Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Money Plant Spurflower (Plectranthus verticillatus)— schedule & NPK
Also called Money Plant, Swedish Ivy, Creeping Charlie, Whorled Plectranthus.
More about money plant spurflower
About Money Plant Spurflower
Plectranthus verticillatus · also called Money Plant, Swedish Ivy · houseplant
Plectranthus verticillatus (often sold as Swedish ivy or Money Plant) is a fast-growing, trailing South African native in the mint family, popular for hanging baskets and shelves with its glossy, scalloped, bright-green leaves and easy-going nature. It grows vigorously in bright, indirect light with evenly moist compost and will cascade dramatically once established. It is notably pet-safe — a welcome trait for households with cats or dogs. Listed by ASPCA as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Growth habit: Vigorous, trailing or scrambling evergreen perennial; stems root readily where they touch compost, making it an ideal hanging-basket or shelf plant that cascades attractively.
What fertiliser money plant spurflower actually wants — and why
Money Plant Spurflower 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 money plant spurflower: 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 money plant spurflower, 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 money plant spurflower:
Feed every 2–4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser; reduce to monthly or stop in winter when growth slows. Excess feeding pushes leafy growth at the expense of the neat, compact habit. Treat that as monthly 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 money plant spurflower 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 money plant spurflower
Half strength is the safe default for money plant spurflower — 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 money plant spurflower first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the money plant spurflower watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding money plant spurflower
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for money plant spurflower:
- 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 money plant spurflower
- 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 money plant spurflower care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of money plant spurflower 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 money plant spurflower
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 money plant spurflower — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does money plant spurflower 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. Money Plant Spurflower 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 money plant spurflower?
Feed every 2–4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser; reduce to monthly or stop in winter when growth slows. Excess feeding pushes leafy growth at the expense of the neat, compact habit. Feed every 2–4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser; reduce to monthly or stop in winter when growth slows. Excess feeding pushes leafy growth at the expense of the neat, compact habit. Treat that as monthly 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 money plant spurflower?
Half strength is the safe default for money plant spurflower — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding money plant spurflower 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 money plant spurflower 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 money plant spurflower?
Flush the pot of money plant spurflower 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
- Money Plant Spurflower care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water money plant spurflower — 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 stephania erecta
- How to fertilise stephania suberosa
- How to fertilise starfish sansevieria
- All 10153 fertilising guides in the Growli library