If you’re not ready to transplant the seedlings outside and the pots or trays have a good potting mix and are large enough to support more growth, you can fertilize them just as they are. If the growing medium is very porous, like coconut coir, or the pots are too small, you’ll need to move the seedlings into your outdoor garden or larger pots with a standard potting mix.
On the other hand, if you use a sterile growing medium, you should start fertilizing about a week after your seeds sprout using the schedule I discuss in the section below. So, once you see your seeds sprout, it will be around a month before you’ll need to start fertilizing if your growing medium includes a low level of nutrients. How old should seedlings be before using nutrients?Īs a general guideline, you should expect it to take about three or four weeks for a seedling to grow two sets of real leaves. When you spot two or three sets of real leaves on a seedling, it’s time to consider your fertilizing options. The real leaves on a seedling will look like small versions of the leaves on a mature plant, typically more pointy and with uneven edges.
The leaves that form after the cotyledons are a plant’s real leaves, and they will look different than the first leaves. The cotyledons are easy to identify because they are oval or round and have smooth edges. The first set of leaves you see on a seedling are the cotyledons, which form from the seed embryo and grow so the plant can begin photosynthesis to create energy. Once a seedling gets two to three sets of “true” leaves, it’s time to begin a fertilization routine. You will know when to start fertilizing seedlings by watching the growth of the leaves. Once seeds sprout, the root will quickly draw up any nutrients in the growing medium, and if you don’t fertilize or transplant it into richer soil, the plant will lose vigor and may eventually die. Most seed starting soil mixes are either sterile or low-nutrient because seeds have energy naturally stored inside the casing, so the plant can grow whenever conditions are right. Instead, the plant can use that energy for faster growth of the stems and foliage along with healthy root expansion. When you provide ample food directly to the root system, the plant doesn’t have to expend energy stretching its roots in search of nutrients. Yes, it would be best if you fertilized seedlings so that they have easy access to nutrients. How old should seedlings be before using nutrients?.
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