The Best Fertilizer for Flowers, By Flower Type [Review]

Any florist or hobbyist knows that having a good fertilizer is absolutely essential to the success and health of your flowers. Whether you’re growing flowers for pleasure or for income, you always want them to look as good as possible. The best way to do this is to give them the nutrients and fertilizer that they need to grow healthy and vibrant. 

However, with so many options on the market, it can be really hard to track down the best flower fertilizer for you. To help solve that problem, we’ve conducted a thorough review of each of the best fertilizer for flowers, based on flower type (plus general options) to help you make a solid choice. We’ve assessed the fertilizers according to their strengths and weaknesses and what they are specifically suited for.

Follow along to learn about the best flower fertilizers, but first, we’ve got a quick definition of flower fertilizer for those who don’t know.

What is Flower Fertilizer?

It really helps to understand the labels. You’ll find some numbers on any package of plant food you buy (they’ll look like 20-20-20). These numbers are the food’s ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or N-P-K. They refer to the percentage of each nutrient that makes up the product. So, a food with a 20-20-20 ratio will have 20% each of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, by weight. The rest will be composed of a carrier medium, as well as other nutrients in smaller amounts.

In flower feeding, bigger numbers aren’t necessarily better. Since the numbers refer to amounts of nutrients that are immediately available, smaller numbers could indicate that the nutrients are in a slow-release form. Organic plant food, for instance, uses forms of nutrients that require microorganisms to break them down slowly.

If you want to dig deep into the world of flower fertilization, you can research exactly what ingredients are in each product. Most companies make that information available, so you can read up on different products to determine what micronutrients they’re going to provide your flowers with, as well as what the source of each macronutrient is.

You can pair that with some research on the flowers you’re feeding to learn what nutrients they especially need, and when.

In case you don’t want to dig that deeply, though, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best flower fertilizers. Without further ado, here they are.

Reviews of the Best Fertilizer for Flowers

Best Flower Fertilizer Overall


Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food

A dependable, easy to use all-purpose plant food designed for all kinds of plants at many different growing stages.

Features & Benefits

  • 24-8-16 formula
  • Water soluble granules
  • 3 pound box
  • 1 diluted gallon covers 10 square feet

Pros

  • All-around fertilizer
  • Many different sizes available

Cons

  • Some users found the cost too high

Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food

Rating: 9/10

Editorial Review

A quick-acting, balanced flower fertilizer is a staple in greenhouses and garden sheds everywhere. This is an all-purpose plant food that fills that role admirably. It’s a dependable product that’s simple to use and that does the job it needs to do.

We liked that it’s not too specialized. It’s convenient to be able to feed everything with the same flower fertilizer, at the same intervals, and to expect similar great results from its application. For any gardener who wants better results from all types of flowers, this product can help.

What Others Are Saying

Miracle-Gro has a loyal customer base, most of whom were delighted with this product. They reported quick improvement in plants that were failing, and healthier, more vibrant blooms on plants that were flowering. They found it easy to use and highly effective.

A lot of people have used and reviewed this product, so as you might imagine, negative feedback varies widely. The most common complaints were instances of plants being burned, people feeling like the product didn’t do anything and people feeling like the price was too high for what they received. Many people cautioned that this product is not always cheaper on Amazon.

Best Organic Flower Fertilizer


Miracle-Gro Performance Organics Blooms Plant Nutrition

Miracle-Gro’s organic flower fertilizer features a balanced fertilizer and micronutrients that will help build your soil up and keep your plants blooming.

Features & Benefits

  • 8-8-8 formula
  • Water soluble granules
  • 1 pound box
  • Covers up to 265 square feet

Pros

  • Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed
  • Measuring scoop enclosed

Cons

  • Strong unpleasant smell

Editorial Review

For increased growth and healthier flowers, you can’t go wrong with this organic flower fertilizer. Its balanced formulation is perfect for many different types of flowers, and the micronutrients in the mix help build soil organically.

This might not be a feed you want to use on your indoor plants because the smell is strong, but for us, that’s a trade-off for using organic rather than synthetic fertilizers. Make sure to keep this product in a sealed container in a dry location—it will harden up if it’s just left in the box in your shed.

What Others Are Saying

Reviewers say this product has helped their flowers grow bigger, bloom better, and last longer. They noticed a marked difference after they had applied it and loved that their plants stayed healthier when climate and soil conditions were less than optimal.

Odor was a big complaint for users, even for those who liked the product. Some people found that the product clumped together after the package had been opened, making it difficult to measure.

Others mentioned that it doesn’t dissolve readily in water. Reviewers who had this issue diluted it in a bit of warm water first before adding it to the watering can.

Best Rose Feed


Down to Earth Organic Rose & Flower Fertilizer Mix

A natural, organic rose food that promotes healthy blooms and lots of growth. This mix will improve your plants and soil in one.

Features & Benefits

  • 4-8-4 formula
  • Soil additive mix
  • 1 or 5 pound box
  • Organic

Pros

  • Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed
  • Can be used on edible bulbs
  • Compostable box

Cons

  • Users have had issues with the packaging

Editorial Review

For those who want something natural for their roses, this rose fertilizer mix is a solid choice. For top dressing and soil amendments, it offers an organic option that takes the guesswork out of improving your soil. We loved that it’s also designed to help bulbs perform.

The first ingredient here is fish bone meal, so heads up if you find fish smells deeply unpleasant, or if you’re a vegan or vegetarian who prefers not to use animal products. Also, be aware that pets might be attracted to it, and that you might have to stop them from digging.

What Others Are Saying

This rose feed has made quite a few fans along its journey. People report that it’s simple to use and that they get spectacular results with it. They praised the value of the feed, saying that the price is right, and that a little goes a long way.

One common complaint was the smell of the product. People advised that it’s very strong, and that the odor lasts for a few days. More than a few users mentioned that their box had come open and with some product missing, so be sure to check the package when it arrives.

Best Orchid Drip Feed


Smereka Magic Grow Orchid Drip Feeders

For those who are away a lot, or who feel a bit lost with orchid care, these easy drip feeders could be the answer you’re looking for.

Features & Benefits

  • Liquid plant feeder
  • Formulated for orchids
  • 25 mL drip feeders
  • 5-pack

Pros

  • Each feeder lasts 2 months
  • Easy to use
  • Slow release

Cons

  • Instructions for cutting the end of the feeder are ambiguous

Editorial Review

Drip feeders for orchids can take a lot of the guesswork out of orchid maintenance. These handy feeders last a long time and are perfect for people who tend to forget about feeding or who go away a lot. The slow-release formula makes sure the orchids are getting what they need, when they need it.

There’s some confusion about the rate of flow for these little feeders. Many reviewers noted that they had issues with the liquid emptying too quickly, but the company notes that that’s normal. The feed is designed to last for 60 days in the growing medium.

What Others Are Saying

The majority of reviews of this product are positive, with users saying they saw quick results, new growth and happier-looking orchids. With orchids being a more difficult flower to grow, people loved having a feed option that made their plants easier to maintain.

A few users said that the drip function didn’t work for them and that the product emptied all the fertilizer at once. Similarly, some other users found the feeders empty within a few days. A few people suggested that the instructions for cutting the tip off of the feeder could have been clearer.

Best Fertilizer for Dahlias


Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster

Designed with higher phosphorus levels to help plants put their best flowers forward this bloom booster is the best fertilizer for dahlias. Easy to use on plants just setting buds.

Features & Benefits

  • 10-30-20 formula
  • Water soluble granules
  • Resealable container
  • 1.5 pounds

Pros

  • For indoor and outdoor plants
  • Measuring scoop included

Cons

  • Can be too strong for some plants

Editorial Review

Dahlias need a fertilizer that’s easy on the nitrogen and stronger on the potassium and phosphorus, and this product delivers that ratio. This formula can help your dahlia’s bloom season last longer and can ensure that its flowers are as healthy and gorgeous as they can be.

Experienced gardeners recommend doing a soil test before applying a bloom booster to see if your soil needs the extra phosphorus kick. If it does, this dahlia food is a great, easy-to-use fix. Applied when the buds are beginning to set, the blossom booster can help your dahlia flower at its best.

What Others Are Saying

Growers of all kinds have found success with this feed. They state it’s made a difference on everything from bell peppers to cannabis. Dahlia growers, of course, noted the many compliments their blooms received after they started using this feed. Most folks felt it was a good value, and they appreciated buying from a brand they trusted.

Some users, however, found this feed stressed or burned their plants. Others recommended using at half-strength, and still others found that the product didn’t make a difference in their plants. Cost was sometimes a complaint with this feed, too, with a few people feeling that it wasn’t worth the price tag.

Best Petunia Fertilizer


Jack’s Classic 20-6-22 Petunia FeED

Water soluble and easy to use, this petunia fertilizer contains higher amounts of iron to help plants that struggle with uptake.

Features & Benefits

  • 20-6-22 formula
  • Water soluble granules
  • Resealable tub
  • 4 pounds

Pros

  • Encourages compact growth
  • Higher iron content
  • Good for gardeners with hard water

Cons

  • Not recommended for iron-sensitive plants

Editorial Review

Jack’s Petunia Feed is the best petunia food on offer. This formula is designed for plants with higher iron needs, which makes it perfect for petunias. It contains less phosphorus, so it encourages compact growth rather than leggyness; a fantastic feature for those of us who find their petunias getting spindly in the summer heat.

The downside to this is that it’s a bit of a specific product. They don’t recommend this for geraniums or other flowers that are sensitive to iron. If you have petunias and geraniums together, for example, this flower food will work against your geraniums, so be mindful of what’s in your planters.

What Others Are Saying

This is a hugely popular petunia feed. Long-time petunia growers who purchase it swear by it, and new customers often report that they tried it on the recommendation of the nursery or greenhouse where they purchased their plants.

Users report that this petunia feed helps their plants thrive in challenging soil conditions and bloom for extended periods. People felt their plants were healthier and better able to withstand bad weather events, in addition to growing lusher and more full. Used regularly or as a pick-me-up, growers found this product had an immediate positive impact. It’s actually hard to find anyone with bad things to say about this product.

Best Flower Spikes


Jobe’s Organics Container & Bedding Spikes

These affordable organic fertilizer spikes are time released, making them as easy to use as they are long lasting. A healthy, natural choice for a more vibrant garden.

Features & Benefits

  • Apply every 7-28 days for maximum benefits
  • Can be used on annuals, perennials, and houseplants
  • Organic certified

Pros

  • Time-release for best possible distribution
  • Helps our plants be more colorful
  • Can be used for organic gardening
  • Contains no synthetic materials
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Keep away from pets

Editorial Review

If you are looking for an easy, affordable fertilizer spike, then these should be near the top of your list. These spikes from Jobe’s Organics contain valuable nutrients and other materials that your plants need to grow well and be vibrant. These spikes are particularly suitable for those who need fertilizer for flowers, as they help to make the color more bright and sharp in your flower beds. 

One of the great things about these spikes is that they are renewable, sustainable, and good for the environment. In addition to being good for your plants, they will also give it long-term benefits and create a healthy ecosystem for your flower beds or garden. While it’s recommended that you keep them away from pets, they are safe for your family and for the environment because of the lack of synthetic chemicals and other harmful ingredients. 

This product contains healthy bacteria and other fungi to give your plant the food it needs. You’ll notice the long-lasting effects when you observe the quality of your soil the following year and find that it’s in perfect condition to help your plants grow. Finally, these spikes help you to resist disease, pests, insects, and other things that might harm it.

What Others Are Saying

Overall, the past users of this product seem to be very pleased with the quality of the spikes and what they have to offer for your garden. The most common consensus seems to be that even though these are high-quality organic spikes, they don’t cost very much and provide you with a valuable solution for nurturing your flowers and plants. 

The one negative thing that we’ve seen in the comments is that even though they are safe for animals and people, dogs seem to love them and want to eat them. One or two might not harm them, but you don’t want your dog eating a lot of them because they could become sick. If you are going to be using these in your garden and you have dogs, make sure that you take measures to prevent your dog from getting into your garden or flower bed.

Best Flower Food Spikes


Miracle-Gro Orchid Plant Food Spikes

Simple and effective, these plant food spikes are specifically formulated for orchids. They provide all the nutrients your indoor plants need to grow, bloom and thrive.

Features & Benefits

  • Comes in a pack of 2
  • Can feed your plants for up to 2 months
  • Made by Miracle-Gro

Pros

  • Helps your plants grow bigger and look better
  • Feeds your plants for a long time
  • Made by a reputable company
  • Helps your plants grow stronger roots for a longer life

Cons

  • Less affordable than other spikes out there
  • Not organic – contains synthetic chemicals

Editorial Review

If you are looking for a more premium option and you don’t need it to be organic, then these spikes by Miracle-Gro might be a good option for you. These spikes are specifically designed for those who have trouble getting their plants and flowers to grow big, strong, and beautifully. If you’ve always wanted landscaping or flower beds that are lush and colorful, this is the right product to use. 

With these spikes, you have to do less work. You just have to make sure that your plants get soil, water, and sun. The spikes will do the rest! They’ll make sure that your flowers or plants have all the nutrients they need to thrive. These spikes contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. 

If you are working with orchids, these are probably your best option. The formula that the spikes contain for nutrition is specially designed to help orchids grow to their full potential.

What Others Are Saying

According to many who have used this product in the past, it’s a must-have for anyone who is growing orchids. These spikes do work best indoors, and they provide your orchid with everything it will need in the way of nutrition. If you are having trouble getting your orchids started, these would be a valuable addition to your little garden, flower bed, or indoor potted flowers.

Best Flower Food Bloom


Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Rose & Bloom Plant Food

This easy to use and long-lasting plant food is a must for flowers that need a lot of nutrients. Helps improve root strength, bloom quality and plant health.

Features & Benefits

  • Comes in 8 pound or 4.5 pound bag
  • Comes as a powder
  • Made by Miracle-Gro

Pros

  • The container makes it easy to feed your flowers
  • Supports root strength
  • Increases water efficiency
  • Great for blooming flowers

Cons

  • None! This plant food is superb

Editorial Review

This plant food is perfect if you are looking for something to feed your rose & bloom flowers that need a bright color and a lot of nutrients. It comes in a handy container and contains natural ingredients to help feed the microbes in the soil that make your plants bloom faster and brighter. 

This food is great for supporting root strength and development, which increases water efficiency and leads to an overall much healthier plant. It also contains micronutrients which are vital to helping your flowers grow strong and display vibrant colors as well as promoting more blooms in your flowers. 

Compared to unfed plants or flowers that are fed without high-quality plant food, the difference is staggering. You’ll definitely notice that your garden is more vibrant and nicer to look at after using this food. 

What Others Are Saying

The reviews on this product are overwhelmingly positive with most of the people who have used in the past. The most common praise is that this food allows the flowers to enjoy the full benefits of water and the nutrients in the soil, which leads to much better-looking plants.

Flower Fertilizer Buying Guide


Before you make a decision on which flower fertilizer you want to buy, there are some factors that you should keep in consideration to make the best decision possible for you and secure a fertilizer that helps you keep your flowers healthy and vibrant. Here are some of the considerations that we kept in mind when making our decision on which products would fill out our list of the best products on the market for flower fertilization.

Value/Affordability

This was one of the first factors that we kept in mind because it is so important to so many people. We all want to have vibrant and healthy plants, but it’s not always so easy to be able to afford to constantly be feeding them high-quality food that’s going to accomplish that objective. For that reason, you want to make sure that you are getting a good value in your food. This means you should look at how much you are getting, how long it will last, and what the long-term effects of the fertilizer are. 

With all of this in mind, you can consider how good of a value a fertilizer is and whether or not it’s worth your investment. The ideal situation here is to get something that does a good job and isn’t the most expensive option out there.

Nutrition

Nutrition is the next consideration for our plant fertilizers. Nutrition is what gives these fertilizers value and makes them work for your flower garden or potted plant. The reason that nutrition is so important comes down to a couple of different things. The first reason that nutrition is important for flowers is in appearance. When a flower is well cared for and has all the nutrition that it needs, the flowers will appear more colorful and vibrant, and you will be more pleased with how your flower beds look. 

The second reason that nutrition is important to flowers is in the overall health of the flower. Ideally, you want something that delivers all the nutrition your flowers will need and helps them to grow tall and not wilt. You also want something that is going to promote root health and help your flowers grow roots that help to optimize water efficiency and growth. Having a strong root system is important for any plant because it’s what enables them to gather the nutrients and minerals that they need.

Type of Flower

One thing that you’re going to need to determine prior to even looking at different options is what kind of flowers or plants you are trying to grow. The reason that this is important is that while some fertilizers work for any plant, others are specially designed for a specific type of flower or plant. Some plants or flowers have different nutritional needs that are better suited by something that is meant specifically for that type of plant. 

Make sure that you know what you’re looking for ahead of time so that you can get a fertilizer that puts your plant in the best position to succeed. If you don’t, you could be spending time and money on a fertilizer that isn’t going to help your plant in the long run. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by getting the right type of fertilizer in the first place.

Ingredients

Apart from nutrition, it’s also important to consider what chemicals and other ingredients are being used in your fertilizer. If you are trying to raise an organic flower patch without the use of synthetic chemicals, that is going to be important to know before you buy your fertilizer. With fertilizers, it’s pretty easy to determine what is being used in them. You just have to look at the listed ingredients on your fertilizer or seek out those that advertise that they are organic. 

Another important reason to consider the ingredients in your flower fertilizer is if you have pets or children that are going to be hanging around your potted plants or flower garden. Some fertilizers contain ingredients that would do great harm if consumed by a child or pet. Make sure that if you have children or pets, you get a fertilizer that has ingredients that are non-toxic and safe to be in the home.

Bottom Line


 Jobe’s Organic Fertilizer Spikes

When it comes to flower fertilizers, there are many considerations to keep in mind to ensure that you get the right one for your flowers or plants. If you keep those factors in mind, you should be able to enjoy the many benefits of using fertilizers properly on your plants. You can experience increased fruit yields, brighter flowers, and all-around healthier plants that live longer and look better. Each of these fertilizers that we have on our list does help, to some degree, in each of those areas.

However, when it comes to the best flower fertilizer out there, we have to name Jobe’s Organic Fertilizer Spikes as the best one for the money. This organic fertilizer offers a ton of benefits without all the damaging and unsafe chemicals that come in a lot of the other types of fertilizers. They are easy to use, healthy for your plants and will certainly help you keep a better, more vibrant flower garden that you can be proud of.

Feature image: Pixabay

Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson’s love affair with flowers started in her grandmother’s northern Ontario garden, where she learned to care for her grandmother’s collection of annuals. She now works as a writer and editor in a small Ontario town and practices her floral craft at every opportunity, recently by creating bouquets for her friends’ weddings. Her favourite flowers are peonies, and despite the hints of others, she refuses to believe that she has too many of them in her gardens.