Fertilising guide
How to fertilise String of Frogs (Ficus pumila 'Quercifolia')— schedule & NPK
Also called String of Frogs, Miniature Oakleaf Fig, Oakleaf Creeping Fig, Mini Oakleaf Creeping Fig.
More about string of frogs
About String of Frogs
Ficus pumila 'Quercifolia' · also called String of Frogs, Miniature Oakleaf Fig · houseplant
String of Frogs is a dwarf cultivar of creeping fig (Ficus pumila) with tiny, oak-leaf-shaped foliage on dainty trailing stems, prized for hanging baskets and terrariums. It wants bright indirect light, steadily moist soil and humidity above 50 percent. As a true Ficus, it is toxic to cats and dogs.
Growth habit: Slow-growing, evergreen trailing/creeping vine with a low, mat-forming to clumping habit; the species climbs with adhesive aerial rootlets, but the dwarf 'Quercifolia' stays compact and cascades, making it ideal for hanging baskets, shelves and terrariums. Foliage is the juvenile form throughout — tiny (under 1.5 cm / ~1/2 inch), bright-green, lobed leaves resembling little oak leaves or frogs.
Watch for — Leggy, sparse growth: Caused by too little light or over-fertilising. Move to brighter indirect light, feed only in the growing season at reduced strength, and pinch back stems to encourage bushier growth.
What fertiliser string of frogs actually wants — and why
String of Frogs is a light-feeding succulent — a gentle, low-nitrogen feed a few times in growth keeps it plump without forcing the weak, stretched growth over-feeding causes.
A cactus and succulent formula or a diluted balanced feed with modest, even numbers. Avoid high-nitrogen plant foods — they make a succulent etiolate and grow soft, fracture-prone tissue.
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 string of frogs: 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 string of frogs, 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 string of frogs:
Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser (e.g. 10-10-10 or 5-5-5) diluted to about half strength; stop in autumn and winter. Ficus are sensitive to mineral-salt buildup, so flush the pot with plain water every couple of months and avoid over-feeding, which causes leggy growth. Keep that to monthly between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September) and stop entirely once growth slows for winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when string of frogs 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 string of frogs
Quarter to half strength at most for string of frogs. Succulents take up very little, and a strong dose burns the fine roots before the plant can use it.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water string of frogs first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the string of frogs watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding string of frogs
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for string of frogs:
- Stretched, leggy, pale growth with widely spaced leaves.
- A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot rim.
- Brown, crisped leaf tips and edges.
- Soft, mushy tissue at the base — over-feeding plus damp soil rots it.
Signs you are under-feeding string of frogs
- Uncommon — succulents tolerate lean conditions well.
- Very slow growth and dull, faded colour over a long period.
- Older leaves shed faster than new ones replace them in a tired old mix.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full string of frogs care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Feed lightly enough and you rarely need to flush, but once a year run plain water through the pot of string of frogs until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for string of frogs
Organic options
A heavily diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed once or twice in summer. UK: a drop of Westland seaweed feed; US: quarter-strength Espoma Cactus! or Dr. Earth liquid. Fresh free-draining mix matters more than any feed.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A dedicated cactus/succulent liquid at quarter to half strength — UK: Baby Bio Cacti & Succulent Drip Feeders or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Food or Schultz Cactus Plus.
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 string of frogs — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does string of frogs need?
A cactus and succulent formula or a diluted balanced feed with modest, even numbers. Avoid high-nitrogen plant foods — they make a succulent etiolate and grow soft, fracture-prone tissue. String of Frogs is a light-feeding succulent — a gentle, low-nitrogen feed a few times in growth keeps it plump without forcing the weak, stretched growth over-feeding causes.
How often should I feed string of frogs?
Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser (e.g. 10-10-10 or 5-5-5) diluted to about half strength; stop in autumn and winter. Ficus are sensitive to mineral-salt buildup, so flush the pot with plain water every couple of months and avoid over-feeding, which causes leggy growth. Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser (e.g. 10-10-10 or 5-5-5) diluted to about half strength; stop in autumn and winter. Ficus are sensitive to mineral-salt buildup, so flush the pot with plain water every couple of months and avoid over-feeding, which causes leggy growth. Keep that to monthly between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September) and stop entirely once growth slows for winter.
What strength of feed for string of frogs?
Quarter to half strength at most for string of frogs. Succulents take up very little, and a strong dose burns the fine roots before the plant can use it.
What does over-feeding string of frogs look like?
Stretched, leggy, pale growth with widely spaced leaves. A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot rim. Brown, crisped leaf tips and edges. Soft, mushy tissue at the base — over-feeding plus damp soil rots it. Feeding string of frogs like a leafy houseplant is the classic error — it produces a flush of pale, stretched, floppy growth that never firms up and is prone to rot at the base.
Should I flush the soil of string of frogs?
Feed lightly enough and you rarely need to flush, but once a year run plain water through the pot of string of frogs until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Keep reading
- String of Frogs care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water string of frogs — 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 609 fertilising guides in the Growli library