February 20, 2023, 14:58 – BLiTZ – News
In order for houseplants to please the owner with their lush foliage and graceful flowering, they should be offered additional nutrition. The public news service found out the best way to feed crops at home.
Different types of dressings have a positive effect on the development of the root system, the condition of the stem, the radiance of the leaves and the aesthetics of flowering. But it is important not to overdo it and feed the plant only when it really needs it, so as not to harm.
When to feed
Indoor plants need fertilizer, which suddenly stopped developing, their condition worsened, the leaves began to wither and fall off. Also, top dressing will be required in some phases of plant development. Be sure to feed crops that have been growing in the same pot for many years without transplanting.
During the dormant period, that is, after the cessation of active growth, indoor flowers do not need to be fed.
Kinds
Fertilizers can be divided into the following types:
The group includes substances containing mineral salts. These include fertilizing based on nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, etc. These substances make the soil more fertile.
Mineral fertilizers are available in different forms:
liquid; powdered; solid.
Solid fertilizers for indoor crops will not work. Liquid forms are easy to dilute and work quickly, but powder is more economical.
This category includes substances of natural origin, for example, manure, bird droppings, peat, compost, humus, ash. This group has a specific smell, so it is not used so often in the house. To enrich the soil with organic matter, it is better to buy a ready-made store complex that is odorless.
The best option for a houseplant is a combination or alternation of mineral and organic fertilizers.
If for some reason the grower does not trust the fertilizers bought in the store, you can try to prepare the top dressing yourself. For cooking, it is recommended to use sugar, banana peel, coffee grounds, yeast, onion peel.
Let’s take a closer look at some types. So, yeast solutions of room representatives of the flora are fed to stimulate growth, as a rule, in spring before flowering, in summer during flowering and in autumn after flowering. The action of the yeast composition lasts for a couple of months. It is important to know that yeast absorbs calcium and potassium, so it is better not to overdo it with them.
A mixture containing iodine is recommended to be applied every three months in spring and summer, but weak specimens can be watered with this substance once every 10 days.
Season
Now let’s figure out at what periods of development indoor plants need top dressing:
In the spring, flower growers begin top dressing, since at this time of the year most flowers start the active growth phase. However, indoor plant lovers should be ready two weeks earlier and purchase fertilizer at the end of winter, as crops grown in the apartment begin to grow half a month earlier. If we are talking about folk methods, then it is recommended to use wood ash.
In summer, you should rely on the characteristics of a particular plant. For example, if you feed a petunia with organic matter in the middle of summer, then its flowering will become duller and poorer. Basically, in the summer, it is recommended to use potassium-phosphorus complexes.
In autumn, it is customary to use mineral compositions. During this period, houseplants usually have a fruiting phase. At this time, the amount of nitrogen should be significantly reduced.
The absence of light in winter slows down the absorption of nutrients by the plant, so fertilizers can be suspended. Cacti, hydrangea, jasmine, primrose are in the dormant phase, so they rest from feeding. However, some crops need additional feeding during this period. We are talking, for example, about violet, Decembrist, orchid, anthurium. They need additional nutrition for active bud formation and growth. Photo: freepik.com
Rules
When feeding indoor plants, observe the following rules:
After transplanting, the plant does not need to be fertilized for 1-3 months (depending on the pickiness of the flower). It is unacceptable to fertilize the soil in which a diseased plant grows. It is important to water the crop well before applying nutrients. It is important to observe the dosage, as excess fertilizer will adversely affect the health of the plant. If the sun’s rays fall on a flower, then you can not feed it.
