Fertilizing

Most foliage plants should be fed no more frequently than once every month, and this schedule should begin no sooner than two months after the plant is purchased. The soil and fertilizer given the plant by its commercial grower to bring it to salable size is generally more than enough to last that long. Any powdered, liquid or tablet fertilizer specifically designed for house plants can be used.

As a general rule of green-thumb, always water your plants one day before fertilizing.  Never fertilize when the soil is very dry.  Arid soil does not allow granulated fertilizers to absorb.  If you decide to use liquid fertilizer and the soil is dry, you can easily burn the thirsty roots. 

The best fertilizers are those that have their nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a 1-2-1 ratio; a fertilizer marked 5-10-5 or 10-20-10 on the package, for example, is ideal. The reason for a 1-2-1 ratio is that it contains ample phosphorus, which promotes sturdy cell growth, but not so much nitrogen, which makes for fast leaf growth, or potassium, which also stimulates plant development. Follow the directions on the label and under no circumstances make the mixture stronger than the one suggested by the manufacturer.