Question
Dear Darlene, i have just bought a peace lily and a flamingo flower from a shop, both are in full bloom at the moment.  I am wondering whether i should be fertilising them at all right now, as some sites suggest that i shouldn't be while they are flowering?  how often should i fertilise, and should the soil already be wet when doing it?

a quick second question is what is the difference between hard and soft water?  is boiled (but cooled down) water ok to water plants with, as i have been doing?

thank you

Answer
Dear Lily,

Yes, I reccommend that you fertilize the plants while they are flowering. I would use Miracle Grow or a generic version of a water soluable fertilizer and mix it at half of the strength that is reccommended on the box. At half strength the soil does not have to be pre-moistened. I fertilize every 2 weeks.

Hard water contains higher-than-ordinary levels of dissolved minerals (strictly speaking, dissolved positive metallic ions) such as magnesium and calcium. Water from underground aquifers - well water, for you civilians - has extended contact with soft calcium and magnesium-bearing rock and mineral deposits such as limestone, chalk, dolomite, and marble, and small amounts of minerals are dissolved into an ionic solution in the water. Often the dissolution process is facilitated by carbon dioxide in the water, which forms a weak carbonic acid. Surface water generally doesn't contain enough calcium and magnesium to be considered hard, although there can be exceptions.

Water hardness typically is expressed in terms of dissolved calcium carbonate - in units of mg/l, ppm, or grains/gallon. The U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) define 60 mg/l or less as soft water. Water with over 120 mg/l is considered hard, and water in between is moderately hard.

Boiling water does nothing to change the hardness of the water. Hard water has no ill effects on plants. It can cause a calcium build up on pots but it does not harm plants. All boiling water accomplishes is that it kills germs in the water if there are any germs in it.
Good luck with your new plants.

Darlene