Fertilizers and fertilizing - what is and why are they needed?

 In order to increase the yield and resistance of plants, experienced specialists use fertilizers. With their proper application, you can annually get rich harvests, strengthen the immune system of crops and improve the condition of the soil. However, not all substances that can be found on the market will be equally useful. You need to understand exactly what elements plants need and use them only according to the instructions.

What is "fertilizer"?

Fertilizers are all substances that are applied to the soil or used to spray the leaves. They may be of natural origin or chemically synthesized. Plants absorb them with a rhizome from the soil or leaves when spraying. When they enter the plant body, they are used for basic life processes - growth, flowering, and fruiting.

Fertilizers are absorbed in the form of individual minerals. With a shortage of certain elements in the soil, you can purchase mono-feeds that contain only one active ingredient. However, complex mixtures are more often used - they are more convenient for prevention and are applied according to the schedule.

Why do they need to be included?

Plants are in the soil, from which they receive all the necessary substances for their development. Of the main useful elements, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus can be distinguished, but other trace elements are no less important. If they are absent or their deficiency is felt, the growth of crops slows down. They become weak and more often suffer from pests and bacterial or fungal diseases.

As nutrients enter the plant body, their amount in the soil gradually decreases. On fertile soil in the first year after its development, you can get a rich harvest, but every year the indicators will decrease. To prevent this phenomenon, it is important to fertilize several times a season. They are those substances that have been consumed by plants as they grow and develop.

Types and classification

With a modern range of fertilizers, it is difficult to make a choice. On sale, you can find dressings in different forms and with different compositions. There are varieties designed specifically for seeds or seedlings, as well as for individual species and varieties of plants. The first rule when choosing a fertilizer is to find out for which crops and for what purpose it will be used.

Origin

There is a certain classification that divides all fertilizers into categories. First of all, these substances are classified according to composition. All topdressing can be divided into two groups:

• mineral - are trace elements in a form convenient for absorption by plants;

• organic - waste products of plants and animals, as well as their decayed remains, which decompose in the soil into individual chemical elements and are absorbed by plants.

Mineral fertilizers may contain only one active ingredient or a combination of them. The former is used to compensate for the deficiency of certain elements, the latter are made according to the schedule for preventive purposes. The composition of such dressings most often contains nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and additional minerals in smaller proportions.

Organic fertilizers are more commonly used in agriculture and are prepared at home, but they can also be found commercially.

According to aggregate state

Fertilizers are also classified according to the form of release. Here the choice depends on the convenience of the person and the area of ​​​​the cultivated surface. For indoor plants, you can purchase liquid or sticks; for processing fields, it is easier to use aqueous solutions or powders that are applied using special equipment.

According to the form of release, two large categories of fertilizers can also be distinguished:

• liquid - suitable for application to the ground or for spraying leaves;

• solid - powders, granules, tablets, and sticks, which are applied to the soil in a dry form or used to prepare aqueous solutions.

The composition of fertilizers

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a fertilizer is its chemical composition. Mineral dressings contain various trace elements as an active ingredient, and this feature determines their properties. The composition of fertilizers is necessarily indicated on the packaging, it may contain the following elements:

• nitrogen is the main substance for the formation of new shoots and the growth of crops;

• phosphorus - especially useful during the flowering period, prevents the ovaries from falling off;

• potassium - affects the processes of growth and formation of fruits, improves soil performance;

• additional trace elements (boron, zinc, molybdenum, copper, calcium, and others) - are contained in smaller quantities, but are no less useful for plants;

• vitamins - increase the resistance of crops to the action of environmental factors, activate growth and development;

• organic acids - natural growth stimulants;

• microorganisms - a separate group of fertilizers, which is used to normalize the composition of soil microflora and improve its properties.

Complex fertilizers are those that contain several active ingredients at the same time. Most of them include a certain complex of trace elements: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). They are needed in greater quantities and are able to ensure the full development of cultures.

When is the best time to contribute?

The package always contains instructions for use. It contains the rules for the preparation of aqueous solutions and the schedule for their introduction. Some substances are necessary for plants at the seedling stage to stimulate intensive growth, the rest positively affect the flowering and fruiting processes.

The basic rule of applying fertilizers is to use them only at the time when they are needed. They are used only during the growing season, from March to October. In the cold season, the life processes of plants slow down, and top dressing can knock down their natural cycle. In addition, the soil freezes in winter, and fertilization will not bring results.

Spring

For the first time in a season, fertilizers are applied after the snow has melted. At the first digging, it is recommended to feed the soil with basic nutrients. First of all, at this stage, you will need a large number of plants. It is he who increases the germination of seeds and the survival rate of seedlings, as well as the formation of young shoots.

It is also useful to apply organic fertilizers in the spring. They have a complex composition, but trace elements are still in a bound form. As they decompose and mineralize, they become available for absorption. In addition, these substances activate the activity of beneficial soil microflora, which is able to synthesize useful elements or transfer them from soil and air into a form convenient for plants.

In summer

Summertime is harvest time. After flowering and intensive growth, the soil is already a little depleted, and it needs to be restored. In addition, it is useful to introduce those substances that will be used by plants to form flowers and fruits.

In summer, the following types of fertilizers are used:

complex, with the addition of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus;

additionally - potassium and phosphorus in the form of mono fertilizers;

organic top dressing;

microbiological preparations based on soil microorganisms.

Autumn

In autumn, the soil is prepared for wintering. Topdressing is carried out after harvesting, simultaneously with the last digging of the soil. In autumn, complex fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus, as well as organic matter, can be applied. If the beds for the winter are left empty, nitrogen is additionally used. For perennial plants, nitrogen fertilizers are not used for the winter - they can provoke the growth of new shoots and the failure of the vegetation cycle. Young shoots after germination will freeze at the first frost, and in spring the plant may not recover from stress.

Manure, compost, wood ash, or other means can be used as a source of organic fertilizers. There is also a practice of using fallen leaves as a source of trace elements. It is not collected, but simply raked under tree trunks - when the snow melts, it will begin to decompose and turn into the high-quality top dressing.

Fertilization methods

Nutrients can be applied to the soil (root dressing) or sprayed on the surface of the leaves (foliar application). Each of these methods has its own characteristics, and for some fertilizers, it is recommended to alternate them.

Root top dressing

Aqueous solutions are suitable for root dressing, as well as dry powders, tablets, and granules. They can be applied during watering plants or added separately. Compared to spraying, this method has a more prolonged effect, since minerals accumulate in the soil.

Root dressings have their own characteristics:

• convenience when processing large areas;

• long-term action;

• less chance of burns.

foliar top dressing

Foliar fertilization is spraying them from a spray bottle. For these purposes, aqueous solutions are prepared, the concentration of which should be significantly lower than for root dressings. This method is suitable for both ornamental plants and crops. In the second case, a special technique is used.

The main advantage of foliar dressings is the rapid absorption of active substances by plants. However, the elements do not accumulate in the leaves and are quickly washed away by rain. In addition, under the influence of sunlight, many drugs lose their properties. For these reasons, spraying is recommended only in dry cloudy weather, in the morning or evening hours.

Feeding frequency

The application schedule depends on the type of preparation, as well as on the variety and variety of the crop. The higher the concentration of active substances in solutions, the less often they are used. There are several types of fertilizer applications:

main application - involves the use of all the necessary substances in high doses, most often carried out in early spring;

additional applications are necessary as the plants grow and develop, the frequency varies from 3-4 times per season to 1 time in 1-2 weeks;

for indoor plants, it is also provided for application in winter, but not more than 1 time per month.

With the simultaneous use of several drugs, it is worth considering their composition and interaction features. So, organic and mineral fertilizers can be safely combined, but an excess of elements in the soil should not be allowed. It is easier to purchase a complex mineral supplement and apply it according to the schedule indicated on the package.

Folk remedies

Folk fertilizers are organic supplements of natural origin. Pet waste, some plants, and food leftovers can be used to make them. The most popular folk remedies are:

• farm animal manure, horse manure is especially useful;

• bird droppings - a source of potassium;

• humus - rotten manure along with bedding or leaves;

• compost is a fermentation product of food, plants, and manure or one of these components, the process takes place in heat under the action of microorganisms;

• wood ash - contains potassium and alkalizes the soil.

For fertilizing gardens in villages, such a tool as green tea is popular. To prepare it, the green mass of plants is poured with water and insisted on the sun, then manure and ash can be added there. Nettle decoction is also used - it stimulates the development of plants well and strengthens them.

Modern fertilizers

Modern science is working on the creation of new substances that would meet all the requirements. New fertilizers differ from their predecessors, although they are made with the addition of the same active elements. As a result of chemical reactions, it has already been possible to obtain drugs that have a number of advantages:

prolonged action - it is enough to process some of them every few years;

safety for humans - these products do not irritate the skin and mucous membranes in case of accidental contact;

safety for the environment - environmentally friendly fertilizers do not harm soil microorganisms, do not accumulate in fruits, and do not cause burns in plants.

Conclusion

Fertilizers are a huge class of natural substances or chemicals that plants need for harmonious growth. With their help, you can significantly increase the yield or prolong the flowering of ornamental crops. However, when choosing dressings, it is worth considering the characteristics of the soil and the needs of plants, and when applying, observe dosages and safety measures.