Clippings No.4 The Weekly Feed

Whether you call it Feeding Friday, Saturday Sup, or Tuesday Treat, this regular ritual keeps your container garden flourishing.

Why the Regular Feed?

Just as with watering, container-grown plants rely on you for their nutrients. You may be feeling very proud of your recently-planted garden centre purchases, but you should know that store-bought compost will only feed your plants for roughly 6–8 weeks (it says so on the packaging).

That maybe just enough for flash-in-the-pan seasonal bedding (but it’s a stretch). Loam-based mixes—think John Innes No.3—have a longer-lasting nutrient profile, more suitable for permanent or long-term planting. But it’s still finite.

Topping up long-term potted plants with a fresh layer of compost mulch in spring does help. Especially if you stir in a slow-release fertiliser or something like Fish-Blood-Bone meal that takes its time breaking down. Homemade compost is especially good for this, loaded with nutrients that will not be flushed away by the rain and watering.

But let’s be honest—even this is not enough. I’ve gone through the rite of passage myself, tempting fate by ignoring all the sage counsel about regular feeding. Result? Lacklustre plants, feeble growth and some frantic repotting sessions to resuscitate beleaguered plants. Without a steady feed, roots keep stretching, circling the pot, hunting for food until they’re hopelessly root-bound.

A regular feed—weekly, fortnightly, or whenever you remember—fills the nutrient gap. Think of it as a mini celebration for each container, keeping roots nourished and plants thriving instead of lagging. Stressed plants? They’re magnets for pests and diseases—even more reasons to feed them.

Tip: Why not use your smartphone’s Calendar or Reminders app to give you a weekly nudge to feed your plants?

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Choosing Your Potion: What to Feed and When

Now, before you go grabbing any old bottle off the garden centre shelf, let’s talk about what you’re actually feeding them. Not all plant food is created equal. Most fertilisers are based on the three major plant nutrients: Nitrogen (N): For green leafy growth; Phosphorus (P): For healthy root and shoot growth; Potassium (K): For flowering, fruiting and general hardiness.

For leafy pots where the foliage is the star — think hostas, ferns, heucheras — a ‘balanced’ feed or a one higher nitrogen feed will do the trick. You can use Growmore or MiracleGro. To promote flowers and fruit development, you’ll want to up the potassium: Liquid seaweed or a ‘tomato feed’ is perfect.

Slow-release granules can aid the lazy gardener’s — add them to the potting mix or sprinkle them on spring, and they’ll trickle nutrients over the season. However, these tend to be synthetic and not always fully biodegradable. But liquid feeds? That’s where the magic happens. They’re like little energy drinks for your plants!

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Liquid Seaweed vs. High-Nitrogen Feeds

Liquid seaweed concentrate is like the smorgasbord of plant food—brimming with trace elements, natural hormones and all the micronutrients your pots could dream of. It’s naturally high in potassium (potash). It helps plants bounce back from heatwaves, disease, pot-fatigue, drought drama or transplant shock.

High-nitrogen feeds—or as I like to call them, “Miracle-Gloopy”—promise instant greenness, but they are a double-edged trowel. Sure, your leaves will grow, beautiful and lush, but too much nitrogen invites leggy, sappy growth that aphids absolutely adore. Those soft stems often buckle under heavy blooms (hello, flop-fest), and the rapid nutrient burn means you’re restocking and refilling far more often—plus paying more for the privilege.

My vote? Liquid seaweed all the way. It’s gentle, (relatively) eco-friendly, budget-smart and your plants will thank you with steady, sustainable growth.

Tip: Buy your seaweed in bulk. I buy Seasol or Envii 5ltr seaweed concentrate. The dilution ratio is excellent. Empathy feeds are very good, but can work out costly if you have lots of pots. I have over 100 to feed.

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Your Feeding Kit

Step-by-Step Feed Ritual

1. You’ll need your liquid seaweed concentrate, watering can (5–10 L) or garden sprayer for foliar feeding, measuring jug or cap (I use a laundry detergent cap marked at roughly 30–40 ml).

2. Add your seaweed concentrate to the can first (follow the dilution instruction rate for your fertiliser as they do vary - do not over feed), then fill your can (about 2 gallons / 9 L) with water. The action of filling will mix the contents thoroughly.

3. Slow Pour, Deep Soak: Water each pot slowly. You can guesstimate by count. I eyeball the pour relative to the container size: bucket-sized pots get a 5-second pour, dolly tubs half a can, my specimen acers enjoy a full can each.

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Bonus Tips

1. Keep an Eye on the Weather

If you’ve hit a heatwave, your plants are practically guzzling water and nutrients like ice lollies on a scorcher—so feed more often with a more dilute mix. Early morning or evenings are best to avoids heat stress and accidental leaf scorch. If the compost surface is parched, water it briefly first, then come back in a few minutes and you’ll find the compost farm more absorbent.

2. Mind Your pH

Some divas—azaleas, rhododendron, blueberries—are acid-loving plants and will be happier with a seaweed feed that contains ‘added iron’. Avoid using Fish-Blood-Bonemeal on these lime-haters.

3. Seasonal Switch

Come late summer and autumn, ease off on the the feeding. Your plants are winding down for winter and don’t want a caffeine jolt. Any new growth runs the risk of frostbite.

4. Play Scientist (and Keep Notes!)

You may need to adjust the frequency. Heavy feeders (tomatoes, roses, dahlias) many need weekly or fortnightly feeds to perform at their best. Slow-growers (hostas) perhaps monthly. Your garden is its own little world, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Jot down what you tried, when, and how your pots reacted. Before long, you’ll have your own unique schedule.

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Beyond the Basics

For an extra homemade boost, why not whip up a comfrey (or nettle) concoction? Just pack a bucket with comfrey leaves, cover them with water, and let the magic (and the pong) happen for two to three weeks. Fair warning: it smells appalling! (Actually makes me gag and retch!) Once you’ve got that pungent tea, dilute it about 1:10 before you feed your plants. This potassium-rich tonic is brilliant for flowering pots and fruiting crops—think of it as a natural, sustainable energy drink.

Another DIY classic is compost tea. Grab a generous scoop of mature compost, pop it into a porous bag (an old pillowcase works a treat), and dunk it in a large bucket of water. Give it a stir and then let it soak for two to three days. What you’re left with is a microbial-packed tonic that you can pour around the base or even spritz over the leaves. Your plants will lap it up! Just remember to strain out the bits so your watering can or sprayer won’t clog.

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Ready to Pick Your Day?

Feeding your containers isn’t just another chore—it’s the secret handshake between you and your plants. With a little regular TLC (tea or glass in hand, of course), you’ll swap wilted sighs for happy, perky foliage and blooms that practically burst with gratitude.

You’ll probably forget a week, or two, or three. Don’t worry. That’s life. Plants are pretty forgiving if you get back on the wagon. And honestly, they’d rather you gave them an occasional half-hearted splash than ignored them entirely.

So, next time you’re wandering around the garden, tea in hand, give your pots a look. Do they need a pick-me-up? A bit of liquid gold in the watering can? Pop on your favourite podcast, give everything a glug, and watch your pots puff themselves up with smug satisfaction.

Happy feeding—on Friday, Saturday, or whenever you choose! 🌿

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