Lots of you have messaged us to say there are so many plant foods on the MUZI site that it is hard to know which one to pick. Here is a simple guide to the ones we recommend, what each is for, and how much to use.
Two kinds of plant food
Slow-release fertiliser goes into the potting mix and feeds the plant gradually for months. Water-soluble plant food is mixed into water and given every week or so, when you water. They work best together.
Slow-release: mix it into the soil
- Slow-Release Fertiliser for Succulents & Cacti (A2, NPK 9:14:9 with a little magnesium and iron) – use 2–3g per litre of potting mix. For a 10cm pot that is about 6–7 granules, lightly buried. Each dose lasts around 5–6 months, and succulents tend to colour up well on it.
- Granulated Peat Soil – mix in about 10% when you pot up. Good in mixes for orchids, foliage plants and succulents.
Water-soluble: feed as you water
Our water-soluble plant foods are from the Peters Professional range. They dissolve completely into a clear solution, so they are easy for plants to take up and will not clog a spray bottle. We stock three, chosen for New Zealand growers:
- No.10 High-Nitrogen – NPK ratio about 3:1:1, partly as urea nitrogen that leaves absorb readily. Encourages leafy growth and bigger, deeper-green leaves. Best for indoor foliage plants and young seedlings.
- No.12 High-Potassium – about twice as much potassium as nitrogen, plus trace elements for pot plants, which lose potassium quickly. Keeps succulents compact. Our pick for succulents.
- No.101 Hydro & Orchid – very low nitrogen, high potassium. Made for growing in water (hydroponics) and soil-free mixes, aroids and orchids. Also useful for orchids and succulents through the hot summer months.
How to use
- Strength: 1g in 1–2 litres of water (1:1000–2000). Stir until fully dissolved.
- How often: every 7–10 days. If you water more often than that (say every 3 days), only add plant food to some of the waterings.
- Watering the roots is the main way to feed – leaves take up at most about 15% of a plant’s nutrients. Pour the solution around the plant. Skip it during long wet spells or when the mix is already soggy.
- Leaf spray shows results faster and can be done alongside root feeding. Spray before 9am or after 5pm, not in the midday sun.
- Plants in water: use 1:2000 and change the solution every 10 days.
HB-101 plant vitaliser
HB-101 from Japan is not a fertiliser. It is a plant vitaliser made from extracts of cedar, cypress, pine and plantain. Growers use it alongside regular feeding – after repotting, for cuttings and seedlings that are slow to get going, for plants with dry or scorched leaves, and in water culture. Many people use it when propagating succulents. Add 1–2 drops for every 500ml of the plant-food solution you are mixing.
Quick recipes
| Plant | What to use | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Potting up anything | Mix in about 10% granulated peat; add slow-release A2 for succulents | When potting |
| Succulent seedlings | 1g No.10 + 2 drops HB-101 in 1L water; soak the pot from below or spray | Every 7–10 days |
| Established succulents | 10g No.12 in 10L water; soak the pots | Once a month |
| Plants in water | 0.5g No.101 in 1L water | Change about every 2 weeks |
| Other indoor plants | 1g No.10 + 2 drops HB-101 in 1L water; water the roots and spray the leaves | Every 2 weeks |
Using a slow-release fertiliser in the mix together with a liquid feed gives the best results. Always check the label on each product too.