Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Hamilton's Sundew (Drosera hamiltonii)— schedule & NPK
Also called Hamilton's sundew.
More about hamilton's sundew
About Hamilton's Sundew
Drosera hamiltonii · also called Hamilton's sundew · houseplant
Hamilton's sundew is a Western Australian carnivorous plant producing large, paddle-shaped leaves densely fringed with sticky red glands that trap insects. It thrives in nutrient-poor, acidic, constantly moist media under bright light. Keep it in pure water — never tap — and avoid fertiliser. A rewarding windowsill or terrarium specimen.
Growth habit: Rosette-forming perennial carnivorous herb
Watch for — Blackening and dying leaves: Almost always caused by tap water minerals or fertiliser residue. Switch immediately to distilled or rainwater and flush the pot thoroughly. Affected leaves will die back but healthy new growth should emerge.
What fertiliser hamilton's sundew actually wants — and why
Hamilton's Sundew 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 hamilton's sundew: 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 hamilton's sundew, 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 hamilton's sundew:
Do not fertilise. The plant feeds itself by trapping and digesting insects. In low-insect indoor settings, offer one or two small live or freeze-dried insects per leaf per month during the growing season. 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 hamilton's sundew 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 hamilton's sundew
Half strength is the safe default for hamilton's sundew — 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 hamilton's sundew first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the hamilton's sundew watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding hamilton's sundew
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for hamilton's sundew:
- 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 hamilton's sundew
- 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 hamilton's sundew care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of hamilton's sundew 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 hamilton's sundew
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 hamilton's sundew — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does hamilton's sundew 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. Hamilton's Sundew 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 hamilton's sundew?
Do not fertilise. The plant feeds itself by trapping and digesting insects. In low-insect indoor settings, offer one or two small live or freeze-dried insects per leaf per month during the growing season. Do not fertilise. The plant feeds itself by trapping and digesting insects. In low-insect indoor settings, offer one or two small live or freeze-dried insects per leaf per month during the growing season. 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 hamilton's sundew?
Half strength is the safe default for hamilton's sundew — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding hamilton's sundew 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 hamilton's sundew 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 hamilton's sundew?
Flush the pot of hamilton's sundew 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
- Hamilton's Sundew care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water hamilton's sundew — 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 aloe greatheadii
- How to fertilise aloe hereroensis
- How to fertilise aloe krapohliana
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library