NPK Fertilizer for Plant Pot

Fertilizer per pot: the 5 g/L rule

With balanced NPK 10-10-10 (the universal granular fertilizer), a safe dose for home gardening is 5 g per liter of substrate, scattered on top and worked lightly into the surface. Example: a 5 L pot needs 5 x 5 = 25 g, which is about one tablespoon. Reapply every 30–60 days through the growing season (spring/summer), then stretch it to 90 days in winter. Water both before and after so you don't burn the roots. Flowering plants do better on NPK 4-14-8, which carries more phosphorus; for leafy ones, go with 10-10-10 or 20-5-20. If you'd rather skip the chemistry, homemade compost from kitchen scraps (banana peels, eggshells, coffee grounds) works too—roughly a 2 cm topdress every 60 days.

Applications

Home gardening, urban vegetable gardens, balcony container plants, indoor ornamentals and orchids (reach for a specific 10-10-10 formula at half strength, every 15 days while they flower). It covers bonsai, succulents (1/4 dose), bromeliads and citrus in pots as well.

FAQ

What if I apply too much? Too much fertilizer burns the roots, and you'll see the leaf edges turn brown. Flush the pot with water 3 times to wash out the built-up salts.

Liquid or granular? Granular feeds slowly over 30–60 days. Liquid kicks in within days but you'll be reapplying every 15. Either one is fine, so pick whatever fits your routine.

Homemade compost dose? There's far less risk of overdoing it here—a 2 cm topdress every 2 months. Banana peel tea (1 peel steeped in 1 L of water for 3 days) gives a potassium boost for flowering.

When to skip fertilizer? Hold off for the first 30 days after repotting, since fresh substrate already carries nutrients, and during dormancy, which is winter for most plants.