Posts Tagged ‘powder’

We often tend to think of fertilizers as being important for outdoor plants without taking into consideration that indoor plants too need to be “fed”.

 Watering plants allows nutritional elements inherent in the soil to dissolve in water and be absorbed by the roots.  These nutritional elements come from a wide range of sources, including the water itself, organic material, the air, etc.  These elements are important for plant growth. However, after a while, these nutrients run out and need to be supplemented with the help of fertilizers.

 Certain plants require large quantities nutrients while others require less; in fact, too much fertilization can sometimes be harmful. Those nutrients which are not absorbed immediately by a plant’s roots tend to accumulate and become toxic and in some cases burn the roots. Excess fertilizers leads to an accumulation on flower (plant) pot walls of the salts filtering through the pot pores.  These salts are also often seen on the sides of plastic pots or on the surface of the soil.

 Such accumulations of fertilizers in fact demonstrate that the plant did not need them and that over feeding is of no use. 

 In general, plants require three main nutritional elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potash.  Different fertilizers contain different amounts of these elements, the percentage of which is often indicated in three numbers on fertilizer containers.  The first number indicates the percentage of nitrogen (N), the second of phosphorus (P) and the third of potash (K).  Certain fertilizers also contain small amounts of other elements not included in the numbering such as calcium, copper, or zinc.

 Nitrogen is absorbed very rapidly and enhances the green coloring of a plant’s leaves.  Phosphorus helps develop the strength of a plant’s stem and it encourages healthy roots.  Potash, in turn, encourages flower formation and ensures vigorous plant growth.

For indoor plants, the best fertilizers are those which come in liquid or powder form and dissolve in water. Often, positive results can be seen within days.

 In my blog next week, I will describe how to choose the best type of fertilizer for indoor plants.  

 The contents of this blog were inspired by a section in a book written by Joan Lee Faust given to me as a birthday present some years ago.