Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Aglaonema Cutlass (Aglaonema commutatum 'Cutlass')— schedule & NPK
Also called Cutlass Chinese evergreen.
More about aglaonema cutlass
About Aglaonema Cutlass
Aglaonema commutatum 'Cutlass' · also called Cutlass Chinese evergreen · tropical
Aglaonema 'Cutlass' is a Chinese evergreen with distinctive narrow, lance-shaped leaves in silvery-green feathered with darker green margins, giving an airy, fern-like look. It shares the genus's tough, low-light tolerance and drought resilience, making it a sleek, forgiving houseplant. Like all Aglaonema, it is toxic to pets via calcium oxalate crystals.
Growth habit: Upright, clumping habit with elegant narrow, sword-like leaves; forms a fuller, more open clump than broad-leaved cultivars.
Watch for — Brown, crispy leaf tips: The narrow leaves show dry air, salt buildup or over-feeding readily. Raise humidity, use filtered water and flush the soil to clear salts.
What fertiliser aglaonema cutlass actually wants — and why
Aglaonema Cutlass is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for aglaonema cutlass: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed aglaonema cutlass, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For aglaonema cutlass:
Feed every 4-6 weeks in the growing season with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength; pause in autumn and winter. It is a modest feeder, and over-fertilising shows quickly as brown, scorched leaf tips, so err on the lean side. Treat that as every 4-6 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when aglaonema cutlass is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for aglaonema cutlass
Half strength is the safe default for aglaonema cutlass — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water aglaonema cutlass first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the aglaonema cutlass watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding aglaonema cutlass
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for aglaonema cutlass:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding aglaonema cutlass
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full aglaonema cutlass care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of aglaonema cutlass with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for aglaonema cutlass
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising aglaonema cutlass — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does aglaonema cutlass need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Aglaonema Cutlass is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed aglaonema cutlass?
Feed every 4-6 weeks in the growing season with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength; pause in autumn and winter. It is a modest feeder, and over-fertilising shows quickly as brown, scorched leaf tips, so err on the lean side. Feed every 4-6 weeks in the growing season with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength; pause in autumn and winter. It is a modest feeder, and over-fertilising shows quickly as brown, scorched leaf tips, so err on the lean side. Treat that as every 4-6 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for aglaonema cutlass?
Half strength is the safe default for aglaonema cutlass — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding aglaonema cutlass look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding aglaonema cutlass year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of aglaonema cutlass?
Flush the pot of aglaonema cutlass with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Aglaonema Cutlass care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water aglaonema cutlass — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise monstera
- How to fertilise pothos
- How to fertilise fiddle leaf fig
- All 2464 fertilising guides in the Growli library