Feeding Your Bromeliads

ScotTi

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16/04/08
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Most bromeliad species thrive without supplemental feeding, but a few benefit from feeding to enhance foliage and flower production. Feed your bromeliads from April - September. Start tapering off feeding in late August.

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Aechmea - Use low nitrogen 10-20-20 or use 2o-20-20 (diluted to half strength) liquid fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer to the center of the foliage and let the water run thoroughly from the center down to the roots. Spray mounted plants twice weekly with 20-20-20 fertilizer diluted to one-eighth strength.



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Neoregelia- Use a 20-20-20 fertilizer diluted to one-sixteenth strength monthly.



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Cryptanthus- Use a 20-20-20 fertilizer diluted to quarter strength monthly. Avoid fertilizer on the foliage as it will inhabit the plants ability to photosynthesize and respire.
 
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For a organic feeding of your bromeliads try banana peel tea.
Fill a one quart jar with water, and add one banana peel.
Let it sit for 24 hours, discard peel and water your plants as usual.

Banana peels are a rich source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium and other minerals your plants crave.
 
I don't use any chemical ferts on mine. I put kelp meal and alfalfa meal in the soil mix. They really seem to like the decomposing organic matter that is high in potassium. I occasionally spray with a low dilution of organic blackstrap molasses and kelp liquid.
 
I would also advise caution using uncomposted banana peels as fertilizer. Although you're correct they're high in nutrients they're also high in etylene. Etylene is a plant hormone that stimulates them to flower. Putting too much banana peels into your bromeliad soil will not only attract many fruit flies, it will also likely force it to flower. In fact people sometime place an apple core or banana peel into the crown of bromeliads overnight to force them to flower. I use a liquid etylene spray to force flower mine on occasion when they're being too stubborn.
 
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