ANNE SWITHINBANK’S INDOOR PLANTS

Her recommendations for supplementary feeding

IAM often asked why an indoor plant given good light and temperature is failing to produce the lush leaves or exotic blooms it arrived with. “So how long have you had this plant? Oh, six years. Ok, it has ever been re-potted and do you feed it at all?’

At this point the owner looks bashful, admits not and we agree it is amazing the plant has carried on growing at all, given that the nutrients in the original compost would have been used up within the first six months.

Unless a plant is potted-on regularly, it will need supplementary feeding to help it perform to its potential. Don’t overdo it through, as unwanted nutrients can sour the potting compost and too much floppy, abundant growth is not always what we want.

The range of feeds for indoor plants is bewildering and I usually give mine the same general purpose liquid feed bought for plants growing outdoors such as Miracle-Gro, Phostrogen or Chempak 3. This way the product stays fresher and I don’t have to store lots of packets, bottles and pots. Follow instructions carefully, as indoor plants are usually given a weaker dose than, say, a pot of mixed bedding plants.

Occasionally it is worth buying specific feeds. A winter citrus fertiliser, for instance, delivers an even balance of the key nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potash plus trace elements including iron and manganese. Baby Bio is heavier on the nitrogen and better for foliage plants.

I used to be sceptical about ‘pour and feed’ products that need no dilution, but my son uses one and his plants look great. If you are busy and likely to put off feeding because you have to stop and dilute, then it is better to find easiest solution than not to feed at all.