Fertilizing
M. Gastil-Buhl (Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:39:31 PDT)

I also have learned a lot from the advice on this email list and wiki
on how to grow from seeds.
And now I have a few small trays of seedlings.
I cover my tiny seed pots with coarse sand and it is easily disturbed
if I do not apply the fertilizer solution gently.
I dip a big soup spoon into the bucket of fertilizer water and gently
tip the spoon over each tiny pot, very close to the surface.
It takes awhile but it gives me a chance to look closely at each pot.
All of these I am seeing for the first time as seedlings.
In between fertilizing, about once every other week I spray the leaves
only with a more dilute solution, using a tiny spray bottle.
I have dosed all the tiny seed pots the same so I do not know if my
rates are ideal.

Just this past week a few seedlings show yellowing leaf ends which I
assume means I should now let them dry out and begin their first
dormancy.
Those are all winter-growing, summer-dormant species.

Here is a photo from last January showing the spoon method
http://flickr.com/photos/gastils_garden/…

And here are some of those seedlings last week
http://flickr.com/photos/gastils_garden/…

- Gastil