Houseplant hacks: do you really need to feed your plants?

Some say their plants are fine without fertiliser, but are they just surviving when they could be thriving?

The problem Enter a garden centre and you will be overwhelmed by a wall of feeds: liquid concentrates, slow-release, droplet bottles and specialist formulas for every plant going. Many people swear by them, while others say they have never fed their plants and they’re doing just fine. After all, plants in the wild manage perfectly well. So do our houseplants genuinely need feeding, or is it just consumerism?

The hack Plants get energy from photosynthesis, but not minerals. They come from the soil, and in a houseplant bound by its pot that supply runs out over time. In the wild, roots roam through soil, fed constantly by decaying leaves, rain and living organisms. Adding fertiliser gives your plants the nourishment they need to grow and thrive.

The method During the growing months, add the correct amount of balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser when watering.

The test I chose two similar-sized plants I’ve had for years, feeding one with a balanced liquid feed through the growing season and giving the other only water. For the first couple of months, they looked very similar. But by late summer a clear difference emerged: the fed plant produced larger, darker leaves, while the unfed one slowed, paled and produced noticeably less growth. It was surviving, but not thriving.

The verdict Fertiliser isn’t a con, but often the messaging that you need multiple products is. A single balanced liquid feed, used through the growing season and eased off in winter, is enough for most houseplants. Repotting into fresh compost will sustain your plant for a few months, but after that the fertiliser steps in to provide all the healthy meals your plant needs.