Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Little Bunny Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny')— schedule & NPK
Also called little bunny fountain grass, miniature fountain grass.
More about little bunny fountain grass
About Little Bunny Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' · also called little bunny fountain grass, miniature fountain grass · flowering
'Little Bunny' is the dwarf of the fountain grass family, a tidy 30-45 cm clump of arching green blades topped in late summer with fuzzy, buff-pink foxtail plumes. It thrives in full sun and average soil, turns golden-amber in autumn, and is grown widely in rock gardens, edging, and containers across US and UK borders.
Growth habit: Compact, fountain-shaped deciduous warm-season grass forming a neat mounded clump of fine arching foliage with plumes held just above the leaves.
Watch for — Floppy, open clump: Too much shade or rich, over-fertilised soil weakens the stems. Give full sun and lean soil to keep the mound tight.
What fertiliser little bunny fountain grass actually wants — and why
Little Bunny Fountain Grass 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 little bunny fountain grass: 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 little bunny fountain grass, 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 little bunny fountain grass:
Light feeders. A single spring application of balanced slow-release fertiliser, or a top-dressing of compost, is plenty. Excess nitrogen causes floppy, weak growth and fewer plumes. 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 little bunny fountain grass 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 little bunny fountain grass
Half strength is the safe default for little bunny fountain grass — 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 little bunny fountain grass first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the little bunny fountain grass watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding little bunny fountain grass
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for little bunny fountain grass:
- 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 little bunny fountain grass
- 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 little bunny fountain grass care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of little bunny fountain grass 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 little bunny fountain grass
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 little bunny fountain grass — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does little bunny fountain grass 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. Little Bunny Fountain Grass 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 little bunny fountain grass?
Light feeders. A single spring application of balanced slow-release fertiliser, or a top-dressing of compost, is plenty. Excess nitrogen causes floppy, weak growth and fewer plumes. Light feeders. A single spring application of balanced slow-release fertiliser, or a top-dressing of compost, is plenty. Excess nitrogen causes floppy, weak growth and fewer plumes. 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 little bunny fountain grass?
Half strength is the safe default for little bunny fountain grass — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding little bunny fountain grass 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 little bunny fountain grass 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 little bunny fountain grass?
Flush the pot of little bunny fountain grass 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
- Little Bunny Fountain Grass care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water little bunny fountain grass — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
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- All 3899 fertilising guides in the Growli library