Here are 8 of our favorite DIY fertilizers for a variety of needs.

You can help your houseplants grow faster by adding essential nutrients to the potting soil with either an organic or inorganic fertilizer. Plants are relatively self-sufficient if provided light, water, and preferred climate. But, your houseplants will excel when fed the right nutrients.

The single most effective way of speeding up the growth in plants is plant fertilizers. Plant fertilizers vary in terms of their NPK composition. Generally speaking, nitrogen aids new green growth, phosphorus builds strong roots and flowers, and potassium ensures strong and healthy plant cells.

Pinch off the growing tips of houseplants that are already at their desired size in spring or early summer, once they have put on 3 to 6 inches of new growth. Remove the tip of each stem back to the topmost leaf or bud, by either pinching it off with your fingers or snipping it off with small pruning shears.

Water: Lack of water, or too much, is a common reason for a houseplant not growing. Don’t get in the habit of watering on a schedule, because some plants need watering more often or less frequently. The new pot should be only slightly larger, as a pot that holds too much soil can retain water that leads to root rot.

• Grass Clippings. If you have an organic lawn, make sure to collect your grass clippings to use on your gardens.
• Weeds.
• Kitchen Scraps.
• Manure.
• Tree Leaves.
• Coffee Grounds.
• Eggshells.
• Banana Peels.

You can get thicker stems on your plants by providing them with the required amount of sunlight, water, aeration, nitrogen, and space. The most common reason your plants don’t grow thick stems is due to a lack of sunlight.

Prune the roots of potted indoor plants annually in spring, just as new growth begins. Remove each plant from its pot, and loosen its outer roots from the soil mass. Cut back the loosened roots to within 1 inch of each plant’s main root ball.

Rice water can be used to water plants because it provides a sufficient amount of (NPK) fertilizer and minerals for plants to effectively use while promoting a healthy bacteria population. This results in healthy plant growth. It can also be applied using any method and can also ward off unwanted pests when fermented.

While there are numerous types of house plants to choose from, some good indoor plants to start with include pothos, dracaena, philodendron, snake plant, spider plant, and fern. These are all considered easy plants to grow.

Plants that do well inside include: geraniums, marigold, ornamental peppers, fuschia, impatients, coleus and begonia. They may not be the lush plants they were outside, but with some fertilizer and bright light, they should do nicely.

Best Flowers to Grow Indoors Hibiscus. Add a touch of the tropics to your home with a Hibiscus plant. African Violets. These gorgeous blooms flower year-round with very little effort. Peace Lily. Peace Lilies blossom predominantly in the summertime, but select varieties will flower throughout the year. Calamondin Orange. Geranium. Jasmine.

Caring for Your Indoor Plant Select an area in your house that gets adequate sunlight. Don’t move your plants around a lot. Increase the humidity in the room. Fill your pot with a balanced, 10-10-10 fertilizer. Regularly prune your plant. Do not tip tea or coffee into your houseplant.