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What to feed cuttings and seedlings?

CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
in Plants

Hi guys,

I have some Penstemon cuttings I started last autumn and they have rooted and are in their own little individual pots now. There are also a few other little perennials that are around a couple of cm at the minute. Would it be ok to start feeding them now? If so what would be good to use? 

I have some liquid general purpose balanced fertilizer (npk 5-5-5 I think) and I have some fish blood and bone.

Thanks :)

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  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758

    Hi Verdun,

    Sorry for the late reply. Havent been online for a while as I've been looking after my 3 and 5 year old Nieces :) So they have taken up all my time :)

    Took your advice though and not fed the baby plants. I'm just going to pot them on for now :)

    In regards to Delphiniums in the ground, I have given them a sprinkle of Vitax Q4, which apparently lasts about 6 weeks. In 6 weeks time, they probably still won't even have flower buds, so should I feed them again them again with more Q4 and keep doing that until just before flowering?

    Last edited: 13 March 2017 19:37:45

  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758

    Anyone? :)

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    I don't feed individual plants. My borders get an annual feed of chicken manure in spring and after that they are on their own. 

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527

    Hi CraighB 

    A mulch around the base with some compost and some fish blood & bone will do for the year. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Too muchfeeding does more harm than good usually. Or it simply gets wasted by being washed out of the soil. Feeding the soil as the other have said, is the way to have strong healthy plants. Grow them a bit 'harder' Craig  image

    I never feed seedlings or small plants. They get enough from the new compost when they're potted on. The aim again is to build a stronger plant. Food encourages lush growth (and legginess in seedlings )  which is simply more attratcive to pests and diseases.

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    We grow them hard in Scotland! 

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758

    Thanks for the comments guys.

    Im glass to hear my delphs may flower in a small little as 6 weeks time Verdun! They are quite a size already and I did think they were a bit early! Must be all this warm weather! :)

    I will stick with the FBB from now on as this seems to be the fertilizer of choice for most on here. As delphs are heavy feeders, is it worth giving my more established ones any tomato feed when the flower buds begin to form? Or will they not even need that? I have mulched them with homemade compost :)

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