Help with starting seeds indoor

This is my first time starting seeds indoors for my garden. As of now, the seeds I have planted have their second set of leaves showing. I was wondering if anyone would tell me what kind of fertilizer I should be using, how often and when.

Here is some info for you...hope you find this useful.

http://gardening.about.com/od/seedstarting/f/Seedling-Food.htm

http://www.gardenguides.com/3021-starting-seeds-indoors.html

http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/sustainable/handbooks/propagation/7.html
and this link is to the seed forum here on DG

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/956526/

themoonhowl,

Thank you for the leads. They were very helpful. I thought maybe someone else had asked the same question from DG. Being new to the site I didn't know how to search for any answers to my question.

You are very welcome meisenach. Welcome to DG. As a subscriber all the forums are open to you, click on communities in the tool bar above.

Just ask, someone will always be around to point you in the right direction.

Good luck with your seeds, Moon

well what sort of questions about indoor gardens?step1: buy some lights and stack up books step2: then wait till the plants are 2or3 months old and then put them under the sun. if that doesnt work i have more tips

wait put the lights on the stacked up books plus water once a day till 3 inches tall.

This is totally off-topic but, as a barely able to afford internet access, under-employeed, part-time worker I think it's kinda funny the "Frugal Living Forum" is accessible only to paying subscribers! Things that make you go Hmmmmm.....

EDIT: Forgot why I was originally posting! If you REALLY want a ton of info on indoor gardens include the word "marijuana" in your Google search. The info pretty much applies to everything!



This message was edited Mar 30, 2010 2:01 AM

...and make sure you perform your search at work so your employer knows of your recreational habits...

Hiya Grantman....that could be a bit of a sticky wicket....grin. But, Tylersays is correct on that.There is more info on growing hemp than you might imagine....and all of it pretty much translates to growing anything from seed....LOL

Haha yeah I can only imagine!

Just type hydroponics in the search bar and suddenly the police are sniffing around....LOL

So you'll have to search less for information, I'll share my experiences here. This is the second year I've grown from seed, and I've had very good luck. Hopefully some of these tips will work for you, too. :)

- If you're not doing so already, make sure your seedlings are under lights or they will "reach" toward the nearest light source, growing too tall and leggy without a good root structure. I use cheap 48" shop lights from Walmart. In my area, the shop lights cost about $10 and the bulbs about $8. I have a setup for my seeds that includes a 4-shelf wire shelving unit. I attach the lights to the shelves with the (included) chains and S-hooks. Many people have similar setups and variations on this theme, and they work very well. (I'll include a pic below.)

- You can transplant your seedlings when they have their first set of true leaves. Some seedlings are more sensitive to transplanting than others, but most adjust better to transplanting when they're small. I prepare potting soil by putting it into a big plastic storage bin and moistening it first with a mister. (Mist...stir...mist...stir...etc.) You don't want to plop your seedlings into dry soil. It's also easier to NOT have to water them immediately after you've transplanted them, because the soil around the seedlings will settle and the roots can wash out, causing the seedlings to dry up.

- I use a 10-15-10 liquid fertilizer concentrate the day after planting my seedlings. (If you're going entirely organic, fish emulsion or the dried chicken/duck poop type fertilizer is a good option.) With the liquid fertilizer, it's best to use half strength just after transplanting. Then you can repeat the application every 2 weeks at full strength.

- I hold off on fertilizing my plants just before I move them outside. You'll want to give them a boost once they're in the ground outdoors. I give my plants a shot of compost in their planting hole and on the surface around the plant. They seem to love it.

- Don't forget to harden off indoor-grown plants. A week or so before you're going to plant them out, you'll want to move them outside into a shaded area during the day, then bring them inside or into someplace sheltered (a garage or shed) when the temperatures drop at night. Do this with them for about a week so they can adjust to life in the great outdoors BEFORE you actually put them in the ground.

Good luck!

Kaylyred - that's one heck of a setup you have there. Good job! Thanks for the info, too.

Kaylyred - Thanks for the info ... very helpful and just what I needed!