Question 1

When is the best time to fertilize my Swiss cheese plant?

Accepted Answer

A Swiss cheese plant will need the greatest amount of fertilizer during the seasons in which it is actively growing. This active growth phase typically spans most of the months that make up spring, summer, and early fall.

Once winter ends, you should plan to feed your Swiss cheese plant about once every two to four weeks. Continue feeding at this rate until the fall months arrive. Once fall arrives, you can reduce your fertilization rate, reducing the amount of fertilizer you give gradually until you cease feedings entirely in anticipation of winter, when the Swiss cheese plant will have far less active growth.

Question 2

When should I avoid fertilizing my Swiss cheese plant?

Accepted Answer

Throughout most of the year, including spring, summer, and most of the fall, you should continue feeding your Swiss cheese plant regularly. The only exception to this is if you notice that your Swiss cheese plant has received too much fertilizer or if you have managed to fertilize your Swiss cheese plant incorrectly, causing fertilizer burn or some other issue that you'll need to remedy before returning to a regular feeding schedule.

The only time of year when you should not fertilize a Swiss cheese plant is during winter. If you grow this plant indoors in an area where the winters are cold, it will enter a dormant phase during the winter. Feeding this plant during its dormant phase is not only unnecessary and unhelpful to this plant's growth, but it is also very likely to cause fertilizer burn.

Question 3

What type of fertilizer does my Swiss cheese plant need?

Accepted Answer

The fertilizer for a Swiss cheese plant has a specific blend of nutrients, each of which is present in relatively low amounts. An ideal fertilizer will have an N-P-K ratio of 3-1-2. However, a general-purpose fertilizer that has an even blend of nutrients can work well in some cases. Still, even when using a balanced fertilizer, the ratio number representing the volume of each nutrient should be at 10 or lower.

The fertilizer you use can be either granular or liquid based. If you choose to use a liquid-based fertilizer, it is often best to dilute the strength by half. While there is not much downside to granular fertilizer, it is often most sensible to use liquid fertilizer, especially if you feed your Swiss cheese plant while you supply water.

Question 4

How do I fertilize my Swiss cheese plant?

Accepted Answer

The fertilizer that you purchase for your Swiss cheese plant will likely come with application instructions that you should follow in most cases. However, for a Swiss cheese plant, you should always fertilize just before or while you are watering the soil, as this will prevent the fertilizer from burning the plant's roots.

If you use a slow-release granular fertilizer, you should sprinkle it on the soil and then provide water immediately after. If you use a liquid-based fertilizer, you should dilute it with water, apply it to the soil, then supply a bit more water. Diluting your fertilizer by at least half is especially important in spring and fall when the plant's growth is ramping up and decelerating, respectively.

Question 5

What happens if I fertilize my Swiss cheese plant too much?

Accepted Answer

Since it is advisable to fertilize your Swiss cheese plant every few weeks throughout the growing season, overfertilization is not often an issue. However, it remains possible for this to occur. If you overfertilize your Swiss cheese plant, you may notice accumulations of excess fertilizer on the soil’s surface and foliage discoloration.

Fertilizer burn is the most common issue you should worry about when feeding a Swiss cheese plant. This issue occurs when you overfertilize, fail to dilute your fertilizer, or when don’t water during and after fertilization. In any of those cases, the fertilizer can draw moisture out of your plant’s roots, causing it to dry out. Often, fertilizer burn will manifest with browning and yellowing of this plant’s leaves.

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Why do I need to fertilize my Swiss cheese plant?

More Questions About Swiss cheese plant

When is the best time to fertilize my Swiss cheese plant?

When should I avoid fertilizing my Swiss cheese plant?

What type of fertilizer does my Swiss cheese plant need?

How do I fertilize my Swiss cheese plant?

What happens if I fertilize my Swiss cheese plant too much?