Learning how to feed your plants may be a daunting task for beginners. Few gardening enthusiasts or experts skip the feeding procedure entirely since they know precisely what their plants need. But this has a significant drawback. Indoor plants have limited nutrient supply due to less soil in the grower pots they are growing in. These plants will not thrive if they do not get adequate feed regularly.

What is fertilizer?

Fertilizers are like vitamins and minerals for your plants. Multiple nutrients are essential for plants through the soil to thrive and boost their overall health. Plants will rot or fail to blossom if they do not receive adequate nutrients like calcium from the soil. Plant leaves will go yellow owing to a lack of nitrogen, less flowering due to a lack of phosphorus, and more.

Signs your plant is unhealthy!

If your indoor plant isn't thriving well, its appearance is a simple way to tell. The following are symptoms of a neglected or malnourished plant:

• Brown leaves or tips
• Scorched leaves
• Weak or spindly plant
• Many leaves yet zero blooms

Types of Fertilizers by Ratanshi Agro-Hortitech

When learning about using fertilizers, one must know about granules, pellets, liquids fertilizers, and more. For instance, liquid fertilizers are the best options for indoor plants, while outdoor plants benefit most from granular fertilizers.

Tip: To minimize fertilizer burn, do a soil test before applying fertilizer to your plants.

Following are the types of fertilizers:

1. Granular: These fertilizers are usually essential for outdoor plants. These consist of dry pellets consisting of pure fertilizers. One can mix it directly in the potting soil. However, it can be difficult to use for indoor plants while watering indoor plants, as pellets can release all their contents at the same time.

2. Liquid: It is one of the top choices for indoor plants since it delivers a constant flow of nutrients. It also offers precise control. One can apply it by mixing in the right proportion of water and spraying or pouring. But it is essential to know the adequate quantity per the plant. Consult experts at a plant nursery in Mumbai online or near you if still unsure.

3. Slow-Release: Many gardening enthusiasts choose to use a slow-release fertilizer. These take longer to break down and hence are called slow-release. It breaks down and decomposes organically, releasing nutrients into the soil.

Fertilizer benefits

• Easy to carry, apply, and store
• Reliable and easy to predict
• Water-soluble
• Available as per plant specifications

Here are a few simple steps to help you fertilize plants

1. Get rid of dying or dead leaves from the grower pots using sharp scissors or pruning shears.
2. Next, make sure that you don't fertilize dry soil. Keep the soil uniformly wet before adding liquid fertilizer to your plants by watering them well.
3. Over-fertilization of your plant might result in fertilizer shock. Mix liquid fertilizer with water as per instructions or consult experts at the plant nursery in Mumbai.
4. After pouring fertilizer evenly in case of liquid fertilizers, don't forget to get rid of any remaining water in the saucer!

Few tips for plant fertilization from experts at online plant nursery in Mumbai

• Carry out a soil pH level check: The ideal pH range must be between 6.0 and 7.0 for house pants.
• Select the right fertilizer balance: Look for 5-5-5 or either 10-10-10 fertilizers consisting (NPK: nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium). 

Final thoughts

Not all soils need fertilizer, and some gardeners can forego the feeding procedure. For instance, outdoor plants in a natural environment get all nutrients organically as fallen leaves that decompose and more. Avoiding fertilizers burn is also a prime consideration. Adding more fertilizers can cause fertilizer burn if the plant has nutrient-rich soil.

Experts at Ratanshi Agro-Hortitech, a leading plant nursery in Byculla, offer fertilizers online in Mumbai. They also offer varieties of fertilizers like rose fertilizers, gardening tools, and organic seeds online in India.