How early can I really give it nutrients? I've read when the plant has 3 or 4 sets of leaves but in my produce-growing experience I just give it a little nutrient once it forms its first set or second if I'm lazy.
You start to feed the plant when the cotyledon (false rounded leaf that are the plants nutrient start to yellow) you can use 1/4 of strenght around the end of second week under 200-250ppm around week 3. Week four is were it actually starts. The cotyledon are usually gone and the plant is in its first week of actual vedging
So my TDS are high right?? I live in the Phoenix area, very hard water. I used a garden hose filter that apparently will pull some of the minerals out. But at 660ppm for fresh water after just a light amount of nutrients for the seedling. What happens if I continue like this?
Honestly a lot of what is in the water can and will be uptaked by the plant.. So it's a lot harder to balance out a "balanced" nutrient feeding if your water is rough... Aerating and all that jazz will not change the amount of TDS in the water.. Water is such a huge part of the total puzzle.. Like water + light + a little bit of nutrients = growth.. It's really hard for me not to recommend you getting an R/O system for yourself.. As growers spend a lot of money on our growing efforts or can.. And if your gonna be spending money... Then you should be willing to spend a bit more... Your plants will thank you... Your overall results can improve and your lungs will thank you as well. Good Clean water is a such a key ingredient to the end results.