What is the Best Fertilizer for Seedlings? Test #2

[@Mommyslittlegarden]

Thank you for taking the time to run these experiments. I always say gardeners are natural scientists. PS- looks like I’m going to get some mater magic.

[@raeannakurtz9874]

Just bought some Matr Magic. I'll be ready come springtime. Thank you for doing this.

[@jamespalmerministries6131]

I follow a couple popular people on various platforms but this young lady is different. She wears many hats works very hard but unlike the super stars she stops n checks out our comments. I love her work but it's priceless to know she takes that Xtra time. Blessing❤

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

This means a lot to me- thank you!

[@benjaminh.7698]

Yes please, more experiments ;) Always a joy to watch your videos 😊

[@michellepavlik3535]

Love these types of videos! Thank you for all your time and effort! I love your channel! As we are both in Ohio, in the same zone, you are SOOOO helpful! I would love to see you do this experiment with cucumbers.

[@DevinTheGardener]

Hey Jenna. Just wanted to say you deserve so many more viewers. Means your videos are amazing!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you!

[@user-vu4kv6du6j]

Fantastic video! I have the Alaska one at home i bought last year at the close end to the season so i had it for next year. the smell of fish really could knock you over!! LOL. the sniff test def can make you step back a moment. My dogs were attracted to the smell i had to keep pushing them away, they are my garden assistance in all aspects. From planting to snatching some green beans!

[@Andrea-si2vs]

Love your experiments! Thanks for all you do.

[@ofrecentvintage]

So excited for these results, especially as some products I already have as well as a handful I've wondered about were included. Thank you so much for putting in the effort (time, money, attention...) for this!

[@ofrecentvintage]

Oh! In my garden, Alaska fertilizer attracts yellowjackets in my garden. Definitely unexpected!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh! I didn't even think about yellowjackets!

[@jamespalmerministries6131]

Your attention to detail always is amazing! Love the results very well presented. By the way your disdain for a certain product 😂 Look forward to it because I know it's coming! I'm definitely ordering the winner for next season! Amazing results!

[@fostercat]

I’m SO happy I found your channel! I’ve been following several big gardening channels that are based very geographically far from me. Not only is your content great, but it’s nice to see examples from the same growing zone and climate as I have! YAY! 🎉

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I’m glad you’re here!

[@martymalinowski6352]

We used to make Cornell mix back when I was in horticulture school in the '70s. Different plants have different nutritional requirements at different stages of growth and it's quite an interesting science. I use Neptune's Harvest for my seedlings. Great video, Jen!

[@johndoh5182]

Which also means that a fertilizer test in a soil-less medium when the plants are left in for 3 months which for many plants is their lifecycle isn't really a good test. I mean, tomatoes should be producing fruit by that time. It also means that fertilizers that aren't water soluble isn't worth testing, and also means that for synthetic fertilizers it's tricky because, especially in a soft fluffy medium they wash out of that medium pretty quickly. I've seen much better use cases and results with something like Miracle Gro from other growers. If the soil is soft the way a seed starting mix should be then you need to use those more often and at weaker strengths, and if you get a little too much into the mix for the first couple doses or the first couple weeks, you probably damage the roots. So synthetics require a lot of care when using but give excellent results when you get it right. The test would have been better if the plants were put out like the seed package says, and for almost all tomatoes that's 6 - 8 weeks.

[@BRANDYHAMILTONS]

Thank you Jenna 😊 I am a huge MIGARDENER fan and have not yet bought anything besides seeds and plants, but I will definitely be doing so now😊❤

[@Mommyslittlegarden]

My homemade fertilizer consists of chicken manure, comfrey, weeds, expired produce, urea, molasses and sometimes rice water (I find the sugars from the molasses and rice water help the microbes digest the contents better). I make a compost tea from this concoction. So far I haven’t had to buy any fertilizer this season. The downside is that I have to apply weekly which can sometimes be cumbersome. But my plants love it.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds like great stuff!!

[@tombauer7330]

Good videos. Excellent content with strong take aways. If you do this again, how about trying peppers. They are cranky, demanding and slow growing. I planted six pots using double Solo cups of the same variety, Bounty Hybrid, and got different results ranging from stunted to impressive growth.

[@sarabielaczyc3968]

I love that you gave the smells! My husband is so happy we are using Agrothrive because of the light smell! And the pups didn't try to eat it!

[@sarabielaczyc3968]

JADAM would be interesting to see in the homemade fertilizer trials

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh- good point on the pups! Mine are definitely drawn to some of the fertilizers… particularly the granulated formulas that contain blood and bone meal! I learned the hard way after one of my dogs got into my greenhouse and ripped a bag open!

[@paullueders5218]

Thank you so much for doing this extensive test. Buying all those fertilizers you tried must have run you some real money. That stuff is so expensive. I'm going to use the Mator Magic on my tom seedlings and the Agro Thrive on my other seedlings that you demoed with the cauliflower starts.. Your testing made me a believer! I do about 150, 10-20 trays every year and I've never been happy with the ferts I've been using, and yes, I'll admit I have used the dreaded "MG" in the past, shhhh.... I use perlite, and my homemade compost for my starts. The compost is made with fish scrap, tree leaves, & pine needles. I do about 45 to 50 cubic yards every season for my market garden and it still seems like I never have enough. I use soil blocks exclusively for my indoor starts. I've been making fertilizer from fish scraps, walleye, and molasses for years. I don't have a set recipe. I fill a typical plastic garbage can about halfway with fish scrap, a 1/2 gal. of molasses, and then about 10 gal. of water. I cover it with screening to keep the flies out and let cook in the sun, LOL...... Stirring every few days for about six weeks. I then strain off the liquid and put it in gallon jugs. I put about a quart of this very very stinky solution into my 15 gal. tank sprayer and then top it off with water. I use this as a folier and ground drenching fert in my market garden. Straining this yummy liquid off is not for the faint-hearted. I try really hard not to get any on me, but that seldom happens, LOL.... One year a bear got into this screen-covered garbage can, oh my! pew pew pew. Well, thanks again and thanks for the many other videos you have produced. I'm in northern Wisconsin in zone 4A

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm certain your plants love your homemade compost & fertilizer. And a BEAR! Oh My! That's one critter I don't have to worry about here in Ohio.

[@Compost935]

Thanks!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you!!

[@brownbutterfly9753]

Jenna, I love it when you show us content like this… it helps me save money and encourages me to get excited about sowing while watching what I sowed come to life… I am struggling with growing carrots 🥕… do you mind testing and showing me perhaps, others how and when to sow carrots with seed starters… this will help me a lot… Thank you…🥕🪴🌸

[@kennypridemore5466]

If my tomato 🍅 plants look like ANY of those plants I would seriously look at my way of growing plants 😊 but I still love the video ❤

[@michaelh7506]

Hi Jenna, That was a fun experiment, I grow mostly flowers. I have been using Mater Magic for four years. I just followed the bottle and it always had good results too. I just grew 4 cherry tomato plants.

[@justinh4923]

Mater Magic looks real promising! Thanks Jenna!

[@chasewlindsey]

Love the experiments! I’ve always been skeptical of bloom boosting fertilizers so I’ve been thinking about doing a similar experiment for annual flowers planted from seed comparing time to bloom, bloom size, amount, etc.

[@emkn1479]

Love the fragrance notes 😅

[@zaria5785]

Appreciate your experiment and explanation and dedication to bringing us solid valuable content! ❤ Homemade fertilizer: Epsom salt (diluted in water) Overripe Bananas and peels (blended with water in a food processor-only kitchen appliance I have). Spent Coffee grounds (from a local cafe). Blend. If you have a neighbor with bunnies, ask if you can take its poop when they clean out its bedding. Add neem powder and mustard powder (ground up mustard seeds) in equal amounts to the soil mix. Both neem and mustard can be found at Indian grocery stores or online, sold by the company HANS brand. You’ll be surprised how strong and green your plants will be. Obviously I’d recommend you make this at least 3-4 weeks ahead of time in a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit outside with a cheesecloth on top. Dilute the mixture after 48 hours by mixing it with water and feeding it to your seedlings. Ok take care.

[@frankporterfield8121]

I really enjoy your videos. Always helpful. Thank you for the experiment.

[@SufficientlyScott]

Incredibly helpful, thank you!

[@hands-on-m8c]

your right and Im glad that you did it the way you did

[@jamieflint2550]

Another great video! I usually up pot into an organic potting soil & good compost mix w worm castings added, which has been pretty successful. I then end up fertilizing every few weeks if they have to stay in pots for long. I used Espoma Grow, then picked up the Agrothive after your video earlier this year. I'll definitely be trying some more of your winners this next season too!! Thanks!

[@jacklulis6571]

Great experiment Jenna. You covered all possibilities save one. How can you eliminate genetic differences between subject seeds? Is it even worth trying? Keep up the great work!

[@genevabrown450]

I add a bag of worm castings to my sifted potting mix for seed starting and potting up,just water and no worries till planting time.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Typically I make homemade seed starting mix and add worm castings to that-- they're magical!

[@summerbeemeadow]

Thank you for your good work and your excellent presentation.

[@dreikas9016]

Great video! Can you test out peppers next? They grow so slowly so it would be great to find a fertilizer that speeds them up!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Love this idea!

[@minivandreamin1789]

Yes! This would be great!

[@craigdreisbach5956]

Wow Jenna! You are a true scientist. You dispelled my faith in neptunes harvest and i've ordered mater magic. Kind Regards. Craig

[@brianczuhai8909]

She's also part plant I think. Way, way, too garden smart.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Someone else mentioned that Neptune is better as a mid-to-late stage food versus seedlings, which I can see being the case. But based on this test, Mater Magic seems like it should work for all phases of growth.

[@JohnJude-dp6ed]

Saw this and it's a great job well done. I'm for the dark color and beautiful leaves Guilty of Meric Magic but only at transplant time and if I see yellowing

[@bjones8354]

Loved the video!Very helpful, TY! I’m having an abundance of tomatoes this year.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Enjoy those home-grown tomatoes!

[@mikefrench3800]

Great experiment! I have used mater magic before but never with seedlings. I'll have to give it a shot

[@thereseavelis1372]

Great experiment, Jenna! I have never tried this, but since I have 3 very healthy Comfrey plants, I would like to see you try a comfrey tea on brassicas. Just a thought. Thank you for the valuable information 🎉

[@michaelgoff1279]

I always treat my soil with Down to Earth but added Agrothrive to me seedlings this year based on the previous video. My plants are out of control this year! Strong, great color, very productive. The odd summer in Cleveland is also factoring in but I believe the Agrothrive made a difference.

[@cpoco]

Some good points there. I generally don't use fertilizer (I do have a seaweed spray that says it's basically just for root development)... I typically just use my own compost or all purpose potting mix from the local hardware store. My seedlings do ok... but they don't seem as robust as those I see on KZbinrs channels and I guess this could be why... they likely give them at least some fertilizer. I might have to do my own test with my next batch of seedlings and use the spray on some and nothing on the others to see what difference it makes. Thanks as always for an informative and well produced video!

[@tarawatterson4188]

Awesome. Love these experiments. You are a mad plant scientist. Even more excited for the homemade fertilizer edition! I've been experimenting, though not nearly as rigorously 😁, with Agrothrive and KNF jadam mixes.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

What are you liking best so far?

[@tarawatterson4188]

@@GrowfullywithJenna I took a break from the JLF and have been focusing on Agrothrive this year, using as directed mostly, but only every few weeks. I also like that the smell is better than most 😆 I'm definitely getting more production than last year but not as much as I'd hoped, and I'm not sure it's worth the cost for me. The drought is also a huge factor of course. It made me wonder: is it possible that the solution that's best for seedlings isn't necessarily the best for mature growth? Dunno, but glad to be gardening alongside you and your content, Jenna! 💚

[@robinthibault3553]

These are the best videos, thank you. I would test a grass "tea" fertilizer because it's so easy to make and mostly available to many gardeners. And please test cucumber seedlings! I'm in your zone and struggle to make healthy cucumbers every year. I transplant, I direct sow, I prune, I don't prune, I finally got the cucumber beetle to leave them alone because of my mom's tomatillo traps, but they just creep along so slowly and then die overnight. 😢

[@krissy1740]

Excellent video, more of this kind please!

[@rebeccawatson9284]

Thanks so much for your experiments!

[@VanDeWitt-u4y]

Thanks for doing this test!!!!!!

[@kristysmith6229]

Absolutely love all of your educational videos! Would love to know where you get your up pots!

[@TheJackeeeo]

Fox Farm next! Peppers, zinnias & kale. I'd like to see another fruiting plant like peppers, a flower like zinnias and a leafy green like kale! These are great to watch and have helped me narrow down where I want to invest into fertilizer.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Which fox farm formulation do you like?

[@TheJackeeeo]

@GrowfullywithJenna probably the trio... I've used the cal mag for tomatoes & and peppers, but that's it.

[@margaret2222]

Loved this video. Might have to try some Mater Magic. I would like for you to test the "weed fertilizer". I see lots of videos about that but have not tried it.

[@cryptor3hab300]

Older eyes hint. Take a pic and then zoom in. Thank you so much for your trials! I read about so many and never know what to invest in.

[@sc-dw6gt]

yes, thank you! For our seedlings we use worm castings from our bins (our bins are maybe higher in nitrogen overall than most worm bins), with great results, which would be interesting to use in a test (this year, 200 tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants, all producing great). For all our veg plants that start in pots (which is nearly everything), we mix worm castings 50/50 with charged biochar (here in the southwest desert zone 7, so we need all the help we can get), then we add 1 part of that mixture to 9 parts FoxFarm HappyFrog potting soil (sifted, for seedlings). It would be interesting to see a test with a castings-heavy soil with no added fertilizer.

[@deecooper1567]

Great experiment. I’ll give mater magic a try 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@kelliecapps1053]

Very informative! Thank you for the time, research and sharing!! I do like your seedling pots. Can I ask where you got them?

[@donnacotter7572]

Great experiment and video, Jenna! I've been using Neptune's Harvest for my seedlings, which I like, overall, but I've been a little frustrated with my tomatoes and peppers not being as green as I'd like. I've also noticed the stems aren't as thick as the seedlings in the stores. I was concerned about my lighting, but I can see from your test that the fertilizer could be contributing as well. As an aside, I feel your pain about small type on labels. I have resorted to using my cell phone camera to take photos of labels so that I can enlarge them big enough to read. Miss my 20/20 vision!

[@54cal54]

If using water soluable fertilizer like miracle grow i think it was Gary Pilarchik that recommended 1/4 strength applied weekly. That might make more of a difference than once a month. Also the mater magic is granular so probably more slow release with each watering and lasting longer. Just a couple observations. I think ill try mator magic next spring and see. Thank you for the experiment and your time put into it

[@MoonCat33]

Appreciate you sharing this!!! Ty 🫶🏻

[@illustr8life863]

Very interesting study. Thank you! I would just like to add that MI Gardener Revive RX is to help boost nitrogen for a stressed plant only, it is not meant to fertilize. (I am WRONG! I just checked and it must have changed to be a fertilizer 9-1-1- That's a lot of nitrogen! When I bought it, it was to revive sick plants) Trifecta+ 5-10-4 is their actual fertilizer.

[@MountainDewRoolz]

Hello Jenna! First off, I love your channel and your vibe. Simply splendid. However I have a comment on this experiment. I understand that it's not perfect, and then there are many variables. But I just watched a video from pepper geek and learned something interesting about tomatoes flowering. And he said something about how all that dark green growth looks beautiful, but can actually halt or slow down the tomatoes ability to switch from growth to flower production. So I'd be curious if you can take these fertilizers on your seedlings test and continue the experiment further into the garden and season. To see if this revive RX really helps the overall tomato production, or if it just looks beautiful to our eyes. Just a thought. Thanks for all your advice and positive attitude!

[@MountainDewRoolz]

Oh I forgot to add that the reason is because he said that there's a lot of nitrogen, and the only reason I'm replying on here is because when I looked up revive RX the ratio was 9-1-1, so it makes perfect sense what he said to what you're seeing.

[@brianseybert192]

Thank You for all the unbiased work you put into your experiments, do not see how you find the time. The problem with testing home made fertilizers is what is in them, there is no NPK label on a batch of compost, even if there were, it is only the soluble nutrients, not the nutrients the biology in the compost will unlock. Second year using home made materials with no external inputs. I use finished leaf mold for seed starter, aged hot compost, leaf mold and worm castings for my potting mix (40%, 40%, 20% respectively). The key to these materials is the biology they produce, the ingredients used makes a huge difference, for example. I sent samples from two worm bins to the UW soil lab for nutrient testing as a manure, one with paper bedding and one with shredded leaves, fed both the same foods. Not only were there more nutrients in the leaf bedding, the biology was completely different, all I use now is natural bedding. The only nutrients I use for my seedlings is a worm casting/compost extract. I combine a healthy hand full of each in a mesh bag and swoosh around in a 5 gallon bucket of cold, unchlorinated water for a minute or two, water as usual, only do it a few times and when I pot things up. The reason I use both is because I have them, and the compost has a different set of biology than the worm castings. I would suggest using worm castings either as an extract or incorporated into the potting mix for one of your samples. You could use the winner from one of your other trials as the control, to see how things really measure up. I would be glad to donate some leaf mold to use as a seed starter, and some worm castings for your experiment. Looking forward to your garden tours. Stay Well!!!!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Definitely keen on the worm castings idea. I typically add them to my homemade seed starting mix and have great results. Your test results on the 2 different bedding materials is fascinating! Thank you for sharing this.

[@miadawn5175]

Excited to try mater magic now!

[@janetthornton7909]

I had same result you did with the Agro Thrive on my tomato seedlings (and my geranium seedlings). I switched to Proven Winners water soluble to bring the green back into the leaves.

[@gpswatching]

I’ve been using AgroThrive since your last experiment. I found it to work well on my grow bag tomatoes in the greenhouse. I’m curious to use Mator Magic on a few to see if there is a difference. Thanks again

[@lisaelanna]

Thanks for this. Didn’t realize I was supposed to be fertilizing my seedlings before transplanting (I was mixing in some mushroom compost at the beginning though) 😮 perhaps that explains why I’ve never been able to grow anything very large… can you also do a fertilizer video for your in-ground plants? I’m struggling with how much and when and what to use. 😔

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Here is my video on fertilizing in-ground plants: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGPIqZqvn9-la8Usi=JJu_zOCWAftExvPz Hope this helps!

[@PorchGardeningWithPassion]

I like the general purpose one (I am forgetting the name) that is fermented and smells like molasses. I ordered another container the other day for the pleasant smell alone. I also like that it is a fast acting, but gentle 2-2-2. I should have a full opinion on its performance by next year 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

[@NicoleFernandez-hd9ud]

Thank you so much!

[@michelled3867]

I would love to see you do onions since they are a heavy feeder. 😊

[@lynnlovessoil]

I tried AgroThrive last fall and liked it so much I have switched over to only using this brand for liquid feeds. I use general purpose for leafy greens and heavy nitrogen feeders. I use fruit and flower for my fruiting summer plants and flowers. Though the matter magic looks really great as well. I use garden-tone granules when planting. I am looking to try something else ., Maybe Natures Safe.

[@mneil8880]

Thankyou for the very informative experiment! Although in defense of miracle grow you should've used the acid version since it was for tomatoes 😂

[@thelioness3305]

I changed 100% to agra Thrive. Wow the difference was amazing

[@thelioness3305]

I would love to see you do one on potting soil. I grow a lot in pots. I use Happy Frog mostly.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm hoping to do this!

[@bobwilliams5506]

Ferti Lome fish emulsion has worked very well for me. I agree with your criticisms of Miracle Grow. That stuff sucks!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I’ll have to check that one out! How’s the smell?

[@bobwilliams5506]

@@GrowfullywithJenna It's a bit fishy, but not too bad.

[@drewsumrell]

Hi Jenna, per your first test I used the AgroThrive Fruit and Flower for all my soil block seedlings and without a doubt, I had the nicest seedlings to plant that I've ever had. BUT, I did also have an issue with the larger, longer potted seedlings having more yellowish leaves. So, I'm trying to figure out what to do for fall plants and next spring. I wonder if the AgroThrive general purpose fertilizer would work better overall. You have an opinion or experience to share? Thanks for your help. Love your videos and have learned so much from you. Drew

[@franksinatra1070]

Thanks Jenna. I used Revive and Agro in either peat or coco coir mixed with vermiculite. Most stuff did ok but the peat I used was this hydra peat I got at Lowes which was a blend of peat and other wood products and I think that caused probems with some of my plants especially peppers. When I swithced over to coco coir things seem to do better. Not good root development on a lot of my plants though but that could have been the hydra peat. I'm growing winter squash this year for the first time and tried a variety called Golden Hubbard. I'm thinking about trying a melon next year but would want to try something early and relatively easy for a first go around so any comparison testing on melons and winter squash would be awesome.

[@ratled1]

Please consider fermented weed fert in your homemade test. Thanks for all the videos

[@carenal]

Could you do an all granular slow release fertilizer test. I use espoma garden tone.

[@lisaayers1975]

Wow that mater magic did great 👍 👌 👏..I just found out miracle grow comes in a red color for tomatoes also..Wonder if it is any good ???

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Ah- they do indeed, looks like its an 18-18-21 and it does have good reviews on Amazon.

[@wkersch8841]

Thank you! I've got AgroThrive and now getting the Mater Magic cuz this year my tomatoes are doing poorly, so I hope this helps them catch up! I would love to know about carrots, please? I get more long root and not a fat veggie.

[@davidaleshire4292]

Ahhh... The glorious fragrance of Alaska. Doesn’t that stuff just tickle the olfactory senses in all kinds of special ways? I may be tempted to try that Mater Magic on seedlings next year. Wonder how any of this stuff would work with something like chard or kale. Peppers being relatively slow growers would be interesting.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Yes… tickle it does 😆. I do think peppers would make a good test- I might try some of these on my indoor/winter peppers and tomatoes!

[@JohnJude-dp6ed]

As you guessed I just simply tried as instructed as a rule before. This last season I only give half the suggested amount seems I've done g .I've picked Candy Land Red and Honey Comb Hybrid and our favorite Midnight Snack also 6 Black Krim already.I did try the winner of your early testing but I've built my soil and believe I don't need lots of fertilizer but some is probably beneficial. Thanks for helping me and others with our gardening. I also mixed dead fish and compost in a bucket of rain water like that Viking suggests and use it. It didn't kill my plants might be helpful I should test more carefully and learn more. Yes I should separate my experiments and take notes. I'm loving them large container for the test I'm thinking starting 10 weeks before our OH frost date and raising black Krim having plenty of tomatoes by June 20. I'm thinking seriously next season

[@btucker1739]

Thanks Jenna great to watch! Also the tattoo on your arm is so unique, very lovely. What does it mean?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you! The tattoo is some of my kiddos artwork ☺️

[@airpocono]

We use both neptune's harvest and alaska. In the early growth stage we use neptune's harvest and later growth about a month before plants are going into the ground we switch to alaska just for the higher nitrogen. We only fertilize inside and bottom watering, we really cant outside due to the bear getting a whiff of the fish fertilizer. The neptune's harvest is definitely less stink but I guess after 10 years of using alaska neither really bother me watering inside. Not sure if I'm just used to it but it doesn't seem to really stink up the room

[@febakoshy8888]

What about flowers ? So which one do you use on your vegetables? Last year I used the Neptune and the veges did pretty good. Also I was wondering seeing if the espoma does better with espoma soil products .

[@harmonyfamilylifetk]

Do you have a video like this for winter and summer squash?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Not yet!

[@ashadowawhisper]

I use Mater Magic, I’ve always had good results with it.

[@nikolateslawirelessradio]

Great video. I couldnt take my eyes off the tattoo on your inner left arm. What does it symbolize? Just curious. I have used MI Gardeners Trifecta + in the past with good results, but very expensive when it comes to shipping added on to the price. I'll be trying Mater Magic next year. Already been harvesting tomatoes for the past 3 weeks here in North Central Indiana. (Started mine in the basement grow room, then moved to the greenhouse. I started the seedling for Session 1 in Feb, Session 2 in March, Session 3 on April1. The session 1 didnt have the taste I was used to. Maybe the bees werent out yet......anyway, great video as usual Jenna.

[@h.sinclair]

WHAT? Mater Magic? completely unexpected. I just finished off a package of mater magic this spring on a bunch of peppers and tomatoes after transplanting to outside... maybe I was duped by the colors of the packaging but I had that Miracle Grow guilt when using it, keeping it hidden in a drawer, thinking, just another over nitrogen'd product, kinda, checking left and right before pulling out the mater magic makin sure no neighbors happened to be lookin... LOL great experiment Jenna did not expect the sub-par Neptune result either!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Haha- I had the EXACT same reaction when I saw the packaging! But it's actually pretty good stuff 😆

[@helenmcclellan452]

I will need to try the Mater Magic next year instead of the Espoma that I used this year. What do you fertilize your tomatoes with once planted, and how often? The clip of the paste tomatoes (paisano or roma) looked abundant and healthy. Mine are not doing well this year.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I feed my tomato plants once at transplant time with Garden's Alive's Tomato Food and that's it.

[@redblush4553]

Thank you Jenna. You are so beautiful 💎🤍

[@bakrantz]

Worm casting compost is pretty good and is made from kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and shredded paper.

[@fitzymon]

No worm castings and leaf mold tea?

[@tomst9417]

I have had very good results with Agro Thrive and Alaska Fish Fertilizer for my garden vegetables. I'll try Mater Magic next year for my starts. Do you think it would work well for brassicas ?

[@steverichardson8655]

Lovin your hatin on Miracle Grow!😏👍

[@steverichardson8655]

To be fair it's not only Miracle-Gro, it's all high nitrogen synthetic fertilizers that are destroying ecosystems. Please just stop using them, they're unnecessary and do a lot of damage to fish habitat. Vote for a healthy planet with your dollars!🌎

[@cyndisgreenoasis6571]

I would love to know a good fertilizer for broccoli I struggle with growing broccoli so much I end up with huge plants and tiny little heads

[@FC2ESWS]

What do you think was in the Mater Magic that made it do so well? The only thing I see it having that the others don't is calcium.

[@Andrea-si2vs]

The soil people are seed starting in may be the difference as well? Perhaps those that don't fertilize along the way are using a potting mix that starts with nutrition added.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Absolutely! I typically use a seed starting mix that has earthworm castings mixed in for some extra nutrition. And there are a lot of mixes that have fertilizer mixed in already. Planting medium can make a huge difference in results!

[@VicNorth777]

An interesting idea I came across recently: plant seeds in crappy soil (sand?) with very little nutrients. After some time (?... after first true leaf?) then fertilize and/or transplant to nutrient rich media. Apparently the first days under nutrient stress trigger vigorous growth once nutrients are supplied. I think this is then related to root mass as it appears that starving the seeds their first days leads to robust root development (in search of nutrients) and apparently this adaptation lasts for the life of the plant (doesn't go away when nutrients are provided).

[@enyreferee]

Tips for small print. Take a picture with your phone and zoom 😊

[@anniemorrison1250]

This really works. Also a magnifying glass with a light helps.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I tried and still couldn’t read it well… time to break out the magnifying glass 😆

[@jacobflaschenriem6504]

My tomatoes ate growing like crazy on miracle grow. But I will try mater magic next season

[@christiensgarden3325]

Where do you get the up pots from so I can buy some?

[@Thrilled123]

Ty

[@sabbyjones2308]

What do you think about the yeast sugar mix that is on several KZbin channels

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Could you link to one as an example?