It’s the little things that matter, like starting your seeds in the right mix.
The miracle of your newly sprouted seed is happening below the surface of the soil.
The first root (radicle) comes out and then a gossamer web of delicate new roots form as the first leaves (cotelydons) start to show above the soil. This is also the point at which you need to expose the seedling to adequate light and to air movement. So turn on the grow lights and the fan!
That delicate new root web needs to make contact with moist, enriched growing medium.
As you can see, seed starting mix has much smaller particles in it than regular potting mix, so it makes better contact with the new root-life growing.
Over a few days, the new plant will start to put up “true leaves” which will look like the leaves of the mature plant.
Not until you see at least 4 of those true leaves will you transplant (“pot-up”) into a larger pot with standard potting mix.
A few days after you have potted up, start to feed your seedling with a diluted fertilizer that has a high middle number, which means it has more potassium, the element needed for establishing healthy roots. I use 10-52-10 at 50-25% dilution.
Follow these steps to give your seedlings a strong start.
Strong seedlings make strong, disease resistant and productive plants with higher food yield.
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