Hi all!!
I am a newbie and for some reason I can't stop making mistakes!
Well, the thing is that I am starting some plants from seed and don't want to end up killing them as I did with my first tomato sprouts. I have tomato seedlings, pepper, chillies, cucumber, rockmelon and mint. all of them in trays. I also have a cherry tomato plant that I bought in a nursery. My questions here:
1. Does the type of soil affect the seedlings? Now I have them all in a mix soil that I bought, but when I transplant them in their final position the soil is going to be different because I live in a national park and can't change the local soil with non local products. The soil in my garden looks pretty good because the previous family living here were very good gardeners and I've heard they had many things planted. anyway, our soil is the type of clay, I had the first seedlings there and they ended up dying, maybe for some issue with the watering and the soil.
2.Is too much sun or to much heat bad for the seedlings? We're about to get into the dry season, nice hot weather, cooling a bit down in the evenings and noooooo rain. looks like too much soon dries the soil very quickly and therefore the plant is thirsty for the rest of the day. Oh! I don't use artificial light, I just put the tray right at a sunny spot. Am I burning my little seedlings alive???
3.BUGSSSSS!! Now that it looks like my seedlings are getting over my mistreat, bugs are eating them. Caterpillars, insects I can't see... I have made a homemade insecticide with garlic and onion until I go to the nursery and get something proper. What do you think??
4. When should I start with fertilizer?
Too many issues and questions.... Sorry... I'm not a very good gardener...