What Indoor Plant Fertilisers should I use for my Plants?

If you are an admirer of nature, then you must be very fond of plants and have nurtured at least a few indoor plants in your house. Indoor plants not only keep you close to nature and act as unique pieces of decoration for your home but also leave a soothing effect on our minds. Do you wish that your indoor plants could simply continue to thrive even if the slightest hint of stress arrived? Then the application of indoor plant fertilisers to your indoor plants would be a great course of action to keep them thriving. At the bare minimum, you would be watering your plants regularly to keep them alive and healthy, but that's not all. This article will guide you on which are the best fertilisers for indoor plants.

Why are Indoor Plant Fertilisers necessary?

Actually, indoor plant fertilisers are just like multivitamins for plants. As we take vitamins to keep our body healthy, fertilisers are necessary to keep the plants healthy and strong. They complement the energy the indoor plants are already taking from the sun, soil and water. They have all the necessary elements that help plants to grow healthy roots, prolific leaves, and attractive flowers. They also enhance the immune system of the plants, helping them with combating diseases and stress from conditions or plants pests.

Types of Indoor Plant Fertilisers

Now you should be pretty sure why fertilisers are necessary for indoor plants. Let’s move towards the types of indoor plant fertilisers. People feel baffled about which fertiliser is good for indoor plants - Liquid fertilisers or Granular fertilisers. Let’s uncover the answers to these questions.

There are many types of indoor plant fertilisers we can choose from. The most common types are:

1. Liquid Fertilisers

Liquid fertilisers are usually mixed inwater and then applied to the plants, though some are just standalone applications. They need to be applied more frequently than other types of fertilisers. However, they reduce the risk of fertiliser burn and can be easily applied to the plants.

Liquid fertilisers made from an organic source have an extra advantage for the plants as they contain many micronutrients. One of the great advantages of liquid fertilisers is that they dissolve immediately in the soil and therefore are taken up by the plants speedily. But one disadvantage is that they need more applications than granular fertilisers.

2. Granular Fertilisers

Granular fertilisers are applied onto the soil or mixed with the soil, and when water is given to the plants, they release nutrients. Therefore, it is usually recommended that while putting the plant into the plant pot, you should mix granular fertiliser into the potting mix so that plant can get a good start. Granular fertilisers are available in two forms; loose granules called "pellets" and compressed ones called "spikes." Pellets are applied over the soil, and spikes are inserted into the soil so that they come in close contact with roots and can be absorbed more efficiently.

One of their benefits is that they release nutrients slowly than liquid fertilisers and therefore need to be applied less frequently. Regardless of that, it will still take some time to show positive results.

3. Slow Release Fertilisers

As the name indicates, they release nutrients very slowly into the soil, thus decreasing the need for fertiliser application and fertiliser losses due to drainage. They have a special coating on them which breaks down very slowly and also releases nutrient very slowly. They reduce the need for fertiliser application to a minimum but keep in mind they are made from ingredients that are not environmentally friendly.

Best Fertiliser for Indoor Plants

The fertilisers to be used depend on the plants you are growing. A good indoor plant fertiliser is one that contains all the three primary nutrients for the plants, which are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Good indoor plant fertilisers usually contains micronutrients as well, such as iron, magnesium, calcium etc.

There are many brands available in the market, so before purchasing the plant fertilisers, you should check out the fertiliser ratio on it, which is usually written as 20:10:15 NPK. This means it contains 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 15% potassium. The micronutrients are also written on the bag if present. Generally speaking, the best indoor plant fertiliser is the one that contains NPK in a balanced amount.

An effective alternative to your standard plant fertiliser is to use a plant food such as the Indoor Plant Booster by Bioweed, which is an all natural liquid soil conditioner that promotes plant and soil health. It contains humic acids, fulvic acids and seaweed extract which has nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium plus the necessary trace elements and amino acids for plants.

Ending Note:

If you want your indoor plant to flourish more with lush leaves and beautiful blooms, the application of indoor plant fertiliser is an important thing to consider. You can apply any type of fertiliser depending upon your needs and ease of use. The best indoor plant fertilisers are those which contain all the primary nutrients and some micronutrients also.