Do you have beautiful house plants? What/how do you feed them?

[Aura]

What do you? I am trying to get my plants to THRIVE instead of just exist. I have several that I've had for a while and they haven't done anything...they haven't died, they haven't grown, they haven't bloomed. Please share your secrets!

 

I did buy a book and am following it, but then I bought Miracle Gro, and the recommendations on the bottle are different from the book.  :glare: So then I started reading online and I've seen "Miracle Gro is bad, don't use it," then, "Miracle Gro is great, use it just like it says." :confused1:  (Apparently, plant food has the same issues as human food. Don't eat this, don't eat that. LOL)

 

I want nice plants that thrive, but I'm not making my own plant food. I don't have time for that. And Miracle Gro is very easy to find. (I do save my coffee grounds, though. I was using them outside, but now I found that African violets like them, too, so my African violet is now on rotation for coffee grounds. Maybe that will help it to bloom.)

[amyco]

I use liquid miracle gro, a few drops in the watering can, each time I water.  I don't feed them in winter because I figure the main growing season is spring/summer.  Also don't overwater.  Have you tried cutting them back?  Maybe this spring cut them back a good bit. Sometimes that will invigorate them.

 

ETA:  I don't think I would use miracle gro on African Violets.  They are fairly difficult to grow properly, and the last time I had them, I remember buying specific African violet food.  Not much help there, sorry! 

[ikslo]

Only water them when they need it

Either don't fertilize at all, or sparingly

Some plants need specific circumstances to bloom, like temperature requirements or time in a dark closet (I'm thinking orchids, Christmas cacti)

 

I feed my work plants bottled water only, since I don't trust the tap water :)

[Pawz4me]

I use liquid Miracle Gro.  Sparingly in the winter, more often during the spring and summer.

 

Water according to the individual plant's needs (whether that be keeping it on the moist side or the dry side).

Appropriate sunlight  (some need more/less than others, some need direct and others need indirect).

Prune when needed.

Repot when needed (if you've had them for awhile they may need it).

Some plants are naturally slow growing.

[Aura]

I have three different types of Miracle Gro. One for general houseplants, one for orchids (a mist), and one specifically for African violets. They're the same brand, but different formulations.

 

I cut back and repotted almost all of them. Some liked that. Some didn't.

 

My little succlents (hen and chicks, I think, or some variation thereof) didn't, but they weren't very happy before. I'm not sure what they want. I wasn't giving them much water before, and then I tried more, but that hasn't helped. Sp I'm going to go back to less water and more light. They liked being outside when it was warmer.

 

I'm not sure whether my African violet got more upset about being repotted, or the fact that I relocated her to a sunny window...where the cat found her and enjoyed rubbing against the leaves. :svengo: She (the violet) has since been moved to under a lamp. She's starting to perk back up a bit.

 

The orchids didn't get repotted (that would require breaking their containers), but they're doing the same. I'm hoping I can get them to bloom again.

 

The others have new growth and are doing great...so far. I just want to keep them on that path and not that fizzle, or worse.

 

I have never really fertilized my plants. Or repotted them. I only watered them when they needed it. Trimmed away dead growth if necessary...and they lived just fine. But that's all. Never grew. Never bloomed. I think they need a little help.

 

I've started using filtered water or rain water for them, too.

 

[TeacherZee]

My orchids are very happy plants. I water them every 2-3 weeks by filling the outer pot to the brim with water and let them sit and soak for an hour or two then I lift the inner pot out and pour the water from the outer pot over the dirt and then let it drain. I give it regular plant food from May-October when I water it, just a couple of drops in the water. Nothing the other months. From May-October they all live in North facing windows. The other months some of them get to live in south facing rooms. Orchids do best with benign neglect.

[LMV]

I really think that appropriate amount of water (don't overdo do it, don't create a drought) and the right amount of sunlight are the two most key factors.  Sometimes this takes a little experimentation and adaptation though.  Good luck!