Days in the 80s sure are making it feel like spring! You may have even already planted some new annuals, tropical plants, or shrubs over Mardi Gras break. And if you did, don’t forget that feeding a plant with the right food, at the right time, is important. Whether it is an indoor or outdoor plant, using a combination of Root Stimulator, water-soluble fertilizer and granular fertilizer will help your plants to flourish.
Root Stimulator by Fertilome is a low dose fertilizer plus a rooting hormone. The rate is three and a half table spoons per gallon of water. Mix the solution together in a bucket, or watering can, and apply generously around the rootzone of the plant. Apply to the soil, not on the leaves. The solution will be absorbed through the roots, and will promote new root growth, which will ultimately lead to healthier leaves and stronger flowers!
You can apply Root stimulator to trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, indoor plants… I mean just about anything! Anything that is newly planted, or that is more established, that looks like it might be struggling. You can use the solution on a plant once a week, for up to four weeks in a row. Then take a break for a few months, and reassess your plant’s needs after that time. After those few months, you may find that your plants need a stronger fertilizer.
Liquid or water soluble fertilizers are great for promoting flowers and healthy green leaves of a plant. Different types of fertilizers will be recommended for different things. So be sure to understand your “plant goals” before you apply a fertilizer.
Are you looking to increase blooms? Then you want a fertilizer with a high amount of Phosphorous. Which will be the middle number on a fertilizer.
Are you looking to green up the foliage of a plant? Then your plants will need more nitrogen, which is the first number.
Just be sure to follow the recommended dosage, and reapplication timing, because applying too much fertilizer can burn your plants’ roots. I recently applied Miracle Gro’s indoor, water-soluble plant food to a hanging basket in my house (a trailing philodendron). I was excited, and hopeful that the fertilizer would give it a nice kick-start this spring. So, I foolishly decided to add more fertilizer than the recommended rate, and I did it two weekends in a row. The plant didn’t die, but by the third weekend, it was very wilted, and I know that I over-did it on the fertilizer. It will recover, but the plant took a “step back,” and is still in “recovery mode.” Also, reminder: the earlier in the day that you apply, the better. Never apply either of these solutions, or just plain water, to your plants late in the evening. Excess water around the roots of a plant at night will encourage root rot.
Using Root stimulator and water soluble fertilizers is a great place to start. They are fast acting, and are absorbed by a plant the day that they are applied. Using them at the beginning of a plant’s life is a great way to ensure success. But don’t forget about using a slow release or granular fertilizer. Using a granular fertilizer will feed your plants for a longer period, ensuring that they are getting the necessary nutrients over its lifespan. Granular fertilizers should be applied at least twice a year, depending on each plant’s need, then supplemented with a water-soluble fertilizer. But don’t forget, that the whole process should start with Root Stimulator, and that healthy roots, mean a healthy and happy plant!
