In past years, before WS, I use miracle grow fertilizer, the one you get the attachment container, add the fertilizer, turn on the hose and go.

Since WS, I haven't done much with any fertilizer and I don't have the best soil in the world in my beds either.

The seedlings have been growing in miracle grow potting mix and when I plant them, I add a big handful of miracle grow potting mix to the hole before putting them in the ground. I give them a good dose of water once planted and then that has been it.
Also, all my beds have a good amount of bark mulch as well, so that helps to hold in moisture.

I've had a combination of watering problems for the past several years as well.

I live with a mandatory stage 2 water ban for the past several years no matter how much or how little rain we get.
So that means that I can only water every other day. many times it ends up with on my day to water it has been either raining the few days before and the plants need no water or it's soak the beds quite a bit on my day as it hasn't rained in several days.

Health issues have kept me from being able to do a lot of things after the seedlings are in and I've had to rely on hubby and neighbors to water things for me since 2006 and it's too much to ask people to both water and fertilize for me as well.

So, since 2006, none of my beds have had any fertilizer added since the day they where planted in June.

Last year 2008, we had 4 solid weeks of rain in July, a total of 12 inches of rain. nothing fertilized then and it took almost 2 weeks for the beds and even the hanging pots to dry out before any water was needed.
I'm still amazed that anything survived all that rain without roots just rotting away to nothing.

On the other hand, all my plants where fine as where my neighbors that either did WS or got seedlings from me at my plant swap. Those that stayed with the traditional plant purchases, did lose quite a few plants.

Must be the WS seedling strength.

Fran

I rarely fertilize anything. I mulch all my beds and as that breaks down I figure that provides enough.

However, I have tried some products from GardensAlive and have seen great results. I particularily like the annual flower blend. Definitely made a difference in my containers.

I fertilize as little as possible, I used to do it once or twice with the first one being at least two weeks after planting out with a 25% solution. I always add a lot of mushroom compost and mix it in a bit, so they really don't need much. In the past, I used Miracle Grow and it worked really well, but I'm going to try fish emulsion this year if I do fertilize... probably will.

To give a boost to seedlings, and sometimes transplants too, I mix about 1 Tablespoon seaweed concentrate per gallon of water in the watering can. Then water at planting/transplanting time. I don't worry about dilutions and strengths, because this is a mild fertilizer and won't burn the plants. This is reported to encourage root growth and feed soil microorganisms and it does seem to work. Sometimes I also water the seedlings in the pot ghetto with this mixture, although they could probably use something stronger because they use up the nutrients in the small pots quickly.

I've tried fish emulsion, which also works well, but that resulted in raccoons digging around the area looking for the "fish".

It depends on what I'm growing. Some plants get nothing and go in the ground to fend for themselves. Veggies and tomatoes get fertilized either with miracle grow that you mix with water or with tobacco fertilizer and a boost of nitrogen two weeks later.

Terenne - LOL

I know what you mean about 'looking for the fish'. I find the same kind of downside with using my organic fertilizers. They are comprised of different kinds of 'meals' (alfalfa, cottonseed, etc.) and smells very nutty in the bag. So when I use it in the veg garden, the squirrels dig and look for the nuts.
Kris

This is my first year winter sowing, so I'm curious to read the answers. I don't feed the rest of my garden a lot, usually every spring I throw down the cheapest fertilizer I can buy at Walmart. LOL* Most everything's alive?!! LOL*

I used to use Dyna-Grow, but can't find the stuff around here anymore. Now use MG, but I want to try some of this fish emulsion.

Prof

This is also my 1st year wintersowing. In general though when I plant stuff, if I remember I to, I throw a bit of Bulb Tone or Holly Tone (or whatever __Tone is available) into the bottom of the hole. The Espoma Tone fertilizers are slow-acting so I figure they help. I like slow-acting stuff since it is less likely to overdose or burn plants.

Word to the Wise - You might want to mix that fish emulsion liquid outside. The smell is really bad, but the plants seem to like it.

Im turning into my dad when I say:

You want water? You want Nutrients?
You got roots, USE em!!!!)

little on the tough love side eh?

I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THAT COMPOST!!! IF THATS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU ......

yep, he yells that loud too!

Doris - ROFL! Actually that's my usual approach but I'm always willing to learn something better so am happy for these suggestions!

Kris (who gardens with a green fist...)

Kiddo, I am so stealing that. Green fist.

I compost and mulch with the compost, so I don't fert.

Well, I'm still all about this tobacco fertilizer that Token raves about. Is it a southern thing? Never seen it around Philly or here in Delaware. Anybody up north able to get their hands on this?

Prof