Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Drosera intermedia (Drosera intermedia)— schedule & NPK
Also called Oblong-leaved Sundew, Spoonleaf Sundew.
More about drosera intermedia
About Drosera intermedia
Drosera intermedia · also called Oblong-leaved Sundew, Spoonleaf Sundew · flowering
Drosera intermedia is a small temperate-to-subtropical sundew with semi-erect, spoon-shaped leaves covered in glistening, sticky tentacles that trap insects. Widespread across North America and Europe, temperate forms need a winter dormancy while subtropical forms grow year-round. It wants bright light, constant moisture, pure water, and acidic peat-sand media.
Growth habit: Small herbaceous perennial rosette with semi-erect oblong leaves on long petioles; temperate forms produce a resting hibernaculum bud in winter.
Watch for — Mineral water damage: Tap water builds up salts and kills the roots. Water exclusively with rain, distilled, or RO.
What fertiliser drosera intermedia actually wants — and why
Drosera intermedia is a heavy-blooming flower with a big appetite — a regular high-potash feed through the season is what drives a long, dense display.
A high-potassium ("high-potash") flowering feed — tomato-style or a dedicated bloom/rose feed. Potassium powers flowering; a high-nitrogen feed gives you a leafy plant with disappointing bloom.
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 drosera intermedia: 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 drosera intermedia, 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 drosera intermedia:
No root fertiliser. The dew traps gnats and small flies; indoors, feed occasional small insects or a light foliar misting of dilute orchid fertiliser onto the leaves at most monthly. For a hungry bloomer that means feeding regularly — monthly — right through flowering across the main season (spring through early autumn), tapering as blooming ends.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when drosera intermedia 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 drosera intermedia
Follow the flowering-feed label rate for drosera intermedia, or half strength if feeding very frequently. These plants genuinely use the nutrients — under-feeding shows up fast as a thin display.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water drosera intermedia first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the drosera intermedia watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding drosera intermedia
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for drosera intermedia:
- Lots of lush leaves but few flowers (too much nitrogen).
- Scorched leaf edges and salt crust from too-strong or too-frequent feeds.
- Soft, sappy growth prone to aphids and mildew.
Signs you are under-feeding drosera intermedia
- Sparse, small, short-lived flowers and pale foliage.
- A tired plant that stops blooming early in the season.
- Weak growth and poor repeat-flowering after the first flush.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full drosera intermedia care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Container-grown drosera intermedia accumulates feed salts fast with frequent feeding — water until it drains each time and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent scorch.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for drosera intermedia
Organic options
A liquid comfrey or seaweed feed (naturally potassium-rich) plus compost or well-rotted manure as a mulch. UK: comfrey feed, organic Tomorite, or rose feed; US: Espoma Rose-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Feeds and improves soil.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A high-potash flowering feed on a regular cadence — UK: Tomorite (Levington), Phostrogen or a specialist rose feed; US: Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster or a rose food. Fast, reliable bloom response.
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 drosera intermedia — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does drosera intermedia need?
A high-potassium ("high-potash") flowering feed — tomato-style or a dedicated bloom/rose feed. Potassium powers flowering; a high-nitrogen feed gives you a leafy plant with disappointing bloom. Drosera intermedia is a heavy-blooming flower with a big appetite — a regular high-potash feed through the season is what drives a long, dense display.
How often should I feed drosera intermedia?
No root fertiliser. The dew traps gnats and small flies; indoors, feed occasional small insects or a light foliar misting of dilute orchid fertiliser onto the leaves at most monthly. No root fertiliser. The dew traps gnats and small flies; indoors, feed occasional small insects or a light foliar misting of dilute orchid fertiliser onto the leaves at most monthly. For a hungry bloomer that means feeding regularly — monthly — right through flowering across the main season (spring through early autumn), tapering as blooming ends.
What strength of feed for drosera intermedia?
Follow the flowering-feed label rate for drosera intermedia, or half strength if feeding very frequently. These plants genuinely use the nutrients — under-feeding shows up fast as a thin display.
What does over-feeding drosera intermedia look like?
Lots of lush leaves but few flowers (too much nitrogen). Scorched leaf edges and salt crust from too-strong or too-frequent feeds. Soft, sappy growth prone to aphids and mildew. Using a high-nitrogen general feed on drosera intermedia is the headline mistake — you grow a big leafy plant with few flowers. The second is simply under-feeding a genuinely hungry bloomer and getting a sparse, short display.
Should I flush the soil of drosera intermedia?
Container-grown drosera intermedia accumulates feed salts fast with frequent feeding — water until it drains each time and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent scorch.
Keep reading
- Drosera intermedia care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water drosera intermedia — 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 3899 fertilising guides in the Growli library