When do indoor plants need plant nutrition?

Plant nutrition; you’re probably too enthusiastic about it, or you’ve never used it at all. The latter is not strange either! Most houseplants function fine without extra nutrition.

Still, it is something to consider! Not all houseplants get enough nutrition from water.

Plant nutrition: not for all indoor plants

It is a fact that not all houseplants actually need plant nutrition. Nevertheless, it can be beneficial. Compare it to a tasty cake. Very nice to look at, but the one cherry that you put on top of the tip of the cake, it still provides that one little extra. That cherry makes you look at the cake again, that you like to eat it with love and that you would have liked more cherries on that cake.

Houseplants are just like cakes! Do you want a houseplant with lots of leaves, lots of babies and even flowering flowers or fruits? Then you have to do that extra! You have to put the cherry on the cake, or in this case you have to add that plant nutrient to the water of your houseplant. Just because you can. Just because you like to look at a nice full houseplant.

Types of plant nutrition

Besides the different varieties of nutrition, there are also different varieties for all your houseplants. Think of plant food especially for your Bonsai tree and special food suitable for cacti or succulents. Of course, food especially for your houseplant is preferable. However, the universal variant of plant nutrition also works fine!

When do you give plant nutrition?

In the winter you can leave the plant food in the closet in most cases. Saves you trouble again! It is best to give extra nutrition from March to October, during the growing period. After October most houseplants go into a kind of hibernation and don’t need that extra plant nutrition. From March onwards you will see that your houseplant will grow new leaves again. For all that leaf it can use some extra nutrients!

How often plant nutrition?

How often you need to give a houseplant extra nutrition is entirely up to the plant and the plant nutrition. With the banana plant you can give an extra bit of nutrition once a week, but in most cases once every two weeks is sufficient. Do you want to know exactly how often your houseplant needs extra nutrition? Then just look at the packaging of your plant nutrition, or ask us. We will be happy to investigate for you!

Make your own plant nutrition

1. Coffee grounds or fresh coffee

If you thought coffee was just for you, you’re wrong. Give that green friend of yours a sip of cooled coffee! Add a splash of water and you’re done. Don’t you like coffee? No problem! Coffee grounds are even better than cooled fresh coffee. This is almost pH-neutral. Extra good for that green friend!

2. Green used tea bags

Not a fan of coffee at all? We also have good news for tea lovers! Green tea contains tannin, a substance that promotes the natural growth of your houseplants. Prefer no tea bags in your plant? That’s fine too! Then leave a used tea bag hanging in some water and pour it into the flowerpot.

3. Egg shells, fruit and vegetable peels and cooking juices

Besides coffee and tea, you can also use food scraps as extra food. So from now on, keep your eggshells, vegetable and fruit peelings and the cooking liquid of your potatoes. Make sure that the water is unsalted! Salt water is not good for your houseplant. Have you kept the food remains? Leave it to soak in water for a night and pour it into your houseplant the next day. He will be grateful!