Regardless of your opinion on plumerias, it cannot be denied that their stunning flowers will impress you when they are in full bloom.
Fertilizing plumeria plants can be a complicated issue considering that they’re heavy feeders and the fact that the plant branches at the same time it starts to bloom.
What is the best fertilizer for plumeria? The main ingredient in the plumeria fertilizer has to be lots of phosphorus. The plant needs phosphorus in high doses and in frequent applications in order to flower. A custom 10-52-10 fertilizer is ideal. Apply the fertilizer once every other week from the late spring until the end of the summer.
Below, you can choose from the 7 best fertilizers for plumeria and learn how to fertilize the plant and ensure it blooms on time.
Best Fertilizer for Plumeria
Like most flowering plants, phosphorus is essential for the growth and success of the plumeria.
However, that doesn’t mean that you should rule out nitrogen altogether or use it in high doses.
While the plumeria plant needs nitrogen to branch, which happens around the same time the flower buds emerge, too much nitrogen would cause more foliage growth and fewer blooms.
What To Look For – General Guidelines
The key factor in the best fertilizer for plumeria is that it should contain high concentrations of phosphorus and relatively small amounts of nitrogen and potassium.
A fertilizer with the label 10-52-10 or 5-30-5 would fit the plumeria perfectly. Here are the 7 top fertilizers for plumeria and why you should choose one over the others.
1. Nelson NutriStar Plumeria Food
Nelson is a fast-release fertilizer for plumeria and other tropical plants. It has the right macronutrient ratio for plumeria with the label 5-30-5.
It boosts the plant immediately after each application. The high phosphorus content encourages bigger blooms with rich colors.
The low nitrogen concentrations feed the plant during the branching stage without impacting the blooms.
2. Schutz Slow-Release Bloom Food
Schutz Bloom Food is a high-phosphorus fertilizer that you can use to feed plumeria plants. It’s a slow-release granular fertilizer, so you can apply it once a month.
The nutrient ratio of the fertilizer is 12-24-12. While it contains high concentrations of phosphorus, which the plumeria favors, it does have a slightly higher nitrogen content (12%) than what is ideal.
This could be beneficial if you are looking to enhance the leaves and overall growth.
3. Flower Fuel Bloom Booster
As the name implies, Flower Fuel is not just a fertilizer. Rather, it’s a bloom booster that you can use in place of ordinary plant foods. It contains high doses of phosphorus and hardly any nitrogen content.
You should apply it throughout the bloom season to feed the plumeria and trigger more blooms. To use Flower Fuel, mix ¼ teaspoon for every gallon of water, and feed the plant.
4. Dr. Earth Organic Annual Bloom
Dr. Earth is an organic fertilizer that is ideal for organic gardens. It doesn’t contain toxins or harsh chemicals that might damage other plants or prove to be toxic to pets and humans.
It’s also free of chicken manure, sewage, or GMO materials. You can use it safely on your plumeria plants to enjoy bigger and better blooms.
The probiotics and seven strains of microbes in the fertilizer benefit the soil and speed up the breaking down of the organic materials.
5. Grow More Hawaiian Bud & Bloom
Grow More is specifically developed for flowering plants because of its high phosphorus content.
The 5-50-17 formula contains just about enough nitrogen to keep the plumeria going without offsetting its flowering buds with heavy foliage growth.
The water-soluble fertilizer can be applied directly to the soil or diluted in water and sprayed.
Apply it once every other week during the flowering season of the plumeria from late spring until late summer.
6. The Andersons PGF Balanced Fertilizer
Andersons PGF is a balanced fertilizer with equal amounts of the three macronutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
There’s a risk of triggering a foliage growth that eclipses the flower buds, so use it to feed the plumeria in the early spring.
After that, apply it sparingly from late April until the end of August.
The fertilizer contains micronutrients such as iron that the plumeria needs to develop a robust root system and fight pests and diseases.
7. Scotts Super Bloom
Scotts Super Bloom follows the recommended formula for flowering plants by increasing the phosphorus doses while keeping nitrogen down to a minimum.
The 10-52-6 ratio is exactly what the plumeria needs in its food even if the potassium content is a little low.
The water-soluble and fast-release fertilizer needs to be applied every other week during the flowering season of the plumeria.
Add 2 teaspoons to every gallon of water to feed the plumeria and avoid root burn.
Fertilization Guide for Plumeria
Plumeria plants need a lot of nutrition to support their growth and keep them blooming year after year. In their natural habitat in the tropics, the plants thrive in the rich and fertile soil.
This is why you need to amend the soil in your garden with plenty of organic materials to give the plant a good start.
Once it establishes, you will need to feed it from the early spring until late summer every year.
Fertilizer NPK for Plumeria
Like many flowering plants, the plumeria requires a lot of phosphorus and less nitrogen. In general, the NPK formula of the fertilizer should read something like 10-52-10, or 5-30-5.
The middle number, the phosphorus percentage, should always be higher than both the nitrogen to its left and the potassium concentration to its right.
When To Fertilize Plumeria
You should start fertilizing your plumeria in the early spring. Keep applying the fertilizer regularly until the end of the summer.
Keep in mind that young plumerias need less fertilizing than older ones.
How Often To Fertilize Plumeria
For established plumerias, you should feed them once every other week. Younger plumerias need to be fertilized once every 3 to 4 weeks.
Granular vs. Liquid Fertilizer
It’s better to use liquid fertilizers to feed your plumeria. Apply the fertilizer in the morning so that by the evening the soil will have dried to prevent fungal infections.
If you have a granular fertilizer, make sure it’s water soluble. Mix some of the granules in water as per the instructions on the package, and feed the plant between spring and summer.
Granular fertilizers should only be used in the spring and in special cases, such as when the plant is recovering from an illness.
How To Get Plumeria To Flower
As a tropical plant, the plumeria needs plenty of sunlight and lots of heat. Make sure the plant is in a sunny spot facing either the west or south.
If the sunlight is reflected rather than direct, that would be ideal.
Related Questions:
How Do You Keep Plumeria Small?
If you want to keep the plumeria small, prune the plant regularly. Prune lightly but regularly to keep it small and blooming.
Can Plumeria Grow Indoors?
You can grow plumeria indoors. Make sure it’s getting 6 to 8 hours of sunlight during the growing season.
Final Thoughts
The plumeria is a tropical plant that requires heavy fertilizing the older the plant gets. Apply a phosphorus-rich, liquid fertilizer once every other week between the spring and summer.