White to pink flowers, dark green leaves, coral fruits As beautiful as it looks, it needs a ton of nutrients, doesn't it? Which fertilizers can be used for skimmia and what should you pay attention to when fertilizing?
How should you properly fertilize a skimmia?
Fertilize your skimmia every 4 to 8 weeks during the main growing season (April to September) with lime-free compost, blue grain, horn shavings or plant manure. A liquid fertilizer that is mixed into the irrigation water every 2 to 3 weeks is suitable in the pot. Do not use fertilizer in winter.
What are the reasons for fertilizing the skimmie?
Fertilizing this popular ornamental plant is recommended for several reasons:
- for rich flowers
- for lush fruit coverage (on female plants)
- for dense foliage
- for good growth
- to increase resistance to diseases
Compost is sufficient outdoors
Fertilizing is the aspect of care in which the skimmia is frugal. From April to September (its main growing season) it can be supplied with fertilizer such as compost every 4 to 8 weeks. The compost is completely sufficient for her.
It is even easier to provide the skimmia with a layer of mulch, for example made from grass clippings or bark. The mulch releases its nutrients slowly and watering is required less frequently due to the better retention of moisture.
Attention: The fertilizer should be lime-free, not applied to the leaves and never applied in winter! In addition to compost, the following fertilizers are also suitable:
- Bluegrain
- Horn shavings
- Comfrey Manure
- Stinging nettle manure
- Herbal broth
- Coffee grounds
Fertilize skimmie in the pot
If your skimmia is in a pot, it is best to provide it with an appropriate liquid fertilizer. The liquid fertilizer is dosed as specified by the manufacturer. It is ideal if you can mix the fertilizer into the irrigation water. Skimmies in pots should be fertilized every 2 to 3 weeks. Alternatively, fertilizer sticks are also suitable.
Do not fertilize after repotting
If you keep your skimmia in a pot and repot it in the spring, you should make sure not to add any fertilizer after repotting. The new soil (e.g. ericaceous soil, rhododendron soil) usually contains enough nutrients.
Even more nutrients could overwhelm the skimmia and, among other things, lead to yellow leaves. Repotting the slow-growing skimmia makes sense every 2 years.
Tip
If you want to buy a fertilizer for the skimmia, you can't go wrong with choosing a specially designated rhododendron fertilizer. Skimmies and rhododendrons have the same requirements.
