What to feed my sprouts???

[greenmama777]

I need help. My sprouts are sprouting leaves and I realized that bc I planted them in peat pellets I need to feed them something. Will compost tea made from some coffee grounds be enough until I plant them or should buy some special concoction to feed them? :confused: They are already under flourencent lights.
THANKS!!!

[plantoneonme]

Fish emulsion is good as is compost tea. I'm not sure if pure coffee grounds is good as a fertilizer so someone else would have to answer that one. Kim

[greenmama777]

I went to a large local retail chain store with a garden center today and they only had Miracle Grow and the like. No fish or kelp/fish emulsion as I was looking for. :( Perhaps a hardware store would have that kind of plant food???

[gardengirl72]

Depending on how big the sprouts are, I wouldn't worry about it at all. If you see a lot of roots coming out of the pellets then you may consider feeding them, but depending on where you live they should be out into the ground before they need any major feeding.

If the leaves are yellowing you may consider feeding them. (One of my farm mentors has suggest diluted human pee if nothing else is available....and I mean diluted, I have never tried it though and it is a wee bit nasty sounding, but I bet it would work no problem)

[plantoneonme]

Depending on how big the sprouts are, I wouldn't worry about it at all. If you see a lot of roots coming out of the pellets then you may consider feeding them, but depending on where you live they should be out into the ground before they need any major feeding.

If the leaves are yellowing you may consider feeding them. (One of my farm mentors has suggest diluted human pee if nothing else is available....and I mean diluted, I have never tried it though and it is a wee bit nasty sounding, but I bet it would work no problem)

Ok I didn't want to admit it but since Patti brought it up....diluted urine makes an awesome fertilizer for seedlings. About one tinkle per 2 gallons or more of water works great. It also works wonders in speeding up composting especially in the spring. Kim

[Sinfonian]

Simply by the CN ratio, cofee grounds are about as a perfect free fertilizer. Specifically, fertilizer has a CN ratio of 10:1, though at that ratio it can burn seedlings. With a slightly higher 12:1 ratio, coffee grounds are close enough to free fertilizer, won't burn seedlings and are free.

Oh, and human urine tends to transfer drugs to the compost, so it is not recommended if you are prescribed any.

Good luck!

[Kevin]

Simply by the CN ratio, cofee grounds are about as a perfect free fertilizer. Specifically, fertilizer has a CN ratio of 10:1, though at that ratio it can burn seedlings. With a slightly higher 12:1 ratio, coffee grounds are close enough to free fertilizer, won't burn seedlings and are free.

Oh, and human urine tends to transfer drugs to the compost, so it is not recommended if you are prescribed any.

Good luck!

OK Sinfonion, I'll Be the Technological dinosaur, What the hell is a CN ratio ,Kevin

[gardengirl72]

OK Sinfonion, I'll Be the Technological dinosaur, What the hell is a CN ratio ,Kevin
Carbon Nitrogen ratio.

[Kevin]

Carbon Nitrogen ratio.

Thank You, Kevin