Keeping your indoor flowers healthy and vibrant during the summer months, especially in July’s heat and intense sunlight, can be a challenge. To ensure your houseplants receive the necessary nutrients, consider a simple yet potentially effective top dressing made from two common pharmacy tablets. This method is said to not only promote lush, bright blooms but also help address common plant issues like chlorosis (yellowing between leaf veins), improve plant respiration and photosynthesis, strengthen roots, and accelerate metabolic processes.

Why This Top Dressing Might Work (According to the Article)

This homemade plant food aims to provide three key macronutrients: potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These play crucial roles in plant health:

• Potassium is essential for the formation of flower buds and blooming, ensuring your plants produce vibrant and long-lasting flowers.
• Magnesium is a central component of chlorophyll, which is vital for photosynthesis. Without enough magnesium, plants struggle to produce energy from sunlight.
• Calcium is crucial for root development, strengthens cell walls, and enhances the plant’s resistance to diseases and pests. It fortifies the intercellular walls, making them more durable and tolerant to pathogens.

The Two Pharmacy Tablets You’ll Need

To prepare this top dressing, you will need:

• Calcium Gluconate Tablets: This supplement provides calcium, which is essential for strengthening plant tissues and ensuring robust growth.
• Asparkam Tablets: This medication, common in some regions, contains potassium and magnesium, making it potentially beneficial for improving blooming and overall plant health. If Asparkam is not readily available in your area, look for potassium and magnesium supplements with similar nutrient content.

How to Prepare and Use the Top Dressing

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

• 1 Calcium Gluconate tablet
• 1 Asparkam tablet (or equivalent potassium and magnesium supplement)
• A mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon to crush the tablets
• A watering can or spray bottle (optional)
• A small trowel or spoon for mixing into the soil

Step 2: Crush the Tablets

• Take one tablet of Asparkam and one tablet of Calcium Gluconate.
• Crush them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or by placing them between two pieces of paper and pressing down with the back of a spoon.

Step 3: Apply to the Soil

• For Small Plants (like violets, succulents, or seedlings): Sprinkle the powdered tablets directly onto the surface of the soil and gently mix it in.
• For Medium-Sized Plants (like orchids, geraniums, or foliage plants): Divide the powder into four portions and sprinkle them evenly around the base of the plant, gently incorporating it into the soil.
• For Large Plants (like ficus, monsteras, or hibiscus): Use two to three tablets of Asparkam and one to two tablets of Calcium Gluconate, applying the powder evenly around the plant’s base.

Step 4: Water Your Plants

• After applying the crushed tablets, water your plants with plain water. This helps dissolve the nutrients and makes them more readily available for absorption by the roots.
• Avoid overwatering; use just enough water to moisten the soil without creating standing water.

Alternative Application: Dissolving in Water

If you prefer a liquid fertilizer, follow these steps:

1. Dissolve one Calcium Gluconate tablet and one Asparkam tablet in one liter of water.
2. Stir well until the tablets are completely dissolved.
3. Water your plants with this solution every two weeks or use it as a foliar spray (spraying the leaves).
4. For weak or sick plants, the article suggests applying every 7-10 days until the plant shows improvement.

Potential Benefits of Using This Method (According to the Article)

• Treats Chlorosis: If your plant’s leaves are yellowing but the veins remain green, it might be suffering from chlorosis. This top dressing replenishes magnesium and potentially iron levels (depending on the specific supplement), helping leaves regain their rich green color.
• Improves Root Health: Calcium gluconate promotes strong root development, ensuring the plant can absorb water and nutrients more efficiently.
• Encourages Blooming: Potassium is vital for flowering plants. Regular feeding with this method may help ensure abundant blooms.
• Enhances Disease Resistance: Strengthening plant cell walls with calcium may make them more resistant to fungal infections and pests.
• Safe and Natural (Claimed): Unlike synthetic fertilizers, this method aims to provide essential nutrients without the risk of burning or over-fertilizing when used in moderation.

Which Plants May Benefit Most from This Top Dressing?

The article suggests this top dressing can be used for all indoor and garden plants, including:

• Flowering Plants: Roses, geraniums, orchids, violets, hibiscus
• Green Plants: Monsteras, Ficus, spathiphyllum, dracaena
• Succulents and Cacti: Aloe vera, jade plant (money tree), echeverias
• Indoor Herbs and Vegetables: Basil, parsley, cherry tomatoes, peppers

Precautions and Best Practices

• Don’t Overuse: Apply the top dressing no more than once every two weeks to avoid over-fertilizing.
• Avoid Direct Application to Leaves: When using the powder method, always mix it into the soil rather than placing it directly on the leaves.
• Use Clean, Filtered Water: If possible, use room temperature, filtered, or dechlorinated water to dissolve the tablets.
• Observe Your Plants: Every plant responds differently. If you notice any negative changes, reduce the frequency of feeding.

Conclusion

Using simple pharmacy tablets like calcium gluconate and Asparkam (or equivalent potassium and magnesium supplements) is presented as a potentially effective and affordable way to promote plant health, address chlorosis, encourage abundant flowering, and strengthen roots. Whether you dissolve them in water or mix them directly into the soil, these two tablets may provide your indoor and garden plants with essential nutrients for thriving, especially during the summer months like July.

Give this simple homemade fertilizer a try and watch your plants flourish!

Important Considerations for US Gardeners:

While the Spanish article suggests this method, it’s important to consider the following:

• Availability of Asparkam: Asparkam might not be readily available under that specific name in the United States. Look for potassium and magnesium supplements that provide similar nutrients. Read the labels carefully to understand the dosage of each mineral.
• Dosage: The suggested dosage in the article seems to be geared towards small to medium-sized houseplants. Adjust the number of tablets based on the size and needs of your specific plants. Start with a lower dose and observe how your plants react.
• Balanced Nutrition: While calcium, potassium, and magnesium are important, plants also need other macronutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as various micronutrients. Relying solely on these two tablets might not provide a completely balanced diet for all plants. Consider supplementing with a balanced liquid fertilizer or other organic methods as needed.
• Scientific Evidence: While anecdotal evidence might suggest benefits, there might be limited scientific research specifically supporting the use of these two particular human supplements as a comprehensive plant fertilizer.