After harvesting any crop, the essential nutrients present in the soil get removed as well. Mother Nature then has to struggle to replenish those nutrients, which are required for the healthy growth of the next crop.
Adding fertilisers to the soil speeds up this process and increases the yield. A cycle of life continues where the added nutrients feed the soil, and the soil feeds the plants, helping them grow. This cycle is complete when the plants feed other species, humans and animals. Hence, replenishing the soil with fertilisers is a mandatory step in gardening.
Types of fertilisers: Fertilisers for plants
Before we get down to the details of different types of fertilisers that you can use in your gardening endeavour, let us learn some basic facts about them:
| Types of fertilisers for plants | Benefits |
| NPK fertilisers | Replenish the nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus requirement of houseplants |
| Granular fertilisers | Slow release of nutrients that encourages plants to grow steadily for a longer duration |
| Liquid fertilisers | Fast and immediate results; helps replenish nutrients removed after harvesting or lost due to leaching |
| Fertiliser spikes | Slow-releasing, thus giving long-term benefits to the plant |
See Also: Ming Garden: Facts, use, benefits, growing and caring tips
Before buying any fertiliser for houseplants or outdoor plants, make sure you research well on its application, benefits, usage, right proportions and side effects if any. Otherwise, it is best to use kitchen ingredients as fertilisers for indoor plants.
There are so many different types of fertilisers under these categories. Knowing the basics will help you understand each plant’s requirements specifically.
NPK fertilisers
NPK stands for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium – the three basic ingredients required for a plant to grow healthy and yield more. The fertiliser is a three-number formula with 4% nitrogen, 4% phosphorus and 4% potassium. Every plant (houseplant or otherwise) requires these three essential nutrients to survive and thrive.
While nitrogen is one of the crucial components of chlorophyll, phosphorus helps in root growth and potassium promotes root growth, flowering and fruiting. Most NPK fertilisers also contain several other essential nutrients, namely calcium, magnesium, iron and sulphur in moderate quantities. Adding these to the soil helps give greater yields, as well as keeps your plant healthy over time.
Granular fertilisers
Source: Pinterest
These are dry and come in a pelleted form unlike liquid, spikes or powdered fertilisers. It is best to use this fertiliser to prepare the soil before planting the seeds (or transplanting them). You may also apply these fertilisers to a growing plant but then you will have to water them so that the granules settle well around the roots.
The added moisture will also protect the plant from nutrient shocks or burns. The best thing about granular fertilisers is, it is sow-releasing, thus ensuring nutrient supply over the long term. Although it isn’t always very helpful for outdoor plants, as the nutrients may get washed away by rainfall or leaching, indoor plants benefit a lot from it.
Liquid fertilisers
Liquid fertilisers for plants are mainly composed of liquid ammonia, ammoniates, ammonium nitrate solutions and urea. Some fertilisers also contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in varying proportions. The ammonia present in these fertilisers binds with the soil particles, releasing nitrogen and other nutrients steadily and doesn’t get washed away.
Trailers and tractors are used to deposit the liquid fertilisers to a certain depth into the soil to prevent ammonia loss. For ammonia solutions, a depth of 10-12 cm is considered safe, and 15-20 cm for depositing anhydrous liquid ammonia. However, for ammonium nitrate and urea, it is safe to spray the fertilisers over the soil surface, as these do not have the risk of losing ammonia.
Note: Liquid fertilisers are best for field crops, where the farmer has to apply fertiliser to the entire field within a specific time frame. For houseplants though, granular fertilisers work better.
Fertiliser spikes
Source: Pinterest
Though a tad bit more expensive than their liquid or granular brothers, the fertiliser spikes are extremely effective for houseplants. As these are pre-measured fertilisers, there is little or no chance of over-fertilizing. Also, these fertilisers do their work underground; hence there is no odour or risk of runoffs.
However, there is one thing that you should keep a note of. Some spikes contain formaldehyde, so read the label before buying anything at random.
You should dig small holes around the plant and place the spikes around the drip line of the soil, where watering will promote the root’s growth towards the spike, ensuring maximum effectiveness. Make sure you read the instructions given on the package as well.
Synthetic or organic fertiliser: Which type of fertiliser is better for houseplants?
Most cultivators are confused about whether to use synthetic or organic fertilisers for their houseplants. While synthetic/inorganic fertilisers are composed of all the essential minerals and synthetic chemicals that boost flowering, these may not be good for the soil in the long run.
If you are okay with the idea of throwing the soil away after each harvest, inorganic fertilisers are a viable option. But if you want to make more harvests, you should opt for organic (plant/animal-based) alternatives that encourage growth without depleting the soil of its natural value.
DIY fertilisers for plants grown indoors
Many cultivators love the idea of replenishing the potting mix with DIY fertilisers that they make at home. You can get the ingredients in your kitchen itself, from the immense amount of leftovers that you throw away every day. Put them to good use and help your houseplants without spending a fortune on fertilisers. If you have some idea about the chemical composition of fertilisers and your plant’s nutrient requirements, go ahead.
Some of the leftovers that you may use as fertilisers for your houseplants are:
- Banana peels (For potassium)
- Epsom salt (For Sulphur and Magnesium)
- Gelatin powder and corn gluten meal (For nitrogen)
- Used coffee grounds (For nitrogen)
- Crushed egg shells (For calcium and also to increase the pH of the soil)
Ashes of wood can also help increase soil pH value while using molasses as fertilisers will replenish the soil’s iron, sulphur and carbon requirements.
FAQs
What are some good fertilisers for indoor plants?
If you want to use DIY fertilisers, then banana peels, used coffee grounds, crushed egg shells, green tea, molasses and Epsom salt can do the job right. Otherwise, you can pick some high-quality NPK fertiliser from the market. Read the label carefully before applying it to indoor plants.
Can I use liquid fertiliser for indoor plants?
Yes, you can, but choose a product specifically meant for application to houseplants.
What are some good fertiliser companies in India?
Chambal fertilisers and Chemicals, Deepak fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, Coromandel International Limited, and Tata Chemicals Limited, are some of the popular fertiliser companies in India right now.
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