![]() If they are in one of the more well-enriched beds, I might not fertilize them at all until they've made good growth. I usuallly water in seedlings when transplanted, and then wait a week or two before fertilizing. With Miracle Grow and similar water-soluable fertilizers, at 50% strength I've never seen them harm a seedling either. However, I generally use liquid fish emulsion, liquid seaweed or something else that has fairly low NPK numbers anyway and I still reduce them to 50% of the recommended strength. What I'll simply say, instead, is that I have fed young seedlings at virtually every stage of their lives at one point or another, and I've never seen any adverse effect from it whatsoever. I won't dispute that because I imagine there is research that backs up the conventional wisdom. I know the conventional wisdom is that you can harm young, delicate plant roots by fertilizing them too early in their life. That made be look at them and think "hhmmmm. I never did feed them, but after a few warmer days and nights, they perked up and make wonderful growth last week while I was away a fires for several days. I noticed sluggish growth on a lot of my cool-season seedlings in the greenhouse week before last. I really think the sluggish growth is more a function of cold temperatures which can impede nutrient uptake. I am not a big fan of having to pot up again into larger containers just because I'm having to hold on to the plants and keep them out of the ground a bit longer than I intended. It just is that it can be a slippery slope.the last thing I want is for them to grow so much that they outgrow whatever containers they're being raised in. I agree with you that they seem to do better if given a little booster feeding before they go into the ground. i just try to analyze what the conditions have been like lately and then decide whether to feed them or not. It could be that they are hungry and want to be fed. It could be that the temps are still a little cool for them. The yellow or purple could be that they are just adjusting to being potted up. If I think the seedlings color is poor, I will fertilize with some sort of water-soluable fertilizer at 50% strength.That usually helps, but it won't help if they are being exposed to temperatures so cool that it affects their ability to take up nutrients. ![]() Usually, I pot up into Miracle Grow and do not fertilize until the transplants go into the ground, but that decision is based on how they look. ![]()
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