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Balanced house plant fertiliser

Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
in Plants
Can anyone recommend a balanced house plant fertiliser?
I've recently started keeping house plants, and most blogs and articles i've read recommend using a balanced fertiliser for most of the ones i have, but i can't find any!
I think i've got the light, heat and humidity sorted, so would like to get the correct fertiliser.
Am i over thinking this, and should just use Baby Bio?  :)
Sunny Dundee
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Posts

  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    I have always used Baby Bio and that's going back more years than I care to remember. It's a general one, some plants might need a specific one to their needs. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    Uff said:
    I have always used Baby Bio and that's going back more years than I care to remember. It's a general one, some plants might need a specific one to their needs. 
    Calathea seem to require a balanced fertiliser, but i can't find any.
    Sunny Dundee
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I use seaweed extract on my non-flowering houseplants throughout spring/summer/autumn and they thrive. It contains some Nitrogen (for leaf growth) and lots of micronutrients essential for plant health. I believe Baby Bio is mostly seaweed extract - just a lot more expensive.
    I also use it on just about all plants in the garden too.

    Some plants e.g. orchids do require specific fertilizers though, and flowering houseplants would be better with a tomato feed.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I like the Focus range of fertilisers. They do a specific one for houseplants but I've used their orchid, tillandsia and cactus ones too and my plants have all done well from them. The houseplant one isn't perfectly balanced but close enough and less heavy on the nitrogen than Babybio or similar ones. Some people suggest that balancing by numbers is a bit of a marketing gimmick anyway so as long as it's close then you should be OK. Don't use tap water on calathea though and don't let salts build up in the soil.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    edited January 2022
    Thanks for the comments, folks.
    I think i'll try the Focus ones alternating with seaweed every other feed, and maybe a bit of tomato feed on the begonia maculata.
    I've been using my (soft) tap water left out overnight and they seem to be ok up until now.
    Sunny Dundee
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I think it's the fluoride that they don't like and that's harder to shift. Can't be too careful with calathea.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    wild edges said:
    I think it's the fluoride that they don't like and that's harder to shift. Can't be too careful with calathea.
    There is no fluoride added to Scottish tap water so hopefully it should be ok.
    Sunny Dundee
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Another vote for the Focus range of fertilisers.  Some people seem to find the lack of a dropper on the bottle problematic.  I just pour one teaspoon full into a one litre plastic drinks bottle, fill up with filtered tap water, then ity's ready for use in a small watering can.  I have a Strelitzia which is faring very well on this feed!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    Another thing that i'm not sure about.
    Everything i've read says only to fertilise during active Spring to Summer growth.
    I have a few plants that are actively growing new leaves now, so should i fertilise now or wait until Spring?
    Sunny Dundee
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Give them a 1/2 strength feed.
    The sun is not strong enough yet for plants to be actively growing, but a 1/2 strength feed now and then will keep them topped-up until Spring arrives

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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