The Garden Beast team trawled through dozens, if not more, houseplant fertilizer options to find out which were most versatile, meaning suitable for the largest variety of houseplants.
We took care to include different kinds of fertilizers, to ensure at least one of our picks would match your personal preferences so that you can support your plants’ growth and health in a way that suits you. We also, of course, took care to make sure that our picks remain available in this volatile market.
We’ve used some of these fertilizers ourselves, with great results, and have consulted friends who have experienced with particular products about others.
Houseplant Fertilizer: Our Top Picks
Contents
- 1 Houseplant Fertilizer Reviews
- 2 The Best Overall Houseplant Fertilizer- Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 Plant Food
- 3 The Best Premium Houseplant Fertilizer- EarthPods Premium Bio Organic Indoor Plant Food
- 4 The Best Budget Houseplant Fertilizer- Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food (Liquid)
- 5 SUPERthrive VI30155 Plant Vitamin Solution
- 6 Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes for Indoor Houseplants
- 7 Aquatic Arts Indoor Plant Food
- 8 Perky Plant Water Soluble Organic All-Purpose Plant Food
- 9 Other Best Selling Options
- 10 Houseplant Fertilizer Buyer’s Guide
- 11 What Type of Fertilizer Is Best for Your Houseplants?
- 12 Houseplant Fertilizer FAQs
- 13 In Conclusion
- The best overall houseplant fertilizer — Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 houseplant fertilizer
The Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 houseplant fertilizer stands out from the rest because it is a complete fertilizer that incorporates all 16 essential plant nutrients, and it will help indoor gardeners keep just about any houseplant strong, healthy, and beautiful. - The best premium houseplant fertilizer — EarthPods Premium Bio Organic Indoor Plant Food consists of environmentally-friendly slow-release capsules manufactured in the US. We settled on this choice after some debate, as not everyone likes organic fertilizer. This formula is most likely to continue to be available in this volatile market, and does a wonderful job.
- The best budget houseplant fertilizer — Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food is a solid 1-1-1 liquid fertilizer that will help most houseplants thrive with a simple squirt. Not only is this houseplant fertilizer extremely budget-friendly, it’s also incredibly convenient.
Houseplant Fertilizer Reviews
Learn more about our top picks, as well as additional houseplant fertilizer options to keep your plants in great condition.
The Best Overall Houseplant Fertilizer- Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 Plant Food
Dyna-Gro has proudly been serving gardeners well for decades, and all the products this leading manufacturer produces are made right in the United States — with balanced ingredients that provide complete nutrition to all your plants.
- Complete with all 16 essential elements
- Promotes vibrant growth of all plants
- Low in soluble salts
- Easy to use super concentrate
- Ideal for poor, rocky soils, container grown plants and hydroponics
The Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 houseplant fertilizer comes in a quart-sized package and has a volume of 32 ounces. Many indoor gardeners choose Dyna-Grow 7-9-5 because this indoor plant food goes easy on the nitrogen compared to many other options — and that helps you grow houseplants that grow strong and dense, but not too quickly or tall. This is, ultimately, what made us choose Dyna-Grow 7-9-5 as our overall top pick.
What We Liked
- Dyna-Gro offers complete nutrition for your houseplants — forget about fertilizers that only feed your plants nitrogen, phospherous, and potassium, as Dyna-Grow 7-9-5 provides all 16 elements your plants depend on for healthy growth.
- This means that Dyna-Grow 7-9-5 is an excellent choice for plants that have been exposed to nutrient-poor environments for a long time, and are suffering — indoor gardeners who are bringing rescue plants home can quickly nurse them back to health, and help them thrive, by feeding their plants this complete houseplant food.
- A little of this extremely concentrated formula goes a long way.
- This formula is low in soluble salts and will keep your soil looking splendid.
- Dyna-Grow 7-9-5 is a good option for gardeners who are hoping to practice hydroponics, too.
The Best Premium Houseplant Fertilizer- EarthPods Premium Bio Organic Indoor Plant Food
Indoor gardeners who have committed themselves to a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly way to grow and care for houseplants did not, until recently, have very many options to choose from. EarthPods, which manufactures its unique organic fertilizers in the US, offers a no-mess, vegan, and child-friendly approach to feeding your houseplants — through slow-release fertilizer capsules that are supremely easy to use.
- CONCENTRATED PREMIUM ALL PURPOSE ORGANIC PLANT FOOD — Supports robust root growth, strong stem development, enhances leaf color vibrancy, creates rich loamy soil over time for all your indoor & outdoor plants
- NO MESSY LIQUIDS / NO CONFUSING MEASURING SPOONS / NO STINKY SMELL — 1 tube = 100 EarthPods pre-measured plant fertilizer capsules (a 5-year supply for a single special houseplant or use on big collection of indoor house plants)
- SO FAST & EASY TO APPLY — Push 1 EarthPod all the way into the root zone near the center of your plant, then just water! (EarthPods will break down & slowly release nutrients direct to roots where it counts)
- PROPRIETARY FORMULA FOR SUPERIOR RESULTS — Slow release fertilizer robust with a large variety of organic plant nutrients, trace minerals, soil life & humates, all in a form immediately available for plant uptake
- ECO FRIENDLY & COMPACT — Tube stores easily on your kitchen shelf + recycle the empty paperboard packaging printed with soy inks when done (EarthPods are pet, child, eco-friendly, vegan + 100% sustainably made in the USA)
The company offers unique fertilizers for specific species, including orchids, African violets, cacti, bonsai trees, and herbs, but indoor gardeners who are looking for an all-purpose organic houseplant fertilizer will find a convenient solution in the EarthPods Premium Organic Indoor Plant Food.
Each (paper-based, because EarthPods is 100 percent committed to green products) container is filled with 100 capsules, which simply need to be placed deeply into the soil and watered to activate their superpowers.
What We Liked
- EarthPods capsules are easy to use, and gardeners will not have to worry about dosing!
- EarthPods is completely committed to organic and environmental principles.
- These organic fertilizer capsules are all-purpose, and suitable for any houseplant — despite the fact that EarthPods has specialized products geared toward bonsai specimens and cacti, the all-purpose capsules work very well with these plants, too.
The Best Budget Houseplant Fertilizer- Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food (Liquid)
Readers may recognize Miracle-Gro, as it’s one of the most well-known companies in the gardening industry, famous, among other products, for their planting mixes and great value for money.
Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food, a liquid houseplant fertilizer, deserves to be named the best budget houseplant fertilizer for the simple reason that this fertilizer is easy to use and suitable for use with every type of houseplant.
- Instantly feeds all indoor houseplants
- For all indoor plants, including edibles
- Feeds instantly
- Able to apply directly to the soil or can mix with water
- Apply once a week
It is a very decent choice for new indoor gardeners who have never worked with houseplant fertilizers before and who are looking for a user-friendly product that achieves the results it advertises.
Miracle-Gro manufactures a wide variety of fertilizers to meet the needs of your garden plants — but if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to feed your houseplants, Miracle-Gro’s Liquid Indoor Plant Food is an extremely convenient pick. With an N-P-K (nitrogen, phospherous, potassium) ratio of 1-1-1, it is versatile enough to benefit nearly all of your houseplants, including any edible plants you may be growing and caring for indoors.
Each handy squirt bottle — which functions in exactly the same way as a liquid soap dispenser — contains eight ounces of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food. Miracle-Gro advises indoor gardeners to feed their plants once a week, although it is always important to keep individual species’ unique needs into account as you decide when to apply fertilizer.
If you like, you can simply squirt one to two pumps of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food straight into your plant’s soil — but if your plants would benefit from a more diluted fertilizer, you can first add this indoor plant food to a cup of water and then measure the dose you want to apply out.
What We Liked
- Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food instantly revitalizes your plants.
- This fertilizer can be used to feed almost all of your houseplants.
- The squirt bottle makes the process of feeding your plants much less intimidating.
- This fertilizer is very affordable.
- Unlike some other liquid fertilizer bottles, Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food does not create any foaming, ensuring that the fertilizer reaches your plants’ soil in an even manner.
SUPERthrive VI30155 Plant Vitamin Solution
SUPERthrive produces plant food that’s especially formulated to support fresh transplants or give suffering plants that have grown dull a new leash on life.
The VI30155 Plant Vitamin Solution can be used in the garden, including on lawns that are looking a little sad, but it’s also amazing for houseplants. SUPERthrive relies on natural ingredients, including kelp, and compared to many houseplant fertilizers, this handy liquid solution features especially high nitrogen levels.
- Superthrive Is a Highly Concentrated Non-toxic Vitamin Solution Invigorating All Variety of Greenery for Home Gardeners and Professionals Alike. It Is Equally Suited for Hydro-seeding, Hydroponics, and Foliar Spraying.
- Superthrive Replenishes the Soil to Nourish and Encourage the Natural Building Blocks That Plants Make Themselves under Optimum Conditions.
- Superthrive Maximizes Potential by Quickly Building a Strong Root Base and Reducing Transplant Shock
What We Liked
- SUPERthrive VI30155 Plant Vitamin Solution can support the healthy growth of any plant, allowing you to use it in the garden as well as for your houseplants. It can benefit any plant, but is especially designed to revive plants that have grown dull.
- This liquid plant supplement works very quickly and is easy to use.
- Do you often take cuttings? This plant vitamin solution can come to your rescue if you are hoping to increase the odds that they will take root, too, making it a very versatile product.
Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes for Indoor Houseplants
Jobe’s has been a market leader in organic and ecologically-sustainable fertilizer products for decades, and its range of innovative products include convenient fertilizer spikes designed especially with your houseplants in mind.
These spikes have a 13-4-5 ratio and, while each pack contains 50 spikes, spikes are broken in half to feed smaller houseplants. These fertilizer spikes are especially great for beginning indoor gardeners and those looking for convenience, as each individual slow-release spike feeds your plant essential nutrients for the next two months!
These spikes may not be as nutritionally complete as some of the options we have looked at, but they’re absolutely indispensable if you don’t have the time to tend to your plants often (perhaps you’re going on vacation, for instance), or if you are a novice who places a premium on ease of use.
Simply insert a fertilizer spike deep into the soil, where it can reach the root of your plants, and you’ll be good to go for a while.
What We Liked
- Jobe’s fertilizer spikes are ultra-practical, even for beginners.
- These spikes will help you maintain plant health over the longer term, as they are formulated to release plant food slowly over a period of two months.
Aquatic Arts Indoor Plant Food
Aquatic Arts’ Liquid Indoor Plant Food was formulated especially to support your houseplants as they grow, and has a 3-1-2 ratio that is suitable for popular houseplants like pothos, spider plants, ZZ plants, crotons, aloe vera, and more.
Choose this fertilizer if you are after an easy way to ensure that your plants will produce the more abundant blooms possible while also growing strong and beautiful leaves.
- FEED HOUSE PLANTS: liquid fertilizer promotes healthy growth and stops wilt better than granules or pellets. Our 3-1-2 Miracle ratio makes living indoor plants thrive in pots, holders, and hangers.
- GROW REAL HOME DECOR: 1 teaspoon for every 2 cups of water includes nitrogen, phosphorus and other vitamins to boost root and bloom growth — easy plant pot growing for up to 1 year.
- Poinsettia, Pothos, Spider Plant, ZZ Plant, Aglaonema, Dioon, Fittonia, Jade Plant, Hoya Plant, Plumeria Plants, Yucca Plant, Hostas, Heuchera Plants, Dracaena Plant, Azalea, Orchid, Snake Plant
- Peace Lily, Begonia, African Violet, Aloe Vera Plant, Weeping Fig, Calla Lillies, Prayer Plant, Philodendron Plant, Dieffenbachia, Croton Plant, Christmas Cactus, Air Plants, Indoor Cactus, Mums
- Rubber Plant, Anthurium, Areca Palm, Lady Palm, Cyclamen, Peacock Plant, Dendrobium, Deacaena, Kalanchoe, Syngonium, Oakleaf Ivy, Aspargus Fern, Bamboo Palm, Boston Fern, Gerbera Daisy, Kimberley
This fertilizer, which ships in eight ounce bottles, is suitable for just about every houseplant, but will need to be diluted in water — after which you simply water your plants. It’s a concentrated formula, and you may be surprised how long a single bottle will be able to last you.
What We Liked
- Aquatic Arts’ Indoor Plant Food is versatile, helping indoor gardeners support the growth and health of flowering plants as well as those treasured primarily for their foliage.
- This fertilizer helps you achieve fast results, even if your plant is currently looking a little dull.
Perky Plant Water Soluble Organic All-Purpose Plant Food
Perky Plant’s unique water soluble fertilizer, which is suited to both garden plants and houseplants and is made up of a powdered formula that can be dissolved in water or sprinkled directly onto the soil, is the most unique fertilizer on this list.
Made with all-natural ingredients, Perky Plant’s all-purpose fertilizer doesn’t just contain the “big three” (N-P-K) but also has additional nutrients to support your plants’ growth.
- Mission Driven - Perky Plant is on a mission to improve the mental health of 1M people through awareness, periodic giving to charities and events that reach young adults in the most at-risk years of their lives.
- Organic Plant Food - Our Plant Food Fertilizer is formulated to increase growth in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor plants without the use of harsh chemicals.
- Promotes Growth - Strong enough for Outdoor Plants and gentle enough for Indoor Plants. Perky Plant includes additional micronutrients like mycorrhizae bone meal and many others that support healthy growth in plants.
- Easy To Use - Perky Plant comes in an easy to use shaker bottle that makes watering fun! Simply shake Perky Plant directly onto plant pots soil or mix directly into your watering cans.
- 100% Money Back Guarantee - We're so confident that you and your plants will love Perky Plant that your purchase is completely risk free! If you or your plants are unhappy with your order, simply contact us and we'll take care of you. We know you want nothing but the best for you and your plants and so do we!]
What We Liked
- The handy bottle allows gardeners to apply this fertilizer in two different ways.
- It was formulated to help all types of plants grow.
- The company supports charities, so buyers indirectly do, too.
- All ingredients are environmentally-friendly.
Other Best Selling Options
- Easy-to-use fertilizer for all indoor plants including ferns, spider plants, pothos, and croton
- Houseplant fertilizer spikes feed continuously for up to 2 months
- When used as directed, plant food spikes are safe to use on all indoor, potted plants
- Plant food spikes are filled with the micronutrients that indoor plants need
- Indoor plant care made simple; enjoy vibrant potted plants in your home, office or business
- FEED HOUSE PLANTS: liquid fertilizer promotes healthy growth and stops wilt better than granules or pellets. Our 3-1-2 Miracle ratio makes living indoor plants thrive in pots, holders, and hangers.
- GROW REAL HOME DECOR: 1 teaspoon for every 2 cups of water includes nitrogen, phosphorus and other vitamins to boost root and bloom growth — easy plant pot growing for up to 1 year.
- Poinsettia, Pothos, Spider Plant, ZZ Plant, Aglaonema, Dioon, Fittonia, Jade Plant, Hoya Plant, Plumeria Plants, Yucca Plant, Hostas, Heuchera Plants, Dracaena Plant, Azalea, Orchid, Snake Plant
- Peace Lily, Begonia, African Violet, Aloe Vera Plant, Weeping Fig, Calla Lillies, Prayer Plant, Philodendron Plant, Dieffenbachia, Croton Plant, Christmas Cactus, Air Plants, Indoor Cactus, Mums
- Rubber Plant, Anthurium, Areca Palm, Lady Palm, Cyclamen, Peacock Plant, Dendrobium, Deacaena, Kalanchoe, Syngonium, Oakleaf Ivy, Aspargus Fern, Bamboo Palm, Boston Fern, Gerbera Daisy, Kimberley
- ORGANIC PLANT FOOD: This liquid fertilizer for indoor plants provides organic nutrients to ensure superior results and is safe to use around kids and pets.
- EASY: Simply add ½ cap of indoor plant food liquid per quart of water and water your plants. Thoroughly drench the soil of the plant. For best results use every 2-4 weeks.
- CONTAINS: Essential plant nutrients to help houseplants thrive. Liquid plant food is a vital part of indoor plant care, even for little plants. See label for all ingredients.
- FAST RESULTS: Espoma organic fertilizer for indoor plants will help you grow vibrant, larger house plants while encouraging new growth & the development of a strong root system in a potted plant.
- USE: Organic plant fertilizer specifically formulated for large and small house plants like a Fiddle leaf fig tree, a Monstera Plant, a Snake Plant, a Pothos Plant or a Palm plant.
Houseplant Fertilizer Buyer’s Guide
Your beautiful houseplants call the pots, containers, or planters they grow in not just their home, but their entire universe. Whereas garden plants can make more effective use of the soil nutrients present in the environment they find themselves in, your houseplants depend entirely on you, the indoor gardener, to keep them strong and healthy.
Supporting your houseplants’ health, growth, and blooms begins with picking the right potting mix and placing the plants in a location that optimally meets their cultural needs. It continues with watering, pruning, and repotting your houseplants, as well as remaining vigilant for pests and plant diseases. Fertilizer also plays an integral role in keeping your gorgeous houseplants happy and beautiful.
If you are new to growing and caring for houseplants, you may be a little intimidated by the thought of feeding your houseplants fertilizer. There are so many different options out there, after all, and it can be quite tricky to determine what choice is right for your individual plants. By the same token, new indoor gardeners may be daunted by the idea of dosing their fertilizer, as each plant as unique needs.
Seasoned indoor gardeners face a different challenge — they may know exactly what their houseplants need to thrive, but at a time when demand exceeds supply and prices are rising, they may have trouble finding houseplant fertilizers that help their plants meet their full potential, as many of the products they once relied on are no longer available.
Luckily, a set of wonderfully versatile houseplant fertilizers that can be used to feed just about any popular houseplant can be found on Amazon. Whether you are after complete nutrition for more demanding plants, or you place a premium on convenience, we will be looking at some of the best houseplant fertilizers around right now.
Indoor gardeners who know that they need to feed their houseplants fertilizer, but are not quite sure where to get started, could simply choose from among our picks — but if you truly want understand what to look for as you’re buying a fertilizer for your houseplants, stick with us a little longer.
What Type of Fertilizer Is Best for Your Houseplants?
The fact that buyers have a lot of different types of houseplant fertilizer to choose from only makes it harder to decide which fertilizer is best for your houseplants. Not only are some houseplant fertilizers designed specifically with a particular genus of plants in mind, the form in which you find houseplant fertilizers also differs from one product to the next. None of the types you will stumble on are “best”, but each does have its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look:
- Liquid houseplant fertilizers may be diluted in the water you will then offer your plants, or they may be fed to a plant directly by pouring or squirting some in. Liquid fertilizer gives gardeners most control over the process, including the amount of fertilizer they feed a plant.
- Granular fertilizers have to be mixed into the soil, and are therefore typically used when a plant is first transplanted or potted. Because they are not as suitable for ongoing maintenance, we did not focus on granular fertilizers in our guide.
- Slow-release fertilizers offer a nutrient infusion over a longer period of time, and they include capsules and spikes. Slow-release fertilizers are a good option for busy gardeners and those who will be away from their plants for a while.
“What Does the Does the N-P-K Ratio Mean?
New gardeners will immediately notice that fertilizers typically have numbers on their labels, for example 20-20-20, 1-1-1, or 7-9-5. This refers to the ratio of essential macronutrients that all plants need, namely nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). You will get different results depending on the ratio you choose, and each plant species also has particular nutritional needs. While each fertilizer will contain these three essentials, some add more — and a few even offer all the 16 macronutrients and micronutrients plants need to thrive.
While it can be extremely helpful to look up what nutritional needs a particular plant has, most all-purpose houseplant fertilizers can benefit almost any plant. As a general guide, it may be good to keep in mind that:
- Nitrogen goes toward supporting healthy foliage and is especially important for non-flowering plants or plants that bloom only rarely.
- High-phosphorous fertilizers are ideal for flowering plants, as this nutrient encourages abundant blooms.
Houseplant Fertilizer FAQs
How do I know how often to feed my houseplants fertilizer?
Do not simply go by the manufacturer’s instructions — learn as much as you can about each plant you are growing to provide an optimal environment for that plant! This will also inform you what kind of fertilizer is best for each plant.
Is organic or artificial fertilizer better?
Organic fertilizer seeks to amend the soil quality, while artificial fertilizers feed your plants directly. You will get more predictable results with artificial fertilizers, but organic fertilizers offer the benefit of being more environmentally-friendly.
Is liquid or granular fertilizer better?
Liquid fertilizer is easier to work with. Granular fertilizer is a good option when you are just planting or repotting a plant, as it is worked into the soil.
I have fertilizer for my garden plants; can’t I just use that?
Houseplant fertilizers are formulated to support plants that do not have access to the nutrients found in the environment, and which are often of tropical origin. Using a garden fertilizer to feed your houseplants will not provide them with the nutrients they need in most cases.
In Conclusion
Are you looking for a good all-purpose fertilizer that can meet your houseplants’ needs? No matter your preferences — liquid, slow-release, organic, or artificial, and complete or basic — you will find a fertilizer that can help your plants grow on this list. Researching your individual plants’ feeding needs will guide you as you decide which houseplant fertilizer earns a spot in your shopping basket.
