Houseplants, practical guide
How to feed houseplants.
When to start, how often to feed, when to stop, and how to tell a hungry plant from a thirsty one.
- WhenSpring to early autumn
- Not yetStraight after repotting
- With TendA splash, watered in
Do houseplants actually need feeding?
Sooner or later, yes. A houseplant lives in a small pot of compost and can only use what is in there. Bought compost carries a modest supply of nutrients, the plant uses it up, and every watering washes a little more away. After a while the pot has less to give than the plant needs.
That does not make feeding the first thing to reach for. Light and watering matter far more day to day, and a plant that is struggling with either will not be rescued by a feed. Sort those first, then feed a plant that is growing.
Check these first
Pale leaves or slow growth are just as often too much water, too little light or a pot that is too small. Rule those out before you feed.
Feed with the growth, not the date
In a heated UK home most houseplants start growing in spring and slow down as the light fades. The RHS gives March to October for foliage plants and April to September for cacti and succulents. Your plant is the better guide: feed when you can see new growth.
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feed | January: no | February: no | March: yes | April: yes | May: yes | June: yes | July: yes | August: yes | September: yes | October: no | November: no | December: no |
| While the plant is growing. Some sources stop at the end of September, the RHS allows October for foliage plants. | ||||||||||||
| Little or none | January: yes | February: yes | March: no | April: no | May: no | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: yes | November: yes | December: yes |
| Slow or no growth. A plant still making new leaves in a bright spot can have a light feed. | ||||||||||||
| Repot | January: no | February: no | March: yes | April: yes | May: yes | June: yes | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: no | November: no | December: no |
| Spring is the best time, as growth picks up. | ||||||||||||
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Feed
March to SeptemberWhile the plant is growing. Some sources stop at the end of September, the RHS allows October for foliage plants.
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Little or none
January to February, October to DecemberSlow or no growth. A plant still making new leaves in a bright spot can have a light feed.
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Repot
March to JuneSpring is the best time, as growth picks up.
A bar shows the months when this usually applies.
Step by step
A simple order that avoids the usual mistakes.
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Check light and watering first
These decide how a plant does far more than feed does. If the compost is soggy, the pot has no drainage hole or the plant sits in a dark corner, fix that before anything goes in the watering can.
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Give a repotted plant time
Fresh compost usually comes with starter nutrients. Check the bag, and wait until the plant is growing again before its first feed.
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Water first, then feed
Feed goes onto moist compost, never dry: feed on dry compost can burn roots. Keep it off the leaves, let any excess drain away and empty the saucer.
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Let the label set the amount
Feeds are made differently, so the label is your limit. With Tend, that is a splash around the base of the plant, then water it in. If you are unsure, use a little less, not more.
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Ease off as the light drops
Through autumn, feed less often, then stop as growth stops. Start again when new leaves appear in spring.
Not every houseplant eats the same
The pattern is the same, but the details change with the plant. This is general guidance from the RHS and other horticultural sources. The label on your feed always comes first.
Leafy foliage plants
Monstera, pothos, spider plants, ferns and other plants grown for their leaves. They grow steadily from spring to early autumn, so they take a regular feed while that lasts.
- SeasonSpring to early autumn (RHS: March to October)
- How oftenThe RHS suggests once or twice a month for a general houseplant feed
- WinterLittle or none
- Watch forBrown tips, a white crust, wilting: signs of too much
Flowering houseplants
African violets, peace lilies, kalanchoes and other houseplants grown for their flowers. Flowering takes energy, so the usual advice is a feed made for flowering plants while they are in growth and in bud.
- SeasonWhile in growth and bud
- What to useA feed made for flowering plants, richer in potash, is the usual advice
- WinterLittle or none
- With TendTend is our houseplant food. For flowering plants, check the label of any feed you use.
Cacti and succulents
Slow growers that store water, so they want less of everything. The RHS suggests a potash-rich liquid feed, such as a tomato-type feed or a cactus feed, about monthly in the growing season.
- SeasonApril to September
- How oftenAbout monthly
- WinterNone
- WateringLet the compost dry out between waterings
Orchids
Moth orchids like a light feed given regularly while they are growing, with a feed made for orchids, and a plain-water watering now and then to flush out salts. Feed sparingly, if at all, over winter.
- SeasonWhile in growth
- How oftenLightly and regularly, by the orchid feed label
- FlushingWater with no feed every so often
- WinterSparingly, if at all
Hungry, thirsty or overfed?
The same leaf can mean several things, so start with the cheapest check.
| What you see | What it usually means | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Pale or yellowing leaves | Hunger is one cause. Too much or too little water, low light, cold and a cramped pot cause it too. | Check the compost is neither soggy nor bone dry, then light and pot size. If those are right and the plant is growing, feed. |
| Slow growth in the growing season | Low light or a root-bound plant more often than hunger. It can also just be the season. | Look at light and the roots first. If it is spring to early autumn and the plant is otherwise happy, feed. |
| Brown leaf tips and edges | Most often dry air or too little water. Feed that is too strong leaves salts behind and browns tips as well. | Check watering and humidity first. If you have been feeding a lot, ease off. |
| White or yellow crust on the compost or pot rim | Salts building up from feed or from hard water. | Scrape off the crust and flush the pot with plain water so it drains freely, or repot into fresh compost if it is bad. Then feed less. |
| Wilting in damp compost | Roots that cannot take up water, from too much water or from salts after too much feed. | Stop feeding. Check drainage and the roots, then flush or repot. |
| Tall, floppy, pale stems | Too little light. Too much feed can make growth lanky too. | Move the plant somewhere brighter and check how often you feed. |
Four ways to overdo it
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Mistake 1
Feeding to fix the wrong problem
A plant that is too dark, too wet or root-bound will not be rescued by a feed.
InsteadFix light, water and pot size first.
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Mistake 2
Feeding dry compost
Feed on dry compost can burn roots.
InsteadWater first, then feed.
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Mistake 3
Feeding a resting plant
Over winter, feed the plant cannot use just builds up in the compost.
InsteadEase off through autumn and wait for new growth.
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Mistake 4
Believing more is better
Feeds are made of salts. More of them means a stressed plant, not a bigger one.
InsteadFollow the label, and use less if unsure.
Tend: Houseplant Food
Liquid houseplant food with a pump on top, for the plants on your sills, shelves and side tables.
- How to useA splash around the base of the plant, then water it in. That is the direction on the back of the bottle.
- Size250ml bottle with a pump
- Also good to know100% natural, peat-free and made without synthetic chemicals.
Questions people ask
How often should I feed houseplants?
It depends on the plant, the feed and the season. As a general range, the RHS suggests a general houseplant feed once or twice a month for foliage plants between March and October, and about monthly for cacti and succulents. Your own feed's label comes first, so follow that. Watch the plant, not the calendar: no new growth usually means no feed.
Can you overfeed a houseplant?
Yes. Feed is made of salts, and too much of it builds up in the compost, stops roots taking up water and browns leaf tips. A white crust on the compost is the giveaway. Scrape it off, flush the pot with plain water so it drains freely, and feed less.
Should I feed houseplants in winter?
Little or none. Most houseplants slow down or stop as the light fades, and feed a plant cannot use just builds up. If a plant is still putting out new leaves in a bright spot, a light feed is fine. There is more in our winter houseplant care guide.
How soon after repotting can I feed?
Fresh compost usually comes with starter nutrients, so check the bag. There is no single rule, but waiting until the plant is growing again is a sensible guide. A newly disturbed root system does better with time to settle.
What if I forget a feed?
Nothing dramatic happens. Skip it and carry on at the normal amount. Doubling up adds salts, not growth.
Is Tend right for every houseplant?
Tend is our houseplant food, made for the plants on your sills, shelves and side tables. Orchids, cacti and succulents and flowering plants can have particular needs, so if you want a specialist feed for those, check its label. The directions for Tend are on the bottle and on its product page.
Keep reading
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Houseplants
Best Plant Food for HouseplantsHow to choose a houseplant feed, and when a specialist one is worth it.
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Houseplants
Winter Houseplant CareWhat changes between October and March, and whether to feed at all.
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Basics
Houseplant Care for BeginnersThe five things new plant owners ask most, answered plainly.
