Fertilizers for indoor blooming flowers. Mineral fertilizers for flowering plants

Experts identify a number of important signals that plants are able to show, indicating a lack of fertilizer:

• Weak and emaciated stem
• slow growth process
• No flowering
• The leaves are unsaturated, practically uncolored, small and not developed.
• The appearance of yellow coloration on any part of the plant, the loss of foliage.

Fertilizers for flowers: studying types

The easiest way to purchase flower fertilizers is in a specialty gardening store, but do not forget that not everyone has high quality, and not everyone is able to immediately solve the problem. Before you go to the store, study the issue thoroughly, learn to understand the types and types of feeding, and only then recover to “save the world”, your green world.

Fertilizers for indoor plants classified into several types:

• mineral are fertilizers that already have ready composition. Mineral fertilizers for flowers, they are divided into three main groups, the name of which is formulated depending on which main nutrient is included in its composition.
• Phosphoric
• Potash
• Nitrate

Mineral fertilizers have minor disadvantages:

• lack of a full range of nutritional compounds;
• render negative impact on the level of salinity of the soil and indicators of acidity.
• organic top dressing are the waste products of living organisms (for example, animals or plants). An example is peat or bird droppings, compost.

The advantages of organic fertilizers are wide, but there is one significant disadvantage- an unpleasant odor emanating from the feeding of animal and plant life. Therefore, many limit themselves from using organic fertilizers at home. But, as practice shows, if the situation is hopeless, everything is used, even unpleasantly smelling manure.

• Bacterial - the most acceptable type of fertilizer, moreover, environmentally friendly. Very effective when used on vast territories, but in the home environment it is problematic.
• Combined

Fertilizers for flowers: all about irreplaceable feeding

By state of aggregation fertilizers are divided into:

Solid

Advantages:

• Very convenient to use. Mix fertilizer with water, mix the resulting solution and water the flowers. What could be easier?
• The plant absorbs all the necessary nutrients very quickly and absorbs them just as quickly.

Disadvantages:

• Short term exposure

Liquid

Advantages:

• Long interval between feedings
• More economical

Disadvantages:

• Need more time to digest

Even a non-specialist will say that the strength of a fertilizer is in the active ingredient or even in the complex of active ingredients. How to choose the optimal top dressing so as not to harm? It is best to make fertilizer at home and with your own hands.

Home first aid kit for flowers: we prepare fertilizers ourselves

• Fertilizer that is always at hand - sugar. Glucose obtained from the breakdown of sugar is a unique source of nutrients that acts as a building material.

Glucose - complete zero, if not nearby carbon dioxide. The absence of carbon dioxide contributes to the development of root rot. Therefore, when using sugar, combine it with an EM drug.

Instruction:

• Take 1 tablespoon of sugar.
• Pour half a liter of water into the container.
• Add sugar and water, stir until sugar dissolves and a homogeneous solution is formed.
• Use the resulting sugar solution as a fertilizer once a month.

• onion peel- "Klondike" of important trace elements.

Instruction:

• Take 50 grams of onion peel.
• Fill the husk with water, a volume of 2 liters.
• Boil 8-10 minutes.
• Let the solution stand for 2-3 hours.

• Yeast- the connection is direct: the dough grows, the plant grows. For house plants the best top dressing besides, it is very easy to prepare and inexpensive. The result will not keep you waiting long.

Instruction:

• Prepare a liter of water room temperature you can warm it up a bit.
• Dissolve 10 grams of yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar in water.
• Let the solution stand for 2 hours.
• Add another 5 liters of water to the resulting solution. .

Feed is ready. Get into action.

Advice. If dry yeast is at hand, then the amount of ingredients used to prepare the fertilizer should be as follows: 10 liters of water, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 10 grams of yeast.

• Ash is a perfect top dressing, the richest in the content of micro and macro elements, which are so necessary for the growth and development of home flowers.

Instruction: mix the ashes with the soil before planting the plant in it. The soil is saturated with nutrients, preventing the plant from rotting.

Prepare liquid fertilizer by mixing 1 tablespoon of ash with a liter of water. The result is identical.

Basic rules for fertilizing flowers

1. Before using this or that fertilizer, be sure to consult with specialists. Specify whether the chosen dressing is suitable for the flower or not. Are they compatible?
2. "It's better to miss than to beat." The main thing is not to overdo it. Excess nutrients- the process is almost irreversible. At best, the plant will become covered with spots, at worst, it will wither. stick this rule, and remember about proportions and periodicity.
3. "Everything should be in moderation." Especially when it comes to the process of feeding domestic plants. Insufficient amounts of nutrients can only exacerbate developmental changes.

Remember, oversaturating one micro or macro elements, you do not compensate for the lack of another. Chemical processes, unless, of course, you are not an expert, it is impossible to calculate, so experiments should be said: “No!”.

A huge variety of fertilizers for house flowers increases the likelihood that your flower will be cured. Powders and granules, fertilizers in the form of sticks are offered today by shops for gardeners.

Choose your fertilizer wisely, and remember that care must be taken in everything: in determining the type and type of fertilizer, in calculating its amount, in the frequency of feeding.

Feed the plant with mineral fertilizers at home and let every flower, every leaf of your green friend be healthy.

Foreword

Plants are different - moisture-loving and drought-resistant, shade-tolerant and light-loving, and each group of species needs special fertilizers suitable only for it, but there are also universal top dressing for indoor flowers. Let's find out what can be a source of nutrients for most crops.

For the most part, mineral supplements are used as top dressings, consisting of a number of chemical elements combined into complexes, or separated into separate concentrates. Most convenient way top dressing - at the same time as watering, so many plant nutritional supplements are available in liquid form for making solutions. In addition, many fertilizer recipes that can be made at home allow you to get different kind decoctions and tinctures, which are later also added to the water for irrigation. are good liquid preparations and for foliar spraying.

Top dressing along with watering

Liquid fertilizers are convenient primarily because they are easiest to dose using special measuring cups or just teaspoons and tablespoons.

Another common option is top dressing in the form of powders. The smallest granules are quite easy to knead or dissolve in water, in addition, they can be poured directly into the soil, mixing with it and thus providing a direct. When watering subsequently, the powder in the soil gradually dissolves, saturating the plant useful elements During a long time. Larger granules can be sprinkled on the surface, and they will dissolve again during watering, as well as as long as the soil is wet.

The third option is top dressing in the form of tablets that can be dissolved in water, buried in the ground, or scattered over the surface of the soil. As a rule, such fertilizers with complex mineral composition quite easily soaked from moisture, after which they can be mixed with the ground during loosening. And finally, quite popular type- mineral sticks. They are stuck deep into the soil to the level of the roots, after which they begin to slowly dissolve with regular watering. The advantage of such feeding is that the elements necessary for the plant are released gradually, in small amounts.

It should be noted that almost all plants that grow at home in pots are called flowers, and the latter, as a result, are always called “flower”. However, we should not forget that there are also decorative and deciduous crops, conifers, and, of course, flowering ones. Cacti can be distinguished into a separate group, citrus fruits and orchids, which require special care. And do not forget about the tree bonsai. Thus, we get 5 groups, each of which requires specific conditions acceptable only for its constituent species. This also applies to soil fertilization.

Orchid nutrition

As a rule, the consumption of mineral elements in decorative and deciduous trees differs quite significantly. flowering plants: the first actively consume nitrogen, and the second - phosphorus. At the same time, conifers prefer to have as little of both as possible. Cacti require a minimal amount of nitrogen, they can grow without it, but they need potassium to form flowers. Almost all mineral elements are important for orchids, but their concentration in the soil should be as low as possible. Citrus fruits definitely need potassium, without which the flowers will be small and crumbling, and the harvest will be insignificant. And, finally, almost all minerals are important for bonsai, they must come to the roots in very small quantities, but constantly.

But everything existing species crops are also divided into groups according to climatic zones, that is, according to the place of growth. For example, citrus fruits can be combined with all Mediterranean plants, and fertilizers for them can be used the same, they will be universal also for palm trees or pomegranates. Top dressings that are produced specifically for orchids can also be applied to acidophytes, that is, crops growing on acidic soils. Fertilizers for bonsai are applicable to other tree-like indoor crops, and for conifers as well. Compositions that are suitable for cacti will be universal for all plants that have fleshy leaves and are able to store moisture, that is, for succulents.

As a rule, in complex top dressing always one element may turn out to be too much for a particular plant, and not enough for another. Therefore, in most cases, on containers with liquid fertilizers or on packages with loose granules, manufacturers indicate which crops the drug is intended for. But there are also separate top dressings that contain all mineral elements in small quantities. It is these complexes that are considered universal, since none of the components has a sufficient concentration to harm any plant.

Fertilizers for flowers

However, it should be borne in mind that in a very moderate percentage of the constituents, some elements in the fertilizer may be in insufficient quantities. A lack of some minerals can have the same negative effect on the plant as an overabundance of others.. Therefore, using universal preparations as top dressing, it is worth adding the missing elements to the soil in the form of separate solutions or granules, or mixing them into water for irrigation. However, for regular feeding with frequent irrigation of indoor flowers, you can limit yourself to universal compositions, the plants themselves will take what they need from the soil.

Flower growers equally use as top dressing own production, and compositions purchased in specialized stores. Moreover, the latter are often universal. In particular, the drug is quite popular Rainbow, the component composition of which is quite wide: 10 grams per liter of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, 2 grams of humins, there are also zinc, manganese, boron and magnesium. Typically, a container liquid composition It is supplied with a measuring cup, which to a certain extent facilitates its use. So, for root dressing, 1 cap is enough, which corresponds to 0.5 grams dissolved in 0.5 liters of water for watering once every 2 weeks. For foliar spraying, dissolve 1 cap in 2 liters of water, using the liquid once a month.

Top dressing of an indoor flower

Another fairly well-known drug - Ideal, which is produced from the waste products of earthworms, that is, it is natural organics, and in liquid form. Among the components, in addition to humins, there are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, that is, the most necessary elements for most plants. For root top dressing, you need to knead 2 caps of the container in 1 liter of water, which corresponds to 10 milliliters, if you collect liquid to the brim. For each indoor flower you need to spend no more than 200 milliliters of solution once a week. For foliar applications, 1 cap per 1 liter of water is sufficient at the same frequency of treatment with the same amount of solution.

It is no secret that among indoor crops there are not only flowering and decorative foliage, but also fruit and berries. Moreover, the latter can yield all year round, that is, in the cold season, as long as a constant microclimate is maintained in the room. However, each plant has a period when insufficient lighting or low air humidity stimulates the root system and above-ground part to a state of rest. In order for the fruits to appear in winter, a special preparation is used. Snowflake, also considered universal. The composition contains nitrogen and phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, iron and copper, as well as cobalt, boron, manganese, zinc. Use by diluting 1 cap in 1 liter of water and watering the plants once a month.

Conditionally universal drugs can be considered Cactus and Palm. Their purpose can be easily judged by their names, but they are not highly specialized. The first is suitable for all succulents, accelerating their development and flowering, as well as protecting them from a number of diseases. Moreover, when buds form in such crops, they need to dilute 2 caps per 1 liter of water and water, alternating every other time with conventional irrigation. For stem succulents, tree fats and sedums, 1 cap per 2 liters of water is enough when watering 1 time in 2 weeks. Palm it is also suitable for feeding ficuses, as well as dracaena, yucca and monstera, being a humic natural composition. 2-3 caps (depending on the height of the plant - up to 0.5 meters or higher) are dissolved in 1 liter of water and used 200-300 milliliters per bush.

The most accessible today is humus from green manure or fallen leaves buried in the ground in advance. Feeding indoor flowers with various home remedies has certain advantages, in particular, this a budget option because purchased drugs are sometimes quite expensive. However, in pure form do not use, or use again purchased, granular, in which the nitrogen content is reduced to an acceptable amount. If a fresh, clean product is placed under the roots of a houseplant, the roots can be burned by an excess of humic acids. Therefore, it is better to use rotted humus mixed with peat, soil and a small amount of sand.

Ash for feeding flowers

Another natural type of top dressing is ordinary ash, and not every one is suitable, for example, a product from burning hard coal not good, suitable only from burnt wood. This fertilizer is diluted in water for irrigation, or mixed with the soil in the process of loosening. Ash contains potassium and phosphorus, which makes it perfect for both ordinary flowering crops and exotic ones, including citrus fruits. In addition, it contains sulfur, magnesium, iron and zinc, as well as calcium, so this fertilizer is universal, equally suitable for garden and home flowers.

Feeding houseplants with various folk remedies has been in use for quite some time. Florists have discovered that even ordinary sugar can be used for the development of most crops due to the presence of glucose in it. But it is recommended to use the drug along with this product. Baikal EM, which, in fact, is a colony of beneficial microorganisms in a liquid nutrient medium. The fact is that sugar can cause the formation of foci of rot or harmful bacteria, so it is better that those organisms that you add to the soil yourself participate in its breakdown. Also, sugar can be replaced with glucose tablets, they do not contain anything superfluous and will immediately begin to participate in the development of indoor plants.

A universal remedy for feeding flowers of any group will be ordinary aquarium water, which contains quite a lot of useful substances and, most importantly, has a neutral pH level. But in summer it is not recommended to use it, since it can cause spontaneous development of fungal spores in warm soil. But back to natural products. Almost everyone at home has yeast, but not many people realize that they can be used as fertilizer for plants. This product is considered excellent building material for indoor flower cells due to the presence of phytohormones and vitamins of group B.

And, finally, the most versatile top dressing is a nutritious cocktail made from onion peel. Raw materials are always at your fingertips, and fertilizer preparation does not take much time. It is enough to boil 2 liters of water and pour 50 grams of husks with it, which you can not even grind. Next, put the container with the workpiece on the fire and cook the contents for 10 minutes. Then we cool for 3 hours, this time is enough for the broth to also brew well. It remains only to strain the resulting product and use it for spraying plants. This infusion is best suited for foliar applications, since the substances contained in it will thus go directly to the aerial part of the indoor flower.

Sooner or later, we all begin to understand that without fertilizers, our indoor plants cannot fully develop, their growth slows down, they bloom very poorly.

But not only for indoor plants, but also seedlings vegetable crops, such as peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, for the full development, basic nutrients are needed - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, as well as various macro- and microelements.

Nitrogen is part of the plant tissue, under the influence of photosynthesis stimulates the development of leaves, plant stems. With a lack of nitrogen, plant growth slows down, the leaves turn pale.

Phosphorus stimulates the development of the root system (the stronger root system the better the plants grow). In addition, phosphorus stimulates the formation of buds, flowers on the plant, increases the immunity of plants to various diseases.

Potassium is involved in the setting and formation of fruits, increases the density of plant tissues, is responsible for the strength of shoots and stems, is involved in the accumulation of nutrients in the roots, which is important when growing ginger at home, in tubers, corms of plants. But its overdose can cause tissue deformation, and leaves curl in plants.

The composition of fertilizers for indoor plants

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the main nutrients plants. In fertilizers, they are referred to as NPK. Usually, these letters and numbers next to them are written on fertilizer packages, meaning percentage one element or another. For example, N13%P19%K19% means that this fertilizer contains 13% nitrogen, 19% phosphorus, and 19% potassium.

There are purely nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium fertilizers, there are fertilizers containing two nutrients, there are fertilizers where, in addition to the main nutrients, other macro- and microelements may be present. Fertilizers that contain several basic nutrients are called complex fertilizers.

There is universal, or standard fertilizers, in which NPK is contained in equal proportions. These fertilizers are suitable for most indoor plants, because they contain the nutrients necessary for growth and development.

In addition to the main nutrients, various macro- and microelements can also be included in the composition of fertilizers.

For the full development of the plant, elements such as iron, magnesium, boron, molybdenum, copper, etc. are necessary. Due to the fact that the consumption of these elements is in very small quantities, they are called microelements.

Although their consumption is negligible, but their deficiency can lead to various diseases. For example, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, which can be due to both a lack of nitrogen, a lack of magnesium, or a lack of iron (leaf chlorosis). An iron deficiency can be caused by an excess of lime, which the plant receives from watering with too hard tap water.

Standard and special fertilizers

Standard fertilizers for indoor plants are divided into two main groups: fertilizers for non-flowering decorative deciduous plants and fertilizers for flowering houseplants.

This is very practical and effective, because every indoor plant can be attributed to one or another group. Standard fertilizer for non-flowering deciduous plants promotes the development of leaves and stems. This fertilizer consists of nitrogen and magnesium, which prevent yellowing of both new and old leaves. With this fertilizer, you can feed calathea, ctenant, arrowroot, zamiokulkas, dracaena, sheffler, dieffenbachia, aglaonema, alocasia, ficuses, hedera.

Standard fertilizer for flowering plants stimulates long-term abundant flowering. The composition of these fertilizers is dominated by phosphorus and potassium. This fertilizer should be fed with blue passionflower, gloxinia, hydrangea, hibiscus, senpolia, clerodendrum, pelargonium, ever-flowering and terry begonia.

In addition to standard fertilizers, there are also special fertilizers, which are created only for one specific type plants. as some plants have specific nutrient requirements. For example, cacti need a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen but rich in potassium in order for them to flower better. Succulents, cacti need a weak concentration of fertilizer so that there are no burns. Orchids are very sensitive to overfeeding, which will wilt the stems and flowers. A special fertilizer for orchids provides the right dose and helps bloom. Citrus fruits are afraid of lime and need a lot of potassium to bloom and bear fruit. Bonsai, for example, small-leaved carmone, must not a large number of fertilizer, which will be absorbed gradually. However, this does not at all mean that they cannot be used for other plants whose homeland is the same climate zone or with the same content requirements.

For example, fertilizer for citrus suitable for all Mediterranean plants, palms and other fruit-bearing plants such as capsicum, ardisia, nightshade, pomegranate.

Fertilizer for bonsai suitable for all tree or shrub indoor plants, including indoor conifers - cypress, Elwoodi cypress. Fertilizer for cacti all succulents will be appreciated, including almost all types of spurges, bokarney, lithops, jatropha, zamiokulkas.

All fertilizers and growth stimulants are produced in a variety of forms: granular, powdered, in the form of capsules, candles, liquid.

Granular fertilizers can be added to the soil during transplantation in a dry form, thoroughly mixing the soil. But granular fertilizers can be diluted in water and made root top dressing during watering. In this case, it must be remembered that from mineral salts dissolved in water, a white coating forms on the surface of the soil in a pot. Therefore, more often it is necessary to change upper part earth in a pot.

Fertilizers in the form of candles convenient and practical in that they give up their nutrients gradually, within two to three months, they are quite enough for the period of growth and vegetation. Candles-fertilizers need to be stuck into the ground along the walls of the pot through 10 - 15 centimeters into well-moistened soil. This type of fertilizer is considered safe for newly transplanted plants, as well as for acidophilic plants. At first, the roots of the transplanted plant do not touch the candles, so there is no risk of burning the roots. Subsequently, as the roots grow and reach the walls of the pot, they will take up nutrients.

Fertilizers in the form of capsules- new fertilizers of the prolonged action. One capsule is enough for one plant for the entire growing season. Very easy to use, but due to their versatility are expensive.

Liquid fertilizers with the most diverse composition for almost all types of plants are considered effective and very convenient to use. When using liquid fertilizers, it is easier to comply with the dosage.

Liquid fertilizers can be used as root and foliar top dressing- by leaves. For houseplants with a poorly developed root system, such as plants of the Bromeliad family, as well as plants with fleshy roots, for which there is a high risk of burning the roots (orchids), this type of fertilizer is most suitable. And it is used only in the form of spraying on the leaves. It is advisable to do all foliar top dressing in the bathroom in order to prevent drops of fertilizer from falling on the furniture.

But not all indoor plants can be sprayed on the leaves: plants with transparent, folded, fleecy leaves that easily rot when water gets on them (saintpaulia, caladium, gloxinia, begonias, cacti) can only do root top dressing.

Many gardeners think that fertilizing should only vegetable plants or fruit trees and shrubs, but others garden plants do not need supplements. But such an opinion is erroneous - all cultivated plants need enough nutrients that they take from the soil. And if annuals can be planted every year in different places, then perennial garden flowers that have been growing in one place for several years choose nutrients from the soil that should be regularly added to the soil again.

About fertilizing garden plants and how to feed flowers - this will be discussed below.

What substances are necessary for garden plants

Garden plants need the same chemical elements, as other horticultural crops: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, S, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Co, Mb / Basically, these elements enter plants through their root system, and each of they are necessary for the development of certain parts of flowers.

1. Nitrogen promotes the growth of stems and leaves. But this trace element is introduced into the soil in spring period so that the plants do not grow too actively to the detriment of flowering.
2. Phosphorus reduces the growth of foliage and shoots, but the number of buds is also formed less. Usually the amount of these two elements is balanced so as not to harm the plants.
3. Potassium- an element that increases the resistance of flowers to diseases and resistance to frost. It also contributes to the growth of the root system.
4. Magnesium promotes the production of chlorophyll. If there is not enough Mg, then the color of foliage and shoots becomes more faded, as well as the color of buds and flowers.
5. The remaining trace elements are needed by garden plants in microscopic doses, they all help annuals and perennials fight diseases, accelerate the supply of nutrition to all parts of the plant, and increase the number of buds.

Why soil mulching is necessary

The introduction of mulching substances after watering under flower plants very important, it performs several important tasks at once:

As mulching elements, you can use:

• peat;
• sawdust;
• humus;
• dry foliage;
• green grass;
• gravel;
• pebble.

What is better to use as mulch: organic matter or inorganic matter? This should be the gardener's choice, but the benefits of organic are obvious:

To disadvantages organic species mulch can include:

1. Organic mulch has to be replenished periodically, and inorganic mulch can be in trunk circles for years.
2. Grass or straw usually attracts mice and birds and should be turned up periodically.
3. If the summer season is rainy, then the leaves, grass and straw get very wet, and this is an excellent environment for the development of fungal or bacterial pathogens.

Therefore, organic mulch should be as fine as possible.

Types of fertilizers for garden plants

In order for garden plants to grow actively and delight their owners with their flowering, they need not only organic matter in the form of top dressing, but also macro and microelements in the form of complex or mono fertilizers.

However, before introducing, for example, organic matter, you should read which flowers do not tolerate it, and which ones need it. Are top dressings applied under flowers on a street lawn different from those applied under home flowers? In principle, the difference is small, complex mineral fertilizers are applied under house plants, which immediately include all the elements necessary for their growth and flowering. And certain types of fertilizers are applied under garden fertilizers, which include certain minerals that flowers need in a specific period.

Application various kinds fertilizers should be carried out strictly according to the instructions, since the lack of nutrients and their excess are equally harmful to flowers. If these substances are not enough, then the plants will remain weak, the vegetative mass will grow poorly, and flowering will be sluggish. An excess of trace elements and organic matter in the soil leads to their death.

How to determine the lack or excess of minerals in the soil? How and when should they be submitted?

Compost fertilizer, humus usually applied at the end of autumn. This top dressing saturates the soil before the winter cold. The same fertilizers are applied in the spring immediately before planting seedlings of flowers in open ground. Such dressings make the land on the site better, and the root system of flowers absorbs them perfectly. Liquid top dressing on the basis of organic matter, it can also be applied in the summer.

trace elements contribute throughout summer season, only at each stage of the growth of flowers they need different elements. Nitrogen is usually applied in early spring. It is needed in order for the plants to quickly increase the vegetative mass. But an excess of this mineral is harmful, as the plants will bloom worse. When buds begin to appear, as well as during active flowering, superphosphate (or other preparations containing phosphorus) should be applied.

Annual bushes are fed no more than twice.

The first time - 10 - 14 days after planting the seedlings in open ground (but if fertilizers were applied to the planting holes, then this top dressing should be skipped). The next time they are entered phosphate fertilizers during bud emergence. And under perennials in the fall, fertilizing containing potassium should be applied. It helps the root system to prepare for winter, restore the supply of nutrients, and also stimulates the growth of flower buds for the next season.

Apply to the soil immediately after watering. In this case, the root system will not be burned by a concentrated fertilizer solution, and nutrients will not settle in the soil. Granular fertilizers are applied before watering - they are mixed with soil or scattered in tree trunks, and only then watered so that the granules dissolve and get in liquid form to the roots.

Immediately after planting (or transplanting), the flowers are not fed. Usually give them the opportunity to adapt to a new place - at least 10 - 14 days. Also, no nutrients are added for diseased or weakened flowers.

Usually, in addition to top dressing "under the root", fertilization is also carried out "on the sheet". Such spraying with a fertilizer solution is carried out in warm, dry weather (usually in the evening). Fertilizers that fall on the leaves are absorbed faster than those that are applied to the soil.

It is better to alternate the application of organic and mineral fertilizers.

Application of organic fertilizers

Organic fertilizers include:

• fully rotted compost;
• last year's manure;
• chicken manure;
• ash;
• humus, etc.

All these fertilizers, getting into the soil, activate the work of microorganisms - they process chemical elements in the soil so that they are better absorbed by the root system of plants.

Among all monofertilizers containing mineral fertilizers, urea (containing more than 40% nitrogen), phosphates and superphosphates, as well as various potassium salts are most often used for top dressing. nitrogen fertilizers they are quickly washed out of the soil, especially during heavy snowmelt, so they are sometimes brought in several times in the spring.

Soils, the acidity of which is high, have a feature - phosphate fertilizers in such soils remain in a form inaccessible to the root system. Therefore, chalk, lime (slaked or quicklime) are added to such soils along with other fertilizers in order to bring the pH closer to neutral.

Since many flowering annuals and perennials do not tolerate organic fertilizers, you can feed them only with the help of mineral supplements.

However, I would like to remind you once again that it is better to apply less fertilizer to the soil than too much. Therefore, before feeding the plants, you should carefully read the instructions and in no case exceed the dosages indicated in it.

Feeding annuals and perennials garden plot- a very important element of caring for them. And on how correctly gardeners will fertilize the soil, it depends on how strong and actively flowering the plants in the garden will be.

See also video

Under indoor conditions, home flowers require additional nourishment, which can be provided by introducing special substances into the soil. You don't have to buy houseplant food from stores. It can be easily made at home using, for example, a regular banana peel.

This article will tell you how to properly make dressings for indoor flowers with your own hands. In addition, you will find helpful tips and rules for fertilizing and signs by which it can be determined that a flower needs fertilizer.

Taking care of cultures on your own suburban area, we do not forget to feed them, but when it comes to caring for house flowers, we often remember that they also need to be supplied with nutrients. And although indoor pets are much smaller and do not bear fruit as abundantly as, for example, garden pets, however, the feeding area of ​​\u200b\u200btheir roots is limited to a flower pot. Sooner or later, the soil in the flowerpot is depleted, and therefore it is necessary to periodically enrich it. useful substances.

Very often flowerpots have to endure heat and drafts, lack of sunlight or its excess. Some flower lovers practice regular transplanting in new ground, however, you should know that the supply of nutrients in a fresh earthy coma is only enough for two months. And if the culture at this time begins to grow actively or enters a flowering period, additional feeding is indispensable. Only those specimens that are in a dormant period do not need to be fed.

So that indoor plants always have a beautiful and healthy appearance, you need to know some rules for the introduction of nutrients (Figure 1):

• The optimal time for fertilizing is the period from early April to mid-October. Since most species are in a dormant period in winter, there are practically no top dressings at this time of the year.
• All kinds of nutrients are applied to moist soil to prevent root burns.
• You can not apply the same fertilizer at the same time for deciduous and flowering varieties because they have different nutrient requirements.
• The drug must be strictly dosed. An excess of nutrients leads to a halt in the growth and development of the flower, provokes the death of the culture.

Figure 1. Types of pokkormok and methods of their introduction

As an additional procedure for root dressing, foliar application of the same fertilizers is carried out, but in smaller quantities. Foliar recharges also have their own characteristics. So, they are effective for young specimens with delicate foliage, but adult specimens absorb them much worse. It is impossible to foliarly feed plants with pubescent or glossy leaves that do not allow moisture to pass through (aloe, Kalanchoe, palm, saintpaulia, gloxinia, etc.). In case of insufficient air humidity, it is also necessary to spray with clean water after each foliar feeding.

The video shows best fertilizers colors to use at home.

How to tell when plants need food

How to determine that indoor plants need to be fed? A number of signs will indicate this to you, among which are:

• Slow growth and lack of flowering;
• Weak elongated stems and pale small leaves;
• The appearance of signs of disease: spots, yellowing and falling leaves.

As you know, the disease is easier to prevent than to cure, so let's get acquainted with natural fertilizers that will help keep your flowers healthy and strong.

Banana peel fertilizer for indoor plants

The influence of bananas on human body due to their high content of a whole complex of vitamins and microelements. At the same time, nutrients are found both in the pulp itself and in the peel of this fruit. Therefore, banana peel is actively used for the preparation of various fertilizers.

It is used fresh and dried, as well as for the manufacture of tinctures and spray solutions (Figure 2).

Dried banana peel fertilizer

A pre-washed banana peel can be dried on a radiator, in the oven, in the sun, then ground into powder in a coffee grinder or simply folded into a paper bag.

Figure 2. Manufacture of a nutrient preparation from banana peel do it yourself

Banana powder is mixed with the substrate in a ratio of 1:10 at the time of transplantation or used as a mulching material, which is sprinkled on the soil in flower pot 1 time per month. banana fertilizer in the form of a whole dried peel, it should be placed only in the lower layers of the soil as a drainage, since the peel begins to mold on its surface.

Fertilizer from fresh banana skins

Fresh skin is crushed into pieces with scissors and buried in the ground as deep as possible. However, it is often quite difficult to determine the exact number of skins that can quickly decompose. As for houseplants, the processing of potted banana peels is very slow.

Banana peel infusion

Banana peel infusion is used to saturate the soil with useful substances. For its preparation, the skins are thoroughly washed, crushed, placed in liter jar half of its volume, pour water and insist for a day. Then the resulting infusion is topped up with water to a volume of 1 liter.

Spray Banana Peel Complex Fertilizer

For cooking complex fertilizer you will need powder from the dried peel of 4 bananas, 2 tsp. powder from eggshell and 20 g of magnesium sulfate. All ingredients are mixed, pour 900 g of water and shake until magnesium is completely dissolved. The resulting preparation is stored in the refrigerator and used to spray the soil and leaves no more than once a week. It can be supplemented with other nutrients, then the procedure will become more effective.

Iodine for indoor plants: how to feed

Although iodine is not vital important element for plants, however, its presence in the soil has a positive effect on all processes of their vital activity. You can spray flowerpots with water with mineral fertilizers, which include iodine, or with special iodine-containing complexes. However, if the iodine content exceeds allowable norms, then such a fertilizer can be detrimental to flowers. Therefore, you should know that the iodine content in the solution should be 0.1 mg per kilogram.

Figure 3. Using iodine to nourish flowers

Plants after feeding with iodine develop faster, bloom more abundantly and practically do not get sick. Experienced flower growers it is advised to dissolve 2 drops of iodine in 2 liters of water and water the flowers with the resulting solution on wet soil no more than 1 time per month (Figure 3).

Fertilizing indoor flowers with yeast

It is known that yeast contains fungi containing a large amount of protein and amino acids, as well as many micro and macro elements. Yeast is very useful for plants, especially indoor plants (Figure 4).

Figure 4. The use of yeast to feed flowers

To prepare fertilizer for indoor flowers, you will need 10 g of dry yeast per 10 liters of water. Sugar, potato tops, hops are added to the resulting solution for a better effect in order to increase the nitrogen content in the fertilizer itself. The resulting preparation is infused in a dark place for several hours until the fermentation process begins. A liter of the resulting fertilizer is dissolved in 5 liters clean water and water the flowers. The result of yeast feeding will be visible after a few days.

From the video you will learn how to prepare a top dressing for homemade flowers from yeast.

egg shell fertilizer

Eggshell contains many nutrients. It decomposes quite quickly in the soil and is used as a fertilizer for both garden and house flowers (Figure 5).

Note: You should know that eggshells lower the acidity of the soil, so species such as azalea, camellia, gardenia, pelargonium, hydrangea, pansies, ferns top dressing with eggshells is contraindicated.

Before preparing top dressing, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the shell, clean it of protein residues, then dry and chop with any accessible way. The resulting powder is stored in paper bag(box) or in a glass container with a lid. Eggshells can be applied directly to the soil (powder or tincture) or used as drainage.

Figure 5. Using eggshells to feed flowers at home

There are several ways to prepare eggshell tincture. For example, it is recommended to pour one cup of crushed eggshells over 4 cups warm water and let it brew for 2 weeks, periodically shaking the liquid. Ready infusion to water the flowers once a month. You can also dissolve 2 tbsp. spoons of powder in 1 liter of boiling water. In this case, the solution should be infused for 5 days. Using egg powder clean, removed upper layer soil in a flower pot, mix it in a separate container with 1 tbsp. eggshell and pour back into the pot.

Fertilizer Agricola for indoor plants

In addition to homemade dressings, you can use a long-term fertilizer for home flowers called "Agricola". This preparation is universal and suitable for feeding all kinds.

It contains a complex of all the necessary micro and macro elements, is economical, has an unlimited shelf life. For root dressing, a solution is prepared from 1 tsp. fertilizer and 2 liters of water. Top dressing is carried out 1 time in 7-10 days, and during the dormant period of the plant (from November to February), 1 such top dressing per month will be enough.