I would suggest using Advanced Nutrients they are great. And a good rule of thumb is don't start feeding until plant is 2 weeks old if it's in soil.
yea id say a living soil with a healthy microbe population is the only way to go. amended soil or feed with teas.
Any of the major brands like Fox Farm, General Hydro, Advanced, Roots, and so on will work just as well as anything else. When to start feeding depends on the medium that you choose to use for growing.