Knowing when not to feed the seedlings is as important as knowing when to feed them. If they have, you are ready to start fertilizing the seedlings. Check your seedlings whether they have at least one set of true leaves on them. The seedlings will survive just fine without any fertilizer or added nutrients until this stage.Ĭotyledons turn yellow and eventually fall off as seedling grows.Īfter developing the first set of true leaves, the plant needs additional nutrients. Cotyledons act as surrogates for the true leaves. The function of cotyledons is to absorb sunlight, turn it into food and send the prepared food to the entire plant until the first set of true leaves develop and take over their regular duties. When the seeds germinate and peek out of the soil, they first develop ‘Cotyledons.’ Cotyledons look little different than the actual leaves your plant seedlings eventually develop. The set of leaves above cotyledons are ‘the first set of true leaves.’ It is because the nutrients required for the seedlings to develop the first set of leaves, called ‘Cotyledons,’ are already packed in the seed embryo.Īs you can see in the image, the first two leaves, closest to the soil, are cotyledons. You should start feeding your vegetable and flower seedlings with a mild dose of fertilizer when they have first sets of true leaves. In this guide, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about fertilizing seedlings and the best fertilizers options suitable for the young seedlings. These are common questions every first-time seed starter faces. But most of the new gardeners have no idea when, what and how to feed their tomato and other seedlings. Those seedlings survive better in the garden once transplanted and produce more harvest over the season. While whether you should fertilize seedlings is a matter of personal choice, many studies suggest supplying additional nutrients and seedling fertilizer results in robust seedlings. It is always recommended to hold off applying fertilizer until the seedlings have developed their true leaves.Seedling fertilizer is a controversial topic among master gardeners. It would be a seed sowing mistake to feed too early as germination can actually be hindered if there is too much fertilizer in the soil. The seeds do not actually need fertilizer for the first few weeks of their life. No, seeds do not germinate faster with fertilizer than without. FAQs Do seeds germinate faster if fertilizer is applied? You can over-fertilize plants and seedlings and too much fertilizer can cause unwanted straggly and unhealthy growth, or ultimately result in a salt build-up around the plant’s roots - which can cause the plant to shrivel up and die. An example of a slow-release granular fertilizer is the Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed All Purpose Plant Food available at Amazon. Try to ensure that no granules touch the stems or roots of the plant, as it could burn the plant’s tissue. However, many are slow-release and will only require one application until the plant is large enough to be planted out in the yard in a flower bed, vegetable garden, or as part of a container garden. Granular fertilizers take longer to break down and therefore do not have the nutrients available to the plants as instantly as liquid ones. An example of a liquid fertilizer is the FoxFarm Liquid Plant Food available at Walmart. When using a liquid feed, it is advised to never apply it to seedlings at full-strength - always dilute it down. You can use either liquid or granular fertilizers to feed seedlings, but never apply fertilizer at a rate higher than recommended on the container. It is best to opt for a balanced fertilizer or one with a higher ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus. At this stage of the seedling’s life, nitrogen is also very important. Immature plants need more phosphorus than older ones and the nutrient is important when it comes to ensuring young plants are healthy. Seedlings want a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus, which is the nutrient that is responsible for strong root growth and helps with photosynthesis.
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