Like cacti, the money tree is a succulent. This group of plants needs few nutrients. It is therefore better to give less fertilizer than too much. Why you should avoid overfertilization. When and how often do you need to fertilize a money tree?
How and when should you fertilize a money tree?
A money tree should be fertilized with cactus fertilizer once a month during its growth phase from March to August. Use liquid fertilizer, granules or fertilizer sticks, but use sparingly to avoid over-fertilization.
When do you need to fertilize a money tree?
The money tree is only fertilized during the growth phase. It lasts from March to August. In the period from September to February, penny trees go into the dormant phase and then no longer receive fertilizer.
You must not fertilize the money tree more often than once a month, as it will then receive too many nutrients.
The right fertilizer for money trees or penny trees
The ideal fertilizer for money trees is cactus fertilizer (€5.00 on Amazon), which you can get from specialist retailers. This is available as:
- Liquid fertilizer
- Granules
- Fertilizer sticks
Liquid fertilizer is added to the irrigation water. Do not pour it directly onto the plant, but rather drizzle the substrate with the diluted solution.
Use granules and fertilizer sticks according to the instructions on the packaging. These fertilizers last longer, so you have to fertilize the money tree even less often.
It's better to fertilize less than too much
If the leaves and stems of the money tree become soft or the plant even loses leaves, this is often a sign that nutrients are too high.
It is therefore better to fertilize money trees sparingly. If the plant grows in nutrient-rich soil, use less fertilizer than recommended on the packaging. Here, half the dose is often enough.
If the substrate consists mainly of mineral components, the plant needs a little more fertilizer. This also applies if you haven't repotted the money tree for a while.
Do not fertilize after repotting
If you have recently planted the money tree in fresh substrate, it will not need any additional fertilizer in the next few months. The potting soil then contains sufficient nutrients for he althy growth.
Tip
The substrate for money trees should be low in nutrients but permeable to water. Soil that is made up of 60 percent cactus soil and 40 percent mineral components is ideal. Lava granules, gravel and quartz sand are ideal for this.