Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Lemmaphyllum microphyllum (Lemmaphyllum microphyllum)— schedule & NPK
Also called Button Fern, Coin-leaf Fern.
More about lemmaphyllum microphyllum
About Lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Lemmaphyllum microphyllum · also called Button Fern, Coin-leaf Fern · houseplant
Lemmaphyllum microphyllum is a charming miniature epiphytic fern from East Asia, forming creeping chains of small, fleshy, coin-shaped sterile fronds and narrow fertile fronds along a slender rhizome. Often grown mounted or in terrariums, it carpets bark and rock in tidy green discs. Compact, drought-tolerant and warmth-loving, it is ideal for small displays.
Growth habit: Creeping epiphyte with a thin branching rhizome bearing alternating small, round, fleshy sterile fronds and longer narrow fertile fronds; spreads into a flat, button-studded mat.
What fertiliser lemmaphyllum microphyllum actually wants — and why
Lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum: 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum, 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum:
Feed lightly every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a quarter to half-strength balanced fertiliser, ideally as a dilute foliar feed. Its small epiphytic roots are easily burned, so keep feeds weak. 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Half strength is the safe default for lemmaphyllum microphyllum — 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the lemmaphyllum microphyllum watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for lemmaphyllum microphyllum:
- 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum
- 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum
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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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. Lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum?
Feed lightly every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a quarter to half-strength balanced fertiliser, ideally as a dilute foliar feed. Its small epiphytic roots are easily burned, so keep feeds weak. Feed lightly every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a quarter to half-strength balanced fertiliser, ideally as a dilute foliar feed. Its small epiphytic roots are easily burned, so keep feeds weak. 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum?
Half strength is the safe default for lemmaphyllum microphyllum — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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 lemmaphyllum microphyllum?
Flush the pot of lemmaphyllum microphyllum 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
- Lemmaphyllum microphyllum care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water lemmaphyllum microphyllum — 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 snake plant
- How to fertilise dracaena
- How to fertilise peperomia
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library