Get bloomin' great results
Our product tests & advice help you get the garden you want. Subscribe for only £4.99 a month or £49 a year.
Join Which? GardeningCancel anytime
By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
Best liquid plant feeds
Our Best Buy feeds will keep your plants healthy and flowering all summer long
Liquid feeds are fertilisers that are applied as you water your plants. They include both concentrated liquids you dilute in water and granules you dissolve. You can use them for pots and borders to give your plants an instant pick-me-up. If you prefer to add controlled-release fertiliser to your pots, you may still use a liquid feed at the end of the summer as the controlled-release fertiliser runs out.
Breathe new life into your outside spaces. Sign up for our Gardening newsletter, it's free monthly
Best liquid plant feeds
Full liquid plant feeds results
Which? members can log in now to see the full results and which are our Best Buy liquid plant feeds. If you're not a member, join Which? to get instant access.
| Product name | Price | Overall score | Formulation | Application frequency | Application rate per 4.5L | Flowering | Size | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andermatt GroPure All-purpose Organic Fertiliser | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50019847 | |||||||
| Doff Liquid Growmore 7-7-7 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50019843 | |||||||
| Doff Multipurpose Feed | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50019848 | |||||||
| Ecofective Organic Wonder Feed | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50019844 | |||||||
| Miracle-Gro All Purpose Liquid Plant Food | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50017186 | |||||||
| Miracle-Gro All Purpose Soluable Plant Food | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50019845 | |||||||
| Miracle-Gro Performance Organics All Purpose Concentrated Liquid Plant Food | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50017185 |
USING THE TABLE The more stars the better. OVERALL SCORE Ignores price and is based on: size 45%; flowers 45%; health 10%.
Getting the best from liquid feeds
Liquid fertilisers are most commonly used to feed pots of bedding plants, but can also be used on many ornamental plants and veg. Some of them are also suitable to be used on seedlings. In our trials (Feb 23 and Feb 24) we found that applying the recommended low dose to seedlings once the first leaves appear can boost growth. It’s best to use a balanced feed or one with very high nitrogen content, rather than a high-potassium feed. Miracle Gro All Purpose Concentrated Liquid Plant Food gave us good growth.
Liquid feeds can be used all through the growing season. They work by giving plants a regular boost of essential macronutrients (that’s nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) and micronutrients. The feed is easily taken up by plants and you can increase or decrease the dose or the regularity of feeding, depending on how quickly your plants are growing and flowering. You’ll find guidelines on the pack to help you decide on a feeding regime.
You need to remember to use them regularly. If you’re apt to forget, you might prefer to use one that you apply every watering, such as Phostrogen All Purpose Plant Food. Alternatively, you may prefer to use a controlled-release feed (CRF), and only use a liquid feed as a supplement towards the end of the season when the CRF starts to run out.
As with all feeds and garden chemicals, store them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, such as a shed or garage. Use them up as soon as you can and buy fresh as and when you need it.
Controlled-release versus liquid feeds
We compared our top-scoring Best Buy liquid feed and our highest rated Best Buy controlled release feed to see which grew the largest plants and which flowered the best. We found that liquid feed produced the largest plants and they flowered more than those grown with controlled-release feed.
That said, liquid feeding takes more work than using a controlled-release feed, as you need to remember when to use it and mix it in a watering can. It also worked out over seven times more expensive than using controlled-release feed, with the most-expensive Best Buy liquid feed coming in at £3.20 per pot over the course of the summer and the controlled-release costing just 42p.
If the extra time and cost don't bother you, choose a liquid feed. If you're short on time or want to save a few pennies, opt for a controlled-release feed.
How we test liquid feeds
In spring 2023 we chose 16 widely available liquid feeds, alongside some products that are new to the market. We grew pelargoniums from plug plants, potting three plants to a 10L pot and growing three pots for each feed.
We grew pelargoniums as they're hungry plants – both leaf colour and the number of blooms is affected by the quality of the feed.
We potted up our plants in early June and began to feed in early July. We fed according to the dose and frequency rate suggested on the packaging. This varied from every watering to once every two weeks.
Every week we assessed the plants for size, leaf colour, health and flowering, and removed spent flower stalks, recording the number. At the end of the trial, we cut the plants at the base and weighed them.