Sybotanica Organic Slow-Release Plant Food, 300ml

Organic, slow-release plant food from Sybotanica, made in three blends: one for tropical houseplants, one for cacti and succulents, and one for orchids. A single scoop scattered on the soil feeds gently for three to four months, so there's no weekly dosing to remember. 300ml recycled jar, measuring scoop included.

Most houseplants don't go hungry so much as get fed in fits and starts: a generous dose in April, then nothing until someone notices the leaves have paled. We prefer something slower. These are small granules, made largely from what other industries leave behind (soy meal, cacao shells, feather meal), and they break down a little more each time you water. Beneficial soil bacteria in the mix help the roots take it up. Feed from March, when the light starts to come back, through to October, then let the plants rest over the Irish winter.

Tropical: for Monstera, Philodendron, Alocasia and leafy houseplants

The big-leaved tropical plants are the hungriest in most homes. Through the long summer evenings they can unfurl a new leaf every few weeks, and they use up what's in their pot quickly. The tropical blend (NPK 6.3–5.1–7.3) gives them a steady supply rather than a sudden rush, which means firmer stems and fuller green leaves instead of soft, stretched growth. One scoop covers a pot about 17cm across and lasts around four months. Ferns are more delicate, so give them half.

Cacti & Succulents: for desert plants and windowsill collections

Cacti and succulents come from some of the poorest ground there is, and too much food does them more harm than too little. It pushes out pale, leggy growth that leans toward the window. This blend is the lightest of the three on nitrogen and a little richer in potassium (NPK 5.6–5.2–7.9), which keeps them compact and firm. One scoop feeds a pot about 19cm across for roughly three months. Over winter, when they sit dry and dormant on a cold sill, leave them be.

Orchid: for orchids growing in bark

Orchids grow in loose bark rather than soil, and their roots are easily scorched by strong feed. In the wild they take in nourishment a little at a time, from rain running down the bark they cling to. The orchid blend (NPK 6.9–4.1–4.6) rests on top of the bark and releases slowly with each watering, keeping the leaves full and the roots healthy between flowerings. One scoop feeds a pot about 18cm across for around four months.

Ingredients

• Organic ingredients, around 85% recovered from other industries' by-products: soy meal, cacao shells and feather meal
• Beneficial Bacillus bacteria (biostimulants) that work alongside the life in the soil
• Full spectrum of macro- and micronutrients (trace elements)
• Around 80% of ingredients sourced in the Netherlands and Belgium
• Contains animal-derived ingredients (feather meal)
• Jar made from 100% recycled, recyclable rPET

How to use

• Plants already in their pots: scatter one level scoop (10ml) evenly over the surface and water as usual. There's no need to dissolve it.
• Smaller pots need less: the doses above are for pots of 17–19cm. For a pot around 14cm, use about half a scoop; for a 12cm pot, about a third. If in doubt, go lighter.
• After repotting: fresh compost carries its own nutrients, so wait 180 days before feeding. Then mix one scoop through every 2 litres (Tropical), 2.5 litres (Orchid) or 3 litres (Cacti) of soil.
• When: feed from March to October. Pause from November to February while plants rest.
• Less is more: never go over the recommended dose. Ferns take half a scoop.
• A soft white mould can appear on the surface after feeding. It's harmless, and a natural sign of the organic material breaking down.
• Not safe for pets or children if eaten. Keep the jar out of reach, and take care with pots that cats or dogs like to dig in.