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I have four apple tree seedlings that are in one pot and they're getting too big to get enough light for each of them. I have some pots that I bought to transplant them, but I bought some of this.

But I'm not sure if I should transplant them into it, because they're definitely not being started anymore (I can post a picture of them if I get enough up-votes).

Would they give them the nutrients they need? Would there be any other problems? What should I have bought?

Thanks!

Throsby
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    My opinion, without doing research on the matter, is that the difference between seedling mix, potting soil and seed starter mix is small. The packaging is the main difference. What you bought should work fine. – kevinskio Apr 07 '13 at 17:09
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    I've upvoted your question - I'd like to see a photo of the seedlings to check what size they are... – Bamboo Apr 02 '14 at 12:47

3 Answers3

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I suggest planting them each into a 1 gallon then later a 5 gallon and wait until it fruits (~3-5 years). Keep them at a height of 6-8feet. If you like the fruit buy an m111 rootsock and graft it on and discard the plant. The reason for this is that we do not know how high your tree can get or how tolerant it is to wooly aphids.

user3084006
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The seed starting mix could be used, but depending on how big the plant is, it is probably ready for some nutrients that seed starting mix wouldn't have.

Seed starting mix typically is just a sterile, light mix that is easy for delicate, new roots to grow through, and it usually lacks nutrients. You would typically transplant seedlings to a potting or transplant mix that already has some additional nutrients, because the growing plant has growing nutrient demands to support it, but you can certainly supplement the seed starting mix.

Cory Trevor
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If you are fertilizing the seedlings, you will be fine, but the ingredients in the mix you bought are basically just pH balanced Canadian sphagnum peat moss and wood pulp (which have about zero usable nutrients), so you are definitely going to run into trouble without fertilizer. It is always good to find out whether or not your growing media is fortified with fertilizer before using it.

Usually the biggest difference between potting mix and seed starting mix is porosity. The seed starting mix will generally be lighter and freer draining in comparison with bagged potting mix. This is not ways the case, though, and you can repot into seed starter if you want, you'll just have to possibly water and fertilize more often.

Apple seedlings tend to grow best in well fertilized soils, so use something with plenty of at least the 'main' three nutrients, or npk. Of course, if you can find a micronutrient complex and some minerals as well, that would be best (the mix doesn't contain many of those either).

J. Musser
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