Every plant has its own individual need for nutrients. If it is not supplied with enough nutrients, it will suffer damage, become stunted or not bloom as desired. Potted plants need additional fertilizer due to the limited amount of soil in the pot.
How should you properly fertilize potted plants?
Potted plants need regular fertilization because they rely on limited nutrients in the planter. Use commercial flower fertilizer or high-phosphate varieties and fertilize every two to four weeks, depending on the plant's nutrient needs.
How often do potted plants need fertilizer?
How often you should fertilize your potted plants depends on two different factors. The first is the actual nutrient needs of the plants. It can vary significantly depending on how big they are and what species they belong to. The second factor is the type of fertilizer you use.
Long-term fertilizer releases its ingredients relatively evenly over several months, while short-term fertilizer releases its ingredients within a few days or a maximum of a few weeks. The latter must therefore be administered regularly. Many potted plants are content with being fertilized about every two weeks. On the other hand, you should fertilize heavily consuming, fast-growing or particularly lushly flowering plants weekly.
Do potted plants need special fertilizer?
Commercial flower fertilizer is usually sufficient for potted plants. However, flowering plants usually prefer a variant richer in phosphate. In general, container and potted plants rely on the supply of nutrients, as there is only a limited amount available in the planters.
In spring, when you put your potted plants outside, give them a portion of slow-release fertilizer. When repotting, you can also incorporate mature compost into the soil instead. This means you have secured the basic supply of your potted plants for a season. You can cover additional needs relatively easily with a liquid fertilizer (€9.00 on Amazon). After flowering, you can stop fertilizing again.
The most important things in brief:
- Fertilizer required for almost all potted plants
- Adjust the amount and frequency of fertilizer application to the respective plant
- incorporate compost when repotting
- give long-term fertilizer in spring
- Administer short-term fertilizer regularly as needed, approximately every 2 to 4 weeks
- Add liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water
- Stop fertilization from August until next spring
Tip
The more your potted plants grow and/or bloom, the higher their nutrient requirements are. Adjust both the amount of fertilizer and the frequency of fertilization accordingly.
