When to Feed

When to Feed

Well, it is Sunday so it must be posting day.  Today,  I thought we should talk about the cycle of feeding your plant friends. 

Even for a plant that spends all it's time in the house, there are seasons.  The sunny window is less sunny in the winter than the summer.  The heat of the furnace is different than the heat of the summer.  Or the chill of the winter different than the air conditioned house.  So you need to know how your plant feels about this.

The Ficus Benjamina (Weeping Fig) is the easiest plant to demonstrate this.  I always say that is is called a Weeping Fig because it is always loosing leaves for one reason or another.  You move it and it will loose leaves. When the furnace goes on in the fall it will loose leaves.  When the summer comes and you open the windows it will loose leaves.  This is nothing to worry about.  Just find the place that is best for it and don't move it.  More important, when it starts to loose leaves do not feed it.  The plant is going through an adjustment and has placed itself into dormancy. You have to wait for it to start showing signs of new leaves before you begin to feed it again.

All plants will go dormant at sometime during the year.  Flowering plants will usually do thisthis is just after the blooms have fadded.  For plants that are grown for their foliage, this is usually in the fall.  The plant growth will slow down and does not need as much water and fertilizer as it did in the warmer months which is when you will notice the most growth.  Another dormant period may happen in the heat of the summer.  It is too hard for the plant to continue to grow and if you feed it to promote new growth, it will probably be week and spindlely.  The summer dormancy may not happen if you have your plants in an air conditioned house.  Just know that it could happen and watch for it.

How do you know if your plant is dormant?  Things to note are the amount of water it is drinking and the new growth.  If the plant is not drying out as quickly as it usually does then it is slowing down.  At this point there will be little sign of new leaves.  This is when to take your que and slow down also.  You can also trick a plant.  If you want a bloom at a time of year that it normally does not bloom then you need to create the same conditions that it will encounter during its usual blooming time.

The Florist Mum is a good example of this trick.  You may have noticed that you will see Florist Mums long before you see Hardy Mums in the Nursery.  That is because the Florist Mum is grown in greenhouse where shades are covering the windows for a longer night which is what a mum needs to bloom.  Plants are fertilized, the length of day is shortened, and behold the humble Mum. 

That could be a little hard to do for the beginner, so just know that it is possible.  The important thing to remember is that it is good to feed your plants an appropriate fertilizer.  But sometimes your plant needs a rest and does not want anything to eat when it is sleeping.

This summer appears to be expecially hot so watch and enjoy while you sip on your ice cold drink.  If you have any problems I can help you solve,  just ask.  'Til next time ....