Most plants are good at extracting the nutrients they need from the air and the water they consume. However, while this is effective for the majority of the year, almost all plants need some fertilizer during the growing season. This is when the plants are producing new leaves and are getting ready to flower. The length of the growing season depends on the climate your plants live in.
Of course, successfully looking after plants firstly means you need to buy house plants online from a reputable seller.
Alongside watering them regularly and making sure they have enough light, you should also be concerned with whether they have enough fertilizer or not.
If plants don’t have enough they won’t get the nutrition they need and are likely to suffer, potentially even die.
You should note that too much fertilizer can also kill plants, that’s why it is important to get the balance right.
Wilting Plants
Generally, when plants are wilting you will assume that they are dry and in need of water. However, most plants are surprisingly hardy and can go for long periods without water. This is because they store water in their leaves for when they need it.
However, they can’t go without food as they need nutrients to survive. If they have been in the same soil and pot for a long time they will have used all the nutrients in the soil. That’s why you need to add fertilizer. If they don’t have enough they will wilt as the plant focuses on keeping itself alive.
Small Flowers
Fertilizer allows a plant to grow and flourish. When there isn’t enough the plant will have smaller flowers than normal. They may also be duller. The good news is that when you spot this you can add fertilizer straight away and this will help. Although the difference will not be noticeable instantly, it will help strengthen the plant and the look of your plant will improve.
It is not just small flowers that your plant will struggle with. The leaves are likely to start going yellow as the nutrients needed are no longer present. This is usually a clear sign of a lack of iron which is as important to plants as it is to humans.
Stunted Growth
Just as people don’t grow tall when the environmental factors are against them, nor do plants. If your plants don’t have enough nutrients they will stop growing. Put simply, they will not have the energy to grow properly. If they do manage to continue growing they will not adopt the usual size and features of their type of plant. Instead, they are likely to be twisted.
If you’ve left your plant without fertilizer for this long then adding it now will not help it to heal, although it should help it become stronger and live for longer.
Fertilizers are like food for humans, your plants need them and you should be adding them to the soil at least once a week.