Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Tiny Sundew (Drosera parvula)— schedule & NPK
Also called Tiny sundew, Dwarf sundew.
More about tiny sundew
About Tiny Sundew
Drosera parvula · also called Tiny sundew, Dwarf sundew · houseplant
Drosera parvula is one of the smallest pygmy sundews, native to south-western Western Australia, where it occupies damp, sandy, nutrient-deficient soils in Mediterranean-climate heathland. Its rosettes are rarely more than 1 cm across and the entire plant fits on a fingernail, yet it is a full carnivore producing sticky mucilage-tipped tentacles to trap and digest insects. Like all pygmy Drosera it produces gemmae in autumn for vegetative propagation, and it follows a strict winter-growing, summer-dormant cycle — disrupting this rhythm is the primary cause of plant loss in cultivation. Drosera is not listed in the ASPCA database; treat as mildly-toxic for pets.
Growth habit: Miniature pygmy rosette sundew; winter-active, summer-dormant; produces gemmae in early winter.
What fertiliser tiny sundew actually wants — and why
Tiny Sundew 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 tiny sundew: 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 tiny sundew, 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 tiny sundew:
Offer 1–2 springtails or tiny fruit flies to the leaves every 3–4 weeks during active growth; no liquid or granular fertiliser of any kind. 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 tiny sundew 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 tiny sundew
Half strength is the safe default for tiny sundew — 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 tiny sundew first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the tiny sundew watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding tiny sundew
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for tiny sundew:
- 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 tiny sundew
- 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 tiny sundew care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of tiny sundew 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 tiny sundew
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 tiny sundew — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does tiny sundew 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. Tiny Sundew 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 tiny sundew?
Offer 1–2 springtails or tiny fruit flies to the leaves every 3–4 weeks during active growth; no liquid or granular fertiliser of any kind. Offer 1–2 springtails or tiny fruit flies to the leaves every 3–4 weeks during active growth; no liquid or granular fertiliser of any kind. 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 tiny sundew?
Half strength is the safe default for tiny sundew — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding tiny sundew 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 tiny sundew 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 tiny sundew?
Flush the pot of tiny sundew 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
- Tiny Sundew care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water tiny sundew — 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 10153 fertilising guides in the Growli library