Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis)— schedule & NPK

Also called Hottentot Fig, Highway Ice Plant, Cape Fig, Pigface.

More about hottentot fig

About Hottentot Fig

Carpobrotus edulis · also called Hottentot Fig, Highway Ice Plant · edible

A vigorous, mat-forming South African succulent with large, three-angled leaves and showy yellow, pink, or pale magenta daisy-like flowers up to 12 cm across. The fig-shaped fruits are edible, with a salty-sweet, astringent flavour. Naturalised on Mediterranean and Californian coasts; classified invasive in many regions. Highly drought-tolerant and salt-resistant.

Growth habit: Vigorous, trailing, mat-forming succulent groundcover

What fertiliser hottentot fig actually wants — and why

Hottentot Fig feeds in two distinct phases — balanced to build the plant, then high-potassium the moment flowering starts to set and fill a heavy crop.

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 hottentot fig: 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 hottentot fig, 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 hottentot fig:

The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when hottentot fig 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 hottentot fig

Follow the crop-feed label rate for hottentot fig — these are calibrated for hungry vegetables. Consistency through fruiting matters more than strength; erratic feeding causes problems like blossom-end rot.

Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water hottentot fig first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the hottentot fig watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding hottentot fig

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for hottentot fig:

Vigorous dark-green leafy growth but few flowers or fruit (excess nitrogen).
Lush foliage hiding the crop; soft growth prone to pests and disease.
Salt crust on the soil and scorched leaf edges in containers.

Signs you are under-feeding hottentot fig

Pale, yellowing lower leaves and stunted growth.
Small fruit, poor set, and a quickly exhausted plant.
Blossom-end rot and weak cropping from erratic or insufficient feeding.

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full hottentot fig care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

In containers, fertiliser salts build up fast — water hottentot fig thoroughly so excess drains from the base each time, and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent a damaging salt build-up.

Organic vs synthetic feeds for hottentot fig

Organic options

Garden compost or well-rotted manure dug in before planting, plus a liquid comfrey or seaweed feed once fruiting starts. UK: comfrey feed or organic Tomorite; US: Espoma Tomato-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Builds soil and feeds in one.

Synthetic / liquid feeds

A balanced feed at planting then a high-potash tomato feed in fruiting — UK: Growmore at planting then Tomorite (Levington) or Phostrogen; US: a balanced 10-10-10 then Miracle-Gro Tomato or a bloom booster.

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 hottentot fig — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does hottentot fig need?

Balanced (even N-P-K) at planting for roots and frame, then switch to a high-potassium ("high-potash") tomato-style feed once the first flowers open — potassium is what sizes and ripens fruit, not nitrogen. Hottentot Fig feeds in two distinct phases — balanced to build the plant, then high-potassium the moment flowering starts to set and fill a heavy crop.

How often should I feed hottentot fig?

Rarely needed. Plants grow vigorously in poor soil with no feed. If growth is very slow, a single application of balanced liquid fertiliser in spring at quarter strength is sufficient. Rich feeding encourages invasive spread and reduces flower density. Rarely needed. Plants grow vigorously in poor soil with no feed. If growth is very slow, a single application of balanced liquid fertiliser in spring at quarter strength is sufficient. Rich feeding encourages invasive spread and reduces flower density. So: a balanced feed or compost at planting, then a high-potash liquid every 1-2 weeks from first flower through harvest across the main season (spring through early autumn).

What strength of feed for hottentot fig?

What does over-feeding hottentot fig look like?

Vigorous dark-green leafy growth but few flowers or fruit (excess nitrogen). Lush foliage hiding the crop; soft growth prone to pests and disease. Salt crust on the soil and scorched leaf edges in containers. Staying on a high-nitrogen feed once hottentot fig starts flowering is the classic error — you get a huge leafy plant and a disappointing crop. Switch to high-potash the moment flowers appear.

Should I flush the soil of hottentot fig?