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Proper Feeding

Many brands of fertilizers are designed for house plants. Follow the manufacturer's directions and do not assume that twice the recommended amount is better than the recommended amount; overfeeding may damage your plants.

Plant injury can be reduced by leaching or rinsing out part of the dissolved fertilizer with clear water if overfertilization occurs. Use a container with holes in the bottom to allow thorough drainage. Place the pot in a sink and water liberally three to four times at half-hour intervals, allowing the water to flush out the dissolved fertilizer and other accumulated salts.

A white, flaky material on the soil surface of potted plants is often observed one to several months after potting. These are mineral salts that accumulate in the soil. Fertilizers contain varying amounts of dissolved salts. With continuous watering, these dissolved salts accumulate in the soil and appear on the soil surface. The salts can be flushed out of the soil from time to time to prevent salt injury to your plants. Leaching (rinsing) the soil of most house plants every three to six months is a good cultural practice and will reduce the accumulation of salts in the soil. Clay pots which have accumulated salts should be soaked in hot water for 24 hours before reuse.

Fertilizer will not cure all ills. Fertilizer will not help a plant that is suffering from poor drainage, insect infestation, disease or over-watering.