Indoor Gardening and Houseplants: Need help with proper care of Stromanthe, 1 by hcmcdole

hcmcdole wrote:
Hey Semp,

If you want a bigger plant then move it up. If you want a bonsai sized plant then move it down. It is not necessary to repot unless it is declining or you think it would look better in another pot. You can break off some of the wayward rhizomes and start some new plants if you want to do this as well.

As for feeding you will hear all kinds of advice. Slow release and/or water soluble is the recommended way to go. Slow release is good to add at repotting time since you can mix it in the soil. You can also sprinkle it on the surface and scratch it in as well. From what I have read and heard water soluble can be used every time or once a week or once a month but should be 1/2 or less strength from the fertilizer manufacturer's recommendation.

I typically don't use any in winter but start using it again in early spring. In summer I vary it from none to every watering. I've used granular fertilizer as well but this should be done carefully and only with mature plants - young plants will probably be stunted or killed - use only at your own risk. Lessons learned.

Here is what granular fertilizer did for my Caribbean King (at least I believe this may have been responsible plus a huge pot). This is an 18 inch pot and I started with a gallon size just 5 to 6 months earlier.