Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Dragon's Blood Stonecrop (Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood')— schedule & NPK
Also called Two-row Stonecrop.
More about dragon's blood stonecrop
About Dragon's Blood Stonecrop
Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood' · also called Two-row Stonecrop · flowering
Dragon's Blood is a creeping, mat-forming stonecrop with rounded bronze-red foliage that deepens to burgundy in sun and cold, topped by star-shaped rose-red flowers in summer. A tough, drought-proof groundcover for rockeries, edges and green roofs, it is fully cold-hardy, evergreen to semi-evergreen, and ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Growth habit: Low, dense, spreading evergreen-to-semi-evergreen mat; trailing stems root at the nodes and cascade over walls and containers.
What fertiliser dragon's blood stonecrop actually wants — and why
Dragon's Blood Stonecrop 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 dragon's blood stonecrop: 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 dragon's blood stonecrop, 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 dragon's blood stonecrop:
Little to none. Feeding produces soft, floppy growth and washes out the colour. If at all, one light spring feed on impoverished soil. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season 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 dragon's blood stonecrop 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 dragon's blood stonecrop
Half strength is the safe default for dragon's blood stonecrop — 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 dragon's blood stonecrop first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the dragon's blood stonecrop watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding dragon's blood stonecrop
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for dragon's blood stonecrop:
- 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 dragon's blood stonecrop
- 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 dragon's blood stonecrop care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of dragon's blood stonecrop 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 dragon's blood stonecrop
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 dragon's blood stonecrop — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does dragon's blood stonecrop 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. Dragon's Blood Stonecrop 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 dragon's blood stonecrop?
Little to none. Feeding produces soft, floppy growth and washes out the colour. If at all, one light spring feed on impoverished soil. Little to none. Feeding produces soft, floppy growth and washes out the colour. If at all, one light spring feed on impoverished soil. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season 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 dragon's blood stonecrop?
Half strength is the safe default for dragon's blood stonecrop — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding dragon's blood stonecrop 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 dragon's blood stonecrop 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 dragon's blood stonecrop?
Flush the pot of dragon's blood stonecrop 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
- Dragon's Blood Stonecrop care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water dragon's blood stonecrop — 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 peace lily
- How to fertilise bird of paradise
- How to fertilise hoya
- All 1284 fertilising guides in the Growli library