When to start feeding seedlings
 

When do you start giving nutrients to your seedlings?
My seedlings are 6-8" tall with their true leaves.
I am doing everything possible to keep my seedlings short. Dropping temps, and they are touching the Florescent lights.
I do have a 400w MH light I want to put these seedlings under for about 18 hours per day. I feel that if they are to get this much light, then they will surely need nutrients.
I do not know how close (or far away) to put the light. No one seems to have this answer.
When do YOU start giving nutrients? Does anyone use organic hydro fertilizer such as a 5-1-1 for their seedlings?
I make compost tea as my fertilizer.
This is the only form of nutrients I give my plants.
My idea is to replant these seedlings in 1 cup pots, start giving compost tea, and put under the 450w Metal Halide light. (I'm feeling the light should be about 1' above the seedlings to keep from burning them. I will introduce the light a few hours at a time before setting the timer to 8 hours on each day.
I know this is a lot to post, but this is keeping me from SLEEPING! :twisted:

Turbo, what are you growing your seedlings in at the present time. Metal halides run pretty hot and don't think you can get it that close to the plants. If dcarch chimes in I think he can give good info on the metal halides and growing your seedlings under them. Ami

I'm using flats at the present time. I'm so glad you brought this up!! Thanks Amideutch!
I don't know what I'm gonna grow my seedlings in now. LOL!
I need to repot them quickly.
Cheers~
TurboMicah

Turbo everybody does it a little different. I pot up to 4" CowPots or Dot Pots using Fox Farms "Light Warrior". Ami

The Fox Farms Light Warrior looks good! I can't get it anywhere close to me.
I'm checking on shipping/prices from a store in the next state. (I must try it)
I wonder if cow pots will be hurt by the 400w MH light? Hmm.
Thanks for the replies!
Cheers~

dcarch keeps his 400w MH about 3' above his seedlings.
He surrounds them with this reflective mylar tent (hung with
velcro) so that less of the light is wasted.

Here we go:
[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?p=112454&highlight=mylar#post112454[/url]

(A lot of people use fish+kelp on seedlings, starting fairly
dilute, maybe 1/2 tsp per gallon at the first potting up, and
giving it to them at the bottle-recommended full-strength
dilution at transplant into the garden. Others mix something
like Bio-Tone into the planting mix that they use at the first
potting up. The compost tea alone may be fine. Each compost
is a little different in nutrient composition, so one simply needs
to try it and see.)

i posted earlier about growing under halide fixture, no responses. i am trialing some seedlings now. i started with the bulb and hood at 3ft. for 2days. i then lowered it to 2 foot, and has been that way for about a month. plants are growing strong, thickest, strongest stems i have ever seen on month old starts. mine are staying short too. i put these seedlings under the metal halide, from floros, when the started to set true leafs. i have pulled a couple of the seedlings to see the roots. strong roots as well. cant get over how strong the stems. some have gotten almost woody. my temps at night are 66 fht. and up between 73 and 80 during the day. i run an oscillating fan in the room some times. i potted the halide seedlings in some terrible potting mix. jungle growth cactus mix. it was 2.99 a bag at hardware store. it sucks. the seedlings in fafard 3b mix are twice the size and health. i am using a eye brand bulb with a sun system hood, 16 inch. sun system electronic ballast 400 watt which is kept in another room. i am going to grow some chile peppers from seed given to me buy a dude from another site, these chile varieties he collected are some very rare strains. i will be growing theses indoors just for seed production to distribute here and elsewhere. i have also got some tomato seedlings which i started under halide bulb from the get go. there just starting to get there first true leaves. there growing very well. very thick stems. i am fertilizing with dyna gro every other watering. you could probably get away with doing it when they look like they need it. the soil definitely dries out quick under this type of light. hope this helps. once i get a new digital camera, i will be posting pix. oh yeah, i painted the walls with flat latex paint and taped up mylar from the floor up to 5 foot on the walls. good luck.