment to the New Environment

of Your Houseof Your House

ACCLIMATIZATIONACCLIMATIZATION::

Favorable Favorable environmeenvironme

nt for nt for maximum maximum

growthgrowth

Interior Interior environmentenvironment

low lightlow lightlow relative low relative humidityhumidity

high light high light high high nutritionnutritionhigh water high water supply supply high high temperaturetemperature

The Two Sides of The Two Sides of AcclimatizationAcclimatization

Light Light AcclimatizatioAcclimatizationn

less growthless growth less need for less need for nutrientsnutrients less water needless water need

low lightlow light

reduce reduce nutrient nutrient applicationapplication reduce reduce water water frequencyfrequency

Soil Soil AcclimatizaAcclimatiza

tiontion

You Can Never Go You Can Never Go Wrong if You Remember Wrong if You Remember

To:To: Learn as much as possible Learn as much as possible about the extent of about the extent of acclimatization of the purchased acclimatization of the purchased plants.plants. Provide necessary conditions: Provide necessary conditions: Light is the Light is the

most most important important

factor!factor! Apply fertilizer and water at Apply fertilizer and water at reduced rates.reduced rates.

The The Cheapest Cheapest

PlantPlantTo Buy IsTo Buy Is

An An AcclimatiAcclimatized Plantzed Plant

How To Buy A How To Buy A Winner ?Winner ?

Plant AppearancePlant Appearance Use only healthy-looking Use only healthy-looking plants with medium to dark plants with medium to dark green foliage (unless foliage green foliage (unless foliage is supposed to be of different is supposed to be of different color).color). Examine undersides of foliage for Examine undersides of foliage for

pests.pests.

Light brown or dark brown spots, as Light brown or dark brown spots, as well as long brown rows, found on the well as long brown rows, found on the underside of fern leaves are not sign of underside of fern leaves are not sign of a disease!a disease!

• they are fruiting structures, which they are fruiting structures, which contain spores.contain spores.

Examine the root system:Examine the root system:

• healthy roots are healthy roots are generally whitegenerally white

• roots should be visible roots should be visible along the outside of the along the outside of the soil ball soil ball

• roots have a healthy, roots have a healthy, earthy odor.earthy odor.

How To Buy A How To Buy A Winner ?Winner ?

Plant AppearancePlant Appearance