Do I Need to Feed My Garden?

This is a question we get asked all the time, and the good news is the answer is pretty straightforward: your plants will tell you! 

If your plants are sporting discoloured leaves, funny little deformities, or they’re just sitting there sulking instead of growing – chances are they’re craving a little extra nutrition. Think of fertiliser like a smoothie for your plants… sometimes they just need that boost to get glowing again! 

Know Your Soil
Before you sprinkle anything on, you need to know what’s going on under your garden. Digging into your dirt (literally!) tells you a lot about the make-up of your soil – is it sandy, clay-based, or rich and loamy? Each type holds water and nutrients differently, and that’s the secret to knowing whether your plants will need regular feeding or not.

Here in our area, we’ve got some very different soils depending on where you’re gardening:

• Mt Maunganui → sandy soils that drain quickly, meaning nutrients can wash straight through. Plants here usually benefit from more frequent feeding.

• Welcome Bay → hillside soils that are generally quite rich and fertile, often needing little to no extra nutrition unless your plants show signs of deficiency.

Signs Your Plants Are Hungry

• Yellow leaves → often a nitrogen shortage

• Purple or reddish leaves → could be a phosphorus deficiency

• Slow or stunted growth → missing key nutrients

• Few or no flowers/fruit → time for a balanced feed

• Overall lacklustre look → soil might be depleted

Don’t Forget Your Houseplants!
Our indoor green buddies don’t get to stretch their roots out into the earth, so they rely completely on the soil in their pot. Over time, that soil gets tired and runs out of nutrients. If your houseplants are looking a little pale and peaky – or if you’re getting them ready for a spring growth spurt – now’s the perfect time to repot them or give them a feed. We love Kat’s Plant Boost (it’s like plant coffee!) but any good plant nutrient will do the trick.

So, do you need to feed your garden?
Not always! But keep an eye on your plants and know your soil – they’ll tell you when it’s snack time.

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