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Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Sanguisorba 'Tanna' (Sanguisorba 'Tanna')— schedule & NPK

Also called Tanna burnet.

More about sanguisorba 'tanna'

About Sanguisorba 'Tanna'

Sanguisorba 'Tanna' · also called Tanna burnet · flowering

A compact, well-behaved burnet bearing dark crimson-red drumstick flower heads on slender stems through summer, above neat mounds of blue-green pinnate foliage. More restrained than great burnet at around 60 cm, 'Tanna' fits smaller borders and gravel gardens. Hardy and pollinator-friendly, it adds fine texture and rich colour to naturalistic and contemporary planting schemes.

Growth habit: Compact clump-forming herbaceous perennial with a tidy mound of pinnate foliage and wiry stems topped by small, dense flower heads.

What fertiliser sanguisorba 'tanna' actually wants — and why

Sanguisorba 'Tanna' 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 sanguisorba 'tanna': 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 sanguisorba 'tanna', 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 sanguisorba 'tanna':

Light feeder. A spring compost mulch or single balanced feed is ample; avoid over-feeding, which can soften growth and reduce its naturally tidy habit. 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 sanguisorba 'tanna' 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 sanguisorba 'tanna'

Half strength is the safe default for sanguisorba 'tanna' — 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 sanguisorba 'tanna' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the sanguisorba 'tanna' watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding sanguisorba 'tanna'

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

Signs you are under-feeding sanguisorba 'tanna'

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

Flushing and leaching the salts

Flush the pot of sanguisorba 'tanna' 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 sanguisorba 'tanna'

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 sanguisorba 'tanna' — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does sanguisorba 'tanna' 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. Sanguisorba 'Tanna' 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 sanguisorba 'tanna'?

Light feeder. A spring compost mulch or single balanced feed is ample; avoid over-feeding, which can soften growth and reduce its naturally tidy habit. Light feeder. A spring compost mulch or single balanced feed is ample; avoid over-feeding, which can soften growth and reduce its naturally tidy habit. 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 sanguisorba 'tanna'?

Half strength is the safe default for sanguisorba 'tanna' — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.

What does over-feeding sanguisorba 'tanna' 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 sanguisorba 'tanna' 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 sanguisorba 'tanna'?

Flush the pot of sanguisorba 'tanna' 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.

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