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eugenflorinsgarden

Fertilizing pepper seedlings. Please help beginner.

eugenflorinsgarden
11 years ago

I have planted one pepper seeds. They have just sprouted (hot peppers and yellow bell). I am very confused about fertilizing the little seedlings. When, how, how much, how often? They are currently in "filthy rich" potting soil. The fertilizer I have is 5-10-5 granular fertilizer. Please help me, I want to get some nice peppers at the end of the season :)

Comments (18)

  • John A
    11 years ago

    Are your seeds inside in a starter tray? Check the potting soil bag to see if it has any fertilizer or enrichment in it. If so, just give them water until you plant them. If not, give them a very diluted liquid fertilizer (Miracle Grow or something like that). Peppers (especially hot ones) don't like a lot of feeding. I usually give mine a light treatment of 10-10-10 or 10-5-10 about 3 weeks after I plant, and then once again about mid season. Don't put any directly on the plant.
    John A

  • Edymnion
    11 years ago

    Yeah, unless you started them in pure peat or coir, you shouldn't need to fertilize them at all. If you're in pure peat, then greatly dilute your fertilizer in water. As in if it says to use a teaspoon per gallon for containers, use a quarter teaspoon per gallon.

    Pepper seedlings don't want or need excess fertilizing.

  • eugenflorinsgarden
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    No the potting mix I'm using is called filthy rich. It says it has compost. So when should I start fertilizing them? Or should I never fertilize them or provide for? Also, I cannot buy any water fertilizer and can only use granular.

  • alex79
    10 years ago

    For more information about pepper fertilizers you can check this site....

    Here is a link that might be useful: growing pepper with fertilizers

  • saoodhashim
    10 years ago

    Like you I am also a beginner. As I understand, from the more experienced people over here, the seedlings may not be in need of any fertilizer until after the first set of true leaves and that too if you soil already does not have any fertilizer

    As I see from your post, you seem to say they just sprouted. So still some time before the first true leaves appear.

  • sustainabee
    7 years ago

    I'd like to revive this thread and get some more opinions on pepper fertilizing. I've been reading that peppers are heavy feeders and should be fertilized every week with a weak fertilizer (like seaweed/fish emulsion) and that prior to transplanting a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) should be applied, then again after the first fruits start to form. I also read that a weak foliar spray of 2 tbls epsom salt in a spray bottle can also be beneficial. Curious what works for yall and if the information I've gotten is accurate.

  • isgen
    7 years ago

    I usually start my seeds in plain old potting mix, which I consider to contain enough nutrients for the plant's early life. When the plants are around 4-6" tall with 3-4 sets of leaves, I'll occasionally water with a dilute (probably less than 50% of dose recommended on bottle) solution of liquid fertilizer high in Nitrogen, for vegetative growth. Later in the season, when my plants are outside in buckets, I'll add a full dose of liquid fertilizer every two weeks or so. At this point, the one I use has a much lower Nitrogen content, because the plants will be flowering and fruiting. Once in a while, I'll "dissolve" chicken manure bone meal pellets in water for some added micro nutrients.

    I don't stick by a rigid schedule or anything and go by how the plants look too, not terribly scientific. I suppose the plant's medium will affect how much food is needed. In-ground will likely necessitate less than in container. My DIY fir-bark and perlite chunky potting mix probably drains well enough that I need to feed a bit more than a standard potting mix, especially after heavy rains.

  • willardb3
    7 years ago

    Contrary to what you have read, chiles are not heavy feeders and too much fertilizer is the primary cause of many posts labeled "what is wrong with my chiles"

  • defrost49
    7 years ago

    I followed instructions found somewhere in this topic last year to fertilize seedlings once a week with very diluted liquid fish fertilizer. I think it was one tsp per gallon of water instead of the normal one tablespoon. I put a general granular vegetable fertilizer in the planting hole when they are transplanted outdoors into the ground (so I'm planting where something else grew last year). I have added maybe an inch of composted cow or horse manure to the bed. The transplants get full strength fish fertilizer after I water them in. They might get a second dose a week later but that's it on fertilizing. Since I grew about 30 different kinds of peppers, there are some I will not grow again because they weren't productive compared to a different variety 18 inches away. If I weren't so negligent about fertilizing during the growing season, those poor producing types would probably end up getting too much fertilizer thinking it was needed.

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    7 years ago

    I use potting mix that has several "months" worth of ferts built in. I don't bother adding any until my plants are good two months or older. Seems to work fine for me.

  • Gerard aloisio
    4 years ago

    My seedlings are an inch tall with one set of leaves and seem to be stuck there. For a few weeks now. Any advice?

  • John A
    4 years ago

    If you used a potting soil with fertilizer in it (most do) you should not add more fertilizer. If you have them under lights, keep the lights close so they don't get too leggy.

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    4 years ago

    Light and warm temps should get them going. Don't over water them. If you can put them in a window with good sun for most of the day, that will help a lot.

  • Gerard aloisio
    4 years ago

    They are in my kitchen at room temp under grow lights. Should I put the warming mat back under them?


  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    4 years ago

    80 degrees is better than 70 degrees. But putting them on a window sill with good sun will warm them up good during the day. Just move it off the window at night if the temps will be cold as it will get quite cool near the window if you live in a cold climate.

  • defrost49
    4 years ago

    If you didn't use a seed starting mix that contains fertilizer. I use a mix like Fort Vee from Vermont Compost Company. This is what it contains: Blended from composted manure and plant materials, blonde horticultural grade sphagnum peat moss, crushed and screened granite and basalt, blood meal, kelp meal, steamed bone meal, mined gypsum, vermiculite (a mica mineral expanded by fire), washed coconut coir, herbs (biodynamic preparations). If you need to fertilize I would use a liquid fish/kelp fertilizer at half strength.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    4 years ago

    I put Osmocote in my mix, so I don't have to fertilize for about a month. Once they have a second set of true leaves, though, I commence fertilization. I just gave my month+ old seedlings the first liquid feeding.


    Josh

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