Best food for plants to ensure healthy growth

Your indoor houseplants will benefit the most from being fed plant food as they require a bit more TLC to keep them healthy and happy. Modern Gardens expert garden writer Jules Barton Breck advises:
Most potting composts only contain a limited amount of nutrients, which are used up after six to eight weeks. So once your houseplant is growing, from spring onwards, it will do better if you feed it with a fertiliser.
Aim to feed in spring and summer, reducing to half the amount in autumn and nothing in winter. The trick is to feed regularly, rather than giving your plant loads in one lot as it can cause it to go into shock. If you’re not sure how much to feed, less is always better!
Easy ways to feed:
Fertiliser sticks: If you’re a houseplant owner who’s simply thankful that your plants survive, use fertiliser sticks such as Miracle Gro Indoor Plant Food Spikes in spring and summer. Make a hole in the soil then poke in a stick and it will feed the plant for up to two months.
Liquid feed: If you’re pretty good at remembering to water your plants then this is the way to go. Try Baby Bio Original Plant Food – simply add 5-10 drops to 500ml water every time you give your plants a drink, or mix half a capful in a litre of water and feed every two weeks. Alternatively, make it easier on yourself and use a Baby Bio Original Food Single Drip Feed.
Drip feeder: Somewhere in-between in the houseplant TLC stakes? Try a liquid drip feed such as Doff House Plant Drip Feed. Just cut off the tip of the cap and invert into the plant pot and each bottle will provide a balanced feed for your plant for 15 days.
Mist feeder: If you regularly mist your plants then you can also feed them through their leaves, as long as they’re not hairy and it’s not a flowering plant. Try Houseplant Myst, spraying 8-10 squirts onto the leaves once a week.

Ensure your seeds and seedlings get off to the best start in life by providing them with all the key nutrients they need to flourish. Just bear in mind that young plants need a weaker dilution of plant food so it doesn't damage their roots. Plants around eight weeks old will benefit from feeding every two weeks during the growing season.
Not sure when you should feed your plants? Miracle-Gro has some tips that will help you know what signs to spot and the best time of year to start.

Miracle-Gro recommend preparing your garden or pots in early spring, or whenever the last frost is. By feeding your plants the moment you plant them, you can give them a strong start by giving them the vital nutrients they need directly at their roots.
Already established perennial flowers and herbs will also need food for plants as they begin to emerge at the start of the growing season. This is to encourage a healthy growth. You'll just want to be careful not to disturb the roots or any new growth that has already started to come through.

Plants experience a burst of early growth when they're first planted, but you'll want to ensure they can keep up that momentum throughout the year. By feeding them regularly, even in summer, you'll replenish the nutrients they need throughout the growing season. This will coax your plants into growing their best and producing the biggest blooms and harvest.

If your plants are starting to have pale or yellowing foliage, fewer flowers, droopy, limp or weak stems, and just showing general signs of slower growth than usual, you may have a hungry plant on your hands. These are all signs that the soil is short on the nutrients you need, and if you've been watering regularly and haven't had problems with insects or disease, chances are your plants need feeding.

Plant food is used to improve growth and ensure brighter, more vibrant blooms and greenery, but you may be wondering whether plant food is necessary if you're making sure they have enough water and light in the first place.
Food for plants may not be needed if the soil is rich enough in all the nutrients your plant needs to stay healthy. However, contained plants in pots and hanging baskets, for example, tend to soak up these nutrients more quickly than those in beds and borders. So, because of this, you may find that these need more of a helping hand to replenish what has been lost from the soil. And if you notice any of the signs of a hungry plant we mentioned in the FAQ above, that will be your cue to feed it.

In addition to regularly feeding your precious plants, there are two small investments you can make to help them thrive. Consider a special plant lighting solution to give them brighter conditions, especially useful during the winter months. A plant humidifier is also a strong option to keep your plants happily hydrated.