The Rural Voice, 1993-11, Page 36Gardening
Pudding for your plants
by Rhea Hamilton -Seeger
By November our window sills are
full with refreshed houseplants that
have been holidaying on the patio,
slips and carryovers from the flower
garden. There is that momentary
shock where they lose a few leaves
from the reduced light and increased
temperatures. I have been reviewing
fertilizer requirements and, in the
past, have stuck to a basic all-purpose
variety of 20-20-20. This means
there are equal portions of nitrogen,
phosphorus and potash.
But by March or early April I am
anxious for some of my plants to get
outside where there is a better bal-
ance of nutrients in the soil and rain
to wash the whitefly off of them.
Some get quite yellow while waiting
for the change in weather, so I deci-
ded to do a little research into the
problem. In order for your house-
plants to do really well you have to
assess just what they need in the way
of fertilizer.
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash
(Potassium) are always presented in
this order. The figures indicate the
formulae: 5-10-15 means that the
formula has five parts of nitrogen to
10 parts of phosphorus and five parts
of potash.
Nitrogen stimulates leaf and stem
growth. Too much nitrogen results in
soft stems and blooms will be
sacrificed to provide foliage.
Gcraniums are a good example of a
plant that has low nitrogen needs.
The inorganic nitrogen that is found
in commercial fertilizers can burn
plant roots if not carefully controlled
and is highly soluble and therefore
quickly leaches out of the soil and is
lost. If you are looking for a fertilizer
high in nitrogen, you can stop at the
cooking aisle and scoop up a package
of gelatin. Unflavoured gelatin,
obtained from the hoofs, bones,
tendons and cartilage of animals is
almost pure protein and contains
about 20 per cent nitrogen. Gelatin is
like homemade compost without any
odour. Like other natural products,
gelatin is broken down by soil micro-
organisms and its breakdown releases
significant amounts of nitrogen into
the soil. The decomposition is so
gradual that no root -burn occurs.
32 THE RURAL VOICE
Gelatin is not a complete fertilizer but
since phosphorus and potassium are
usually found in sufficient quantity in
standard potting soil, plants can go a
long time before needing another
feeding. Dissolve one envelope (one
quarter ounce) of gelatin in one cup
of hot tap water, then add three cups
of cold water to make a quart. Water
with this once a month. Prepare a
fresh batch each time.
Phosphorus makes for good root
development and sturdy stems but is
largely concerned with flowering and
development of fruits and seeds.
This element is important for gerani-
ums, bulbs and most other flowering
plants. Thus the second figure should
be larger for these plants.
Potash also helps harden stems but
more importantly renders the plants
more disease resistant. Plants that
have enough potash are able to
assimilate food more easily.
Commercially prepared foods are
great but you have to know which
will benefit your type of house plant.
If you have a plant that is grown
mainly for foliage, not flowers, then
you should look for a high nitrogen
fertilizer, one with the first figure
higher or the same as the others, i.e.
10-5-5 or 10-10-10. Since blossom-
ing plants require more phosphorus
select a food with a high second
number such as 5-10-5. You will see
this in African violet formulae.
Woody plants like my fuschia or
orange tree need potash to give them
a sturdy stem, so select a high third
number like 5-10-10.
Don't get too over zealous. Over
feeding can do more damage than no
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feeding. Excess plant foods can build
up as salts in the soil and injure the
roots. Overfeeding is indicated by
leaves turning yellow or brown at the
edges. Plants will not use as much
food as when they are outside, so
feeding once a month may be all they
need.
Another rule to always consider is
the moistness of the soil. Without
sufficient water, nutrients are insolu-
ble and the plant cannot use them. If
fertilizer is applied to dry soil, the
leaves will wilt and turn brown, so it
is important to wet the soil before
applying. If the soil is dry, water the
plant first and then feed a few hours
later. With my new menu for the
garden set, I expect to see flowers on
every violet and lush new growth on
those spider plants and ivies.0
Rhea Hamilton -Seeger, in addition to
working in advertising production
for The Rural Voice, raises two
children, and is a skilled cook and
gardener.
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