Marianne's Response
Fertilizer for seedlings?
I want to fertilize my garden to maximize productivity but don’t want to overdo. A friend who knows more about gardening than I do told me that fertilizing seedlings was like feeding a porkchop to a baby and it’s necessary to wait until they attain some growth or risk killing the seedling. At what point is it safe to fertilize tomatoes, squash and cucumbers? Thanks for your help.
Posted by Ronsung on July 11, 2020
Marianne's Response
I do agree that too much fertilizer can damage new seedlings. Wait until you see at least 2 true leaves on the seedlings before you add fertilizer. True leaves are the foliage that comes after the first set of leaves that are usually more smooth as these are the juvenile leaves that come from the seed. Using a slow release plant food like Osmocote is a safe way to feed young plants as there is less chance of fertilizer burn - rather like avoiding indigestion from feeding a pork chop to a baby. I always use any fertilizer at half strength if I am feeding seedlings. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
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