What to do if your plant hasn’t had enough fertilizer
Want to learn more about Treatment - Too little fertilizer (fertilize it)
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If your plant is in ideal growing conditions but has stunted or weak growth, it might be underfertilized.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU UNDERFERTILIZE
If you don't fertilize your houseplants for an extended period, they may start to show signs of nutrient deficiencies in the foliage. This is because they will be lacking in essential nutrients that they need to grow and flower.
While overfertilizing do more harm than underfertilizing, regular and even additions are best for the plant in the long run.
SYMPTOMS OF UNDERFERTILIZING
Slow and/or stunted growth
Leaves may turn pale or unevenly pale
Regularly flowering plants stop flowering even when given good light and watering
WHAT TO DO NOW
Thankfully, treating under-fertilization is very easy. Simply put, all you have to do is start fertilizing it! This is especially straightforward if you use a liquid fertilizer as Planta recommends, because this means that the nutrients are immediately available to your plant as soon as the fertilizer is applied. Don't give it extra fertilizer to compensate, this can severely harm the plant.
In the future, make sure to follow Planta’s fertilizing schedule, which will calculate the best possible fertilizing routine for each of your plants to ensure that they receive just the right amount of nutrients.
CHOOSING FERTILIZER
When fertilizing, you should also make sure you are using a product that is suitable for your plant - this can vary from plant to plant. You can find more info on what type to use on the Info tab on your Plant’s profile page.
When choosing fertilizer the most important thing to keep in mind is the N-P-K ratio (Nitrogen- Phosphorus - Potassium) as these are the key nutrients that your plant needs. Some fertilizers also contain additional micronutrients - these are called ‘complete’ fertilizers. If your fertilizer does not contain any micronutrients you can supplement with another fertilizer and alternate fertilizers every other time.
Also make sure to only use the recommended amount of fertilizer - which will be specified in the instructions on the package. Applying too much fertilizer can be harmful to your plant. For this same reason, it’s important to dilute your liquid fertilizer in water and apply it as you water - never apply liquid fertilizer directly to your plant! This is far too strong and can cause real damage. On days where your plant requires fertilizer, the fertilizing and watering tasks will be combined in order to avoid overwatering.
Note! some types of plants don’t like to be fertilized - if you’re not sure then you should always double-check your plant’s specific needs under the ‘Info’ tab in Planta.