Caring For Bromeliads - Part Three - Fertilizer
In this article you’ll find helpful information on the general fertilizer requirements for a bromeliad plant.
Fertilizer
Bromeliads are not heavy feeders; by they grow better when fed regularly in the summer. Most grow best with an all-purpose liquid plant food diluted to half of the normal strength. With most bromeliads, it is best to spray the fertilizer solution on the leaves and into the tank, while also dribbling a small amount into the soil. See the plant profiles I’ve created on this blog for specific feeding recommendations for each species.
As bromeliads reach maturity, which usually takes 3 years or more, you can encourage the formation of flowers by feeding them a small pinch of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). Mix it into the water or fertilizer. The magnesium helps to initiate flowers. Another method for encouraging flower formation is to enclose a mature plant in a clear plastic bag along with a ripe apple or several apple cores for 1 to 2 weeks. The ethylene gas given off by the apple helps initiate bud formation. To avoid overheating, be sure to keep the plant out of direct sun when it is enclosed in a plastic bag.
For more information about caring for Bromeliads, check out Part Two - Temperature!
March 30, 2007
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