- When and with what should you fertilize the single leaf?
- Annual repotting ensures nutrient supply
- Beware of brown leaf spots - over-fertilization is to blame
If you want to have beautifully flowering, lushly growing and healthy houseplants, you have to take care of them according to the needs of your plants. The single leaf, for example (also commercially available as leaf flag or spathiphyllum), as a typical rainforest plant, needs a lot of moisture and a regular supply of the right nutrients.
The single leaf should be given fertilizer every two to four weeks during the growing season
When and with what should you fertilize the single leaf?
During the growing season, the single leaf should be fertilized every two to four weeks. How often you have to use fertilizer depends on the size and location of the plant. You will notice an undersupply by the short stature, the lack of flowering or, in an advanced stage, by the yellowing of the leaves. In winter it is sufficient to fertilize the single leaf about every eight weeks. Use a liquid complete fertilizer for this, but only give it to the plant after watering. Alternatively, long-term fertilizers such as fertilizer sticks (€4.48) etc. are also well suited. These also ensure that you do not forget to fertilize.
The reason for the lack of flowering is often to be found in insufficient fertilization
If the single leaf, which is very floriferous, does not form any flowers, the cause is often wrong or insufficient fertilization. For example, over-fertilization with nitrogen ensures that the plant grows well and develops beautiful leaves, but no flowers. It is therefore better to use a fertilizer for flowering plants or flowering house plants and avoid preparations for green plants.
Annual repotting ensures nutrient supply
Furthermore, regular repotting every one to two years in a larger planter and fresh substrate ensures the supply of nutrients. Well suited are loose, humus-rich and therefore nutrient-rich soils with a pH value between 5.7 and 6.8. For environmental reasons, you should better avoid the frequently recommended peaty substrates, there are plenty of excellent alternatives. Alternatively, the single leaf can also be cultivated very well with expanded clay (19.73€) or similar in hydroponics.
Beware of brown leaf spots - over-fertilization is to blame
If you suddenly notice brown spots or dots on the leaves on your one-leaf, this is usually due to over-fertilization. Place the plant in fresh substrate and reduce the amounts. By the way, brown leaf tips are a sign of a lack of humidity.
tips
Like so many other plants, the single leaf can be fertilized with dried coffee grounds. The nutrient-rich fertilizer is available free of charge in many households and is - unfortunately - usually thrown away. The same applies to black tea leaves.