Nutritional and taste qualities potatoes directly related to the use of fertilizers. In particular, the protein content in tubers in the absence of fertilizing does not exceed 1%, and with the correct application of mineral fertilizers it reaches 1.7 - 2.0%. To receive high yields And good quality tubers, fertilizers must be available to plants on time, in the required quantity and in in the required form. Up to 75% of the required nitrogen, 66% of potassium and phosphorus, 50% of magnesium are absorbed by plants before flowering.
Potatoes are very demanding nutrients . From correct application mineral and organic fertilizers largely depend not only on the yield and quality of tubers, but also on the effectiveness of plant protection measures. In addition, fertilizers have a great influence on the number of beneficial microorganisms in the soil. It is well known that organic fertilizers activate the proliferation of antagonistic microbes, but the effect of mineral fertilizers, depending on the dose, can even give a negative result. Thus, long-term use of high doses of mineral fertilizers disrupts the biological balance in the soil.
Mineral and organic fertilizers are best used together, adding them either scattered before plowing the soil, or in rows while planting potatoes. Maximum plant development occurs at a nitrogen: phosphorus: potassium ratio of 1:1.2 -1.4:1.5.
Excess nitrogen fertilizers reduces plant resistance to disease, worsens the taste of tubers and leads to the accumulation of nitrates. Too high doses of nitrogen fertilizers have a negative effect on potato plants, since the tops grow intensively and create favorable conditions for the development of late blight and rhizoctonia. In addition, they increase the ability of the larvae Colorado potato beetle to survival, can mask the symptoms of viral diseases and thereby complicate phytocleaning, prolong the growing season, as a result of which physiological ripeness of the tubers does not occur by the time the potatoes are harvested. It has been noted that increased and high doses of nitrogen help to reduce the percentage of starch in tubers. At the same time, with a low level of nitrogen fertilizer, field weeding is higher, since less developed potato tops suppress weeds less effectively.
Effect of phosphorus depends on availability other batteries and first of all - nitrogen. Optimal doses of phosphorus, when applied together with nitrogen-potassium fertilizer, neutralize the negative effects of nitrogen and promote rapid ripening of plants. Phosphorus fertilizers accelerate the process of tuberization and, thus, directly affect starch accumulation, resistance to damage and disease. Thus, with a sufficient supply of potato plantings with nitrogen and potassium and with increased doses of phosphorus, the damage to tubers by late blight is reduced. In addition, phosphorus fertilizers increase the resistance of potatoes to soil-dwelling pests, for example, to the common scab pathogen.
Potash fertilizers increase the resistance of potato plants to various stress factors (cold, heat, etc.), and tubers - to disease damage. The form of potassium fertilizer, to a certain extent, can modify its effect; when applying KS1, compared to K 2 SO 4, the infestation of tubers increases viral diseases, for example, leaf curl virus.
Norms application of mineral fertilizers should depend on the amount applied organic matter and soil type. On soddy-podzolic, loamy and sandy loam soils, more potassium should be added than nitrogen and phosphorus. On sandy loams, compared to loams, the total amount of all types of nutrients should be approximately 1.5 times higher. On chernozems, the proportion of phosphorus is increased. On peat bogs, the proportion of nitrogen is reduced and the proportion of potassium is increased quite significantly.
On sandy and sandy loam soils, nitrogen is intensively washed out as a result of precipitation, so plants develop poorly. In these cases, it is advisable to feed them, including nitrogen fertilizers, however, this should be done only before flowering, until the rows close.
When using different forms mineral fertilizers must be adhered to following rules: nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are mixed only if they are granulated, otherwise they must be applied separately; potash fertilizers always paid separately.
Organic fertilizers supply plants with necessary nutrients, loosen the soil, improve its structure and increase fertility. From a phytosanitary point of view, organic fertilizers are a valuable nutritional substrate for saprophages that have an antagonistic effect on soil-dwelling organisms. pests soil microflora and, thereby, determining the antiphytopathogenic potential of the soil. The microbiological activity of the soil increases when easily decomposed organic matter enters it. Due to the fungistatic effect, the development of permanent forms of harmful organisms in the soil slows down the more, the higher the microbiological antagonism.
The best organic fertilizer is rotted manure. When applied randomly for autumn or spring plowing, its average rate is 30 - 40 t/ha, maximum - 60 - 80 t/ha.
Application fresh manure leads to uncontrolled over-fertilization of the soil with nitrogen, causing excessive growth of tops and a delay in the formation of tubers. As a result, favorable microclimatic conditions are created for the development of fig blight and rhizocgoniosis; tubers that do not have time to form a dense skin are easily injured and become infected during harvesting with many pathogens, for example: Fusarium sp (caused by dry rot); Phytophthorainfestans(caused by fig blight); Phomaexigua\ar.foveata ,Phomaexigua var. exigua(exc. Phoma); (Enviniacarotovora subsp. carotovora(exc. wet rot); Enviniacarotovora subsp. atroseptica(caused by soft rot and black leg); Clavibactermichiganensis subsp. sepedonicus(caused by ring rot), etc. All this creates additional conditions that contribute to the epiphytotic development of diseases during potato storage.
Peat, as an organic fertilizer for potatoes or for mixing with manure, can be used only after aeration, during which ferrous compounds of iron and aluminum, harmful to plants, are converted into harmless oxide compounds. The oxidation process of finely crushed peat occurs relatively quickly - from 1 to 3 weeks. Peat humidity should be at least 60%, since dry peat takes moisture away from the soil. In a dry spring, this can negatively affect the germination and development of plants.
Compost- a mixture of peat with manure or slurry, green plant matter, and sparingly soluble mineral fertilizers. The compost should contain from 25 to 50% manure, phosphate rock (per 10 kg of peat) - from 2 to 4 kg, superphosphate - 1 to 2 kg. Components for composting are stacked in layers; At the bottom there is a layer of peat 25-30 cm thick. Compost is applied under the potatoes in the same doses (30-40 t/ha) as manure, using either continuous incorporation or application into holes.
Average application rate chicken manure ranges from 20 to 30 t/ha, maximum - 40 t/ha. Specially dried chicken manure has good flowability and is used in much smaller doses - no more than 4-8 t/ha.
Potatoes respond very well to green manure (scented into the soil) green fertilizers, which are used as leguminous plants(lupine, sweet clover, clover, soybeans, etc.), as well as mustard, rapeseed, multi-cut or regular rye, grain legume mixtures (pea-oat and vetch). They, in fact, replace manure, improve the structure of the soil, and enrich it with nutrients. Green manure works especially favorably on light sandy and sandy loam soils. The green mass of green manure crops is incorporated into the soil in late summer or early autumn. On personal plot under green manure plants, you can annually occupy part of the area, gradually passing them through the entire area, that is, observing a certain crop rotation.
A natural and very effective mineral fertilizer is wood ash (or straw ash), which contains 3-5% phosphorus, 10-20% potassium and 2-3% magnesium. It reduces the acidity of the soil and significantly improves the taste of tubers. Ash is applied scattered in the spring before plowing the soil (the optimal amount is 0.7-1.5 t/ha) or in smaller doses directly into the holes and mixed with the soil. Pre-collected ash is stored in a dry place, preventing moisture from entering it. It improves the composition of all types of soils and is recommended for use as an addition to industrial mineral fertilizers.
The absence of macro- or microelements, or their deficiency, causes changes in potato plants, in addition, favorable conditions can be created for the development of infectious diseases. The lack of macro- and microelements can be determined by external symptoms, or by testing the soil and plants.
Soil acidity. For potato growth, the optimal soil reaction is within the pH range of 5.5 ... 5.8 (slightly acidic soil); with a more acidic reaction, the yield decreases, especially on light soils, where magnesium deficiency is also observed. As the soil reaction approaches alkaline (pH more than 6), potatoes are more affected by common scab. Lime should not be applied to potatoes, but to other crops in crop rotation. Very acidic soils Lime can be applied over the stubble of the predecessor.
The integrated use of these techniques in combination with other protective measures makes it possible to obtain a high and high-quality yield of potato tubers.
Any gardener knows: to get good harvest, plants need to be fed enough. But with what?
Many people think that the most the best feeding- This is mullein. They say that this is a natural fertilizer, which means it contains everything that plants need.
But this statement is only partly true. Mullein contains a lot of nitrogen, but there are no other nutrients. How to correct this imbalance?
Of course, with the help of mineral fertilizers. Feeding with mineral water can quickly eliminate nutritional deficiencies. But you need to learn to determine by certain symptoms what exactly a particular plant lacks.
IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH NITROGEN
Nitrogen deficiency is a fairly common situation. In this case, the leaves on the plants are small and pale, and the plants themselves turn yellow and wither. They may bloom prematurely, but the flower stalks are weak and there are few flowers.
With a lack of nitrogen, garlic turns yellow prematurely. Lower leaves The cabbages turn pinkish-yellow and fall off. U white cabbage an elongated stalk is formed, cauliflower lays weak inflorescences. The cucumbers' lashes turn yellow, and the fruits take on a hooked shape with a pointed tip.
1 tbsp will help bring plants back to life. a spoonful of urea dissolved in 10 liters of water. This solution should be sprayed on the plants and also fed at the roots. Literally after three to four days, signs of nitrogen starvation usually disappear. And to enhance the effect, before the next watering you need to sprinkle the beds with ammonium nitrate at the rate of 50 g per 1 m2.
IN DEFICIT – POTASSIUM
When there is a lack of potassium in the soil, the edges of the leaves of plants turn white, and then they turn brown and dry out. This phenomenon was called edge burn.
If there is not enough potassium for a long time, plant stems become weak and fall easily. Cucumber leaves become convex and the edges curl down.
Potassium starvation is eliminated with a solution of potassium chloride (50 g per 10 liters of water). The plants are sprayed with this solution, and 50-70 g of potassium sulfate is scattered under the roots and the beds are thoroughly watered.
PHOSPHORUS URGENTLY NEEDED
Phosphorus starvation is not as common as nitrogen or potassium starvation. With a lack of phosphorus, the leaves become dull, dark green in color. On their underside the color becomes bluish-green, purple or purple shades. This is especially noticeable along the veins.
U tomato seedlings The stems also turn bluish-green. Reddish and purple spots may appear. Leaves begin to fall, dried leaves turn black. At the same time, the shoots become thin and growth slows down.
Plants can be cured by adding double superphosphate (30 g per 1 m2 of bed).
BORON – FOR GROWTH AND BEAUTY
Plants are most often deficient in this microelement. With a lack of boron, the growth points of the stems are primarily affected. Stems and leaves become distorted. And cucumbers also have bent fruits. Zucchini and zucchini become rough and lumpy. In white cabbage, cavities appear in the stalk, and cauliflower inflorescences become loose, acquire a brown color, and small leaves grow through them.
Beets lose their ability to be stored - they rot either while still in the garden or during storage. The carrots become covered with black marks - damage.
All problems are solved by adding 3 g boric acid per 1 m2 of beds.
Mineral fertilizers not only effective, but also very easy to use. In order, for example, to carry out foliar feeding, just dissolve them in water and let them settle. And then pour the solution into plastic bottle with a sprinkler - and you can start. Root feeding easy to carry out using a garden watering can. And in order to measure required quantity fertilizers, you can use the simplest measuring instruments - a glass and a spoon.
Organic fertilizers for the garden: their types and characteristics, feeding options.
Despite the positive useful characteristics organic fertilizers, failure to comply with the rules and regulations for their application can lead to harm to the soil and plants. The correct approach to this issue will ensure that you receive maximum benefit from such fertilizers.
Cow dung
It is one of the most common types of organic matter, since it can significantly improve the structure of the earth, making it more breathable and moisture-absorbing. Characteristic feature this fertilizer is considered quite sufficient long term validity - up to 7 years. Finding such fertilizer is quite easy, unlike, for example, peat. At the same time, many gardeners and gardeners do not know about the insidious side of this fertilizer: Fertilizer is applied no more often than once every 4 years. It follows from this that per 1 sq. m of plot, no more than 4 kg are added. The annual application of cow manure leads to an excess of substances in the soil, especially nitrogen. At abundant watering organic residues decompose more intensively, which leads to the release of large amounts of nitrogen, and this, in turn, oversaturates our vegetables with nitrates.
Application of manure is allowed only after it has rotted well, since fresh manure is a source of various diseases, pests, and also contains weed seeds, which cause a lot of trouble for gardeners.
In addition, during the initial decomposition of fresh manure, they are released into large quantities gas and heat, which, combined with nitrogen, push the plant, which has not yet had time to ripen, to accelerated growth. This leads to its weakening and inability to form a suitable long-term storage harvest.
When fertilizing acidic soils with cow manure, remember that it acidifies the soil even more. In such cases, horse manure is preferable, or cow manure should be combined with liming.
If manure is applied to landing hole, you need to ensure that there is no contact of manure with the root of the plant to avoid burns, which will slow down the development of the seedling.
Bird droppings.
In its own way nutritional value bird droppings are compared with complex mineral fertilizers. It contains nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as bacteriophages, which allows you to simultaneously fertilize and disinfect the soil, since bacteriophages successfully suppress many pathogens. At the same time, there are a number of rules for the use of this type of fertilizer:
Bird droppings contain large quantities of uric acid, so they do not add it fresh, and in combination with turf or peat. You can also prepare a tincture of droppings in water, which must be kept for 10 days. The mixture is applied to well-moistened soil and begins to act no earlier than a week later. Therefore, it is recommended to sprinkle a small layer of earth on top.
Like many organic fertilizers, bird droppings can be applied as a base fertilizer. In this case, the application rate is up to one and a half kg per 1 sq. m. m. Such a gas station is valid for up to 3 years. In spring and summer, you can feed the plants three times per season.
Peat.
Peat is not particularly popular among gardeners, although it can loosen the soil and improve its water absorption properties just as well as manure. Peat is distinguished by its sufficient poverty of nutrients and stinginess in nitrogen release. In this regard, it is used as compost, adding it to organic mineral supplements.
Peat is rarely brought in fresh - it must first be weathered (3 weeks) so that harmful oxide compounds of aluminum and iron are transferred to neutralized oxide forms in the air. To prevent moisture from being drawn from the soil, it is recommended to apply peat moistened to 60% moisture.
If for some reason you do not have additional organic fertilizers for the garden and you decide to use peat as the main fertilizer, then you need to cover it with a full spade. Peat can be applied both in spring and in autumn time year. You should know that there are three types of peat: high-moor, intermediate and low-lying. The last two are used as fertilizer, and the top one is used to cover plants in winter.
Peat has important feature: It tends to acidify the soil. When adding it to acidic soil, it is recommended to use ash for deoxidation, dolomite flour or lime.
Compost.
At home, you can prepare organic fertilizers with your own hands. So, for example, to prepare compost you will need compost pit and garden plant waste.
This organic fertilizer can rightfully be considered a complete replacement for humus. Compost contains nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and various microelements. It has a positive effect on the vital activity of beneficial microflora.
Under no circumstances should semi-ripe compost be added to the soil due to the presence of pathogens and weed seeds in it. However, feeding seedlings with semi-ripe compost is allowed.
This type of fertilizer is rich in nitrogen in the first year of maturity. It is not recommended to sow plants that tend to accumulate nitrates during the first few years after its application. Such plants include radishes, beets, and lettuce. You should know that compost is not rich in magnesium and calcium, which it is advisable to use additionally.
Also likes to live in compost harmful insect mole cricket and, if it is imported from someone else’s garden, you should find out whether there are such pests there.
Ash.
It's no secret that ash is an excellent organic fertilizer. However, not everyone knows that it has some features, ignorance of which can harm the soil on your site.
Ash is rich in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, boron, molybdenum, manganese and other elements, however, it does not contain nitrogen. In this regard, fertilizers that contain nitrogen must be added to the soil. It should be remembered that the simultaneous application of ash and nitrogen-containing fertilizers provokes the formation of ammonia harmful to plants.
Ash is a powerful soil deoxidizer, and therefore, when adding it to slightly acidic soil, it must be done very carefully. Also, you cannot add ash to feed young seedlings that do not yet have 3 leaves.
Fertilizing with organic fertilizers.
For each type of plant, fertilizing with organic fertilizers has its own individual characteristics:
Cucumbers respond gratefully to feeding with manure mash, that is, water fermented in the sun with manure.
Cabbage requires two feedings with wood ash during the growing season.
Carrots, in the case of poorly developing crops, respond gratefully to fertilizing with solutions of bird droppings or slurry. Moreover, the first feeding should be done in the phase of 3-4 leaves.
Tomatoes. The first fertilizing with organic fertilizers is carried out 20 days after the seedlings have been planted, the second - during the period of blooming of flower clusters, and the third - at the general abundant flowering bushes Liquid mullein is excellent as a fertilizer.
Eggplants are fed two weeks after the seedlings are planted, and then during the flowering period. This fertilizer is for vegetable crops, like slurry and chicken droppings, is great for eggplants.
Have a generous harvest!!!
Correct and timely tillage of the soil quality fertilizers is the basis for obtaining healthy plants And bountiful harvest, any agricultural technician can confirm this. The question of choosing fertilizers plagues gardeners and gardeners around the world. Organic and mineral fertilizers are presented on the market in an assortment, produced various companies, in a wide price range. It is important to make a thoughtful, correct decision.
Organic fertilizers
Many adherents of this type of supplement consider them to be the only acceptable and natural, without chemicals. Organic matter has a positive effect on soil composition, improves development and increases yield. However, all types organic fertilizers after being introduced into the soil, they break down into the same elements as mineral ones. The main difference is that the decomposition process occurs evenly, while mineral preparations contain ready-made elements.
Manure. Considered the most valuable organic compound. Settled manure (from 5 months to 3 years) is used to enrich all types of soils. When digging the soil, the mixture is added at a rate of 6–9 kg per 1 sq. m. meter.
After applying manure, some crops can only be planted on next year(tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, etc.).
A mixture of manure and water is used for all types of garden, garden and indoor plants.
Peat. Increases the looseness and airiness of the soil, but does not have enough useful elements. Usually, various mineral components are added to peat to improve its properties. You can collect peat yourself in swamps. Peat is usually added in the fall.
Bird droppings. It has a nutrient-rich composition, but use it carefully. Excess droppings can cause nitrate accumulation in fruits. Average use rate: 500 gr. raw fertilizer and 200 gr. dry per 1 sq. meter of soil. The application rate depends on the type of bird.
Compost. It usually consists of a mixture of fallen leaves, sawdust, peat, etc. To enrich the compost with nutrients, various mineral additives are often added.
Bone meal. An excellent source of calcium and phosphorus. Apply directly to the soil. Aqueous solution used for monthly plant feeding. For 5 liters of boiling water, use 250 g. bone meal, a week later the solution must be filtered. Ready-made solution dilute with water in a ratio of 1:5 and water the plants at the root.
Now at flower shops There are special organic fertilizers available for sale, concentrated, in liquid form, odorless. Such bottles can be safely used at home for potted flowers. The solution is diluted with water according to the recommendations on the package.
Main types of mineral fertilizers
The most common mineral constituents are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in varying proportions. In spring, at the beginning of growth, the formation of shoots and stems and before the appearance of the first flower buds nitrogen is needed. Next comes an increased consumption of phosphorus and potassium is needed in preparation for frost.
Nitrogen. Necessary for increasing the fertility of all types of soils. Nitrogen is consumed by all types of garden plants, garden crops, trees and shrubs, as well as indoor flowers. The rate of application of nitrogen fertilizing depends on the type of soil and plant. With sufficient content in the soil of other mineral elements, the productivity of nitrogen compounds is enhanced.
In the absence of nitrogen, plants grow slower, leaves turn pale and yellow.
Phosphorus. Increases fruit quality and overall yield. Particularly important for fruits, grains, berries and most vegetable plants. With a lack of phosphorus, plants acquire a bluish-pink or brownish-green tint, and the process of fruit formation worsens and slows down. The method of application and dosage depends on the type of phosphate fertilizer (phosphates, superphosphates, phosphate flour, etc.).
Potassium. They nourish plants, help synthesize various substances, increase frost resistance and disease resistance. All potash fertilizers are soluble in water. The type and amount of fertilizing depends on the type of soil.
Complex mineral fertilizers. A common type of feeding, it contains two or more components. High content of nutrients. Different complex preparations have different ratios of nutrients. It is necessary to select fertilizer based on the type plant crops and soil. These types of fertilizers often have a list of gardening or gardening properties on the packaging. indoor crops for which they are most suitable.
Organo-mineral fertilizers
The introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers together significantly enhances them overall efficiency. The soil becomes loose and airy, the amount of nutrients and humus increases, the quality and fruiting of plant crops increases. It is used for all types of soils and plants during sowing and as a root fertilizer. In liquid form it is used for foliar feeding.
Often mineral supplements complement the lack of nutritional components in organic. Organo-mineral compounds are obtained by physical and chemical combination of elements. Such balanced formulations come in liquid and powder form, in capsules, granules.
Complex organomineral compounds can be formed in natural environment, for example, sapropel. Fertilizer is formed at the bottom of reservoirs and consists of organic matter (residues of plants and animals) and mineral components.
Fertilizing is an indispensable source of nutrition for every plant in open ground, greenhouse or flower pot. Correct application organic and mineral fertilizers will nourish the plants and become a guarantee bountiful harvest. Before applying any type of fertilizer, you must carefully study the instructions and packaging. It should be remembered that an excess of some types of fertilizers can harm plants.
Fertilizers are necessary for intensive (that is, without increasing the cultivated area) agriculture. Their use makes it possible to increase the yield of any crops on areas that have been used for a long time. Of course, with the right approach. There are fertilizers different types. Let's look at the difference between organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers.
Mineral fertilizers
Mineral fertilizers are called inorganic compounds that contain substances necessary for plants for normal growth. Depending on the presence of these substances, mineral fertilizers are divided into complex and simple. Complex ones include several simple fertilizers in different proportions. And simple mineral fertilizers are divided into the following:
- Potassium.
- Nitrogen, which, in turn, are divided into:
- saltpeter;
- urea (carbamide).
- Phosphorus; they are divided into:
- phosphate rock;
- superphosphate;
- precipitate;
- other phosphate fertilizers.
The production of mineral fertilizers is carried out by specialized chemical industry enterprises. Sometimes chemical plants have one or more production lines different types mineral fertilizers.
Combined mineral fertilizers are compounds that include both nitrogen and phosphorus. Often they don't have one chemical formula(unlike, for example, ammonium nitrate), since they are a mixture of different substances. The difference between organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers is that the former are a product obtained naturally, while the latter are produced artificially. Therefore, minerals must be used very wisely so as not to damage soil fertility. Now let's look at organic fertilizers.
Comparison
Organic fertilizers- This is a waste product of animals. They also include peat, sawdust, tree bark and bottom sediments of reservoirs (silt or sapropel). They are of greater value than mineral ones, since they are a natural element of the ecological chain and are not capable of harming the fertile soil layer. The most valuable organic fertilizers - manure and bird droppings - are produced, for obvious reasons, in much smaller volumes than mineral fertilizers.
Although sawdust is the cheapest organic fertilizer, it can significantly increase soil fertility. Often rotten apples are used as fertilizer, of which there are a lot of them on private plots during a good year. They are simply buried in the ground in the fall, and ready for spring. good humus. But it is better to add sawdust or plant waste (for example, tops) in the form of compost, that is, having previously kept it for one or two seasons in a special pit, so that the mass is rotted and better absorbed by plants.
Table
The table below summarizes the difference between organic and mineral fertilizers.
Applying fertilizers to the soil requires certain knowledge. Everything matters here: the timing, the amount and type of nutrients, the needs of the plants that will be planted in the beds. An excess of fertilizers, as well as a deficiency, leads to a decrease in yield and deterioration in product quality. This applies not only to vegetable crops, but also to ornamental crops, the beauty of which largely depends on the composition of the soil. The first thing a novice gardener needs to know is the differences between organic and mineral fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers are waste products of plant and animal origin. These are, first of all, manure, bird droppings, mullein and nettle infusions, compost and peat. They contain in large quantities phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium and potassium, as well as other elements necessary for normal development plants. Any organic materials can be used as such fertilizers:
- sawdust;
- grass;
- river silt;
- green manure plants;
- vegetable and fruit peelings;
- straw;
- feces.
Before adding organic matter to the soil, it must be sufficiently rotted, so all waste should be composted in advance, and the duration of this process directly depends on the type organic materials. On average, it takes from 4 to 8 months to overheat. Slurry and bird droppings are first diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, and only then used to feed plants.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Organics contain many useful microelements | A high concentration of fertilizer has a negative effect on plants and saturates them with nitrates. |
| Improves the structure of the soil, making it looser | Danger of soil contamination by nematodes, fungi or helminths |
| Organic fertilizers are available and inexpensive | Distributing organic matter throughout an area requires some effort and time. |
| Slowly decomposes in the soil, which ensures a longer action | Strong and very unpleasant odor |
Preparation of organic fertilizers practically does not require material costs. For example, to make compost, you just need to choose a flat area on the site small sizes(1x2 m, 1.5x1.5 m) and for convenience, fence it with slate or boards.
After this, the space is gradually filled with plant debris - weeds, straw, peelings, fallen leaves. Periodically compost heap water it with water so that its contents rot and do not dry out in the sun, and shovel it once every 3-4 months. Thanks to such actions, the compost becomes homogeneous, beneficial worms and microorganisms multiply in it.
Nutrients entering the soil bind to humus particles and penetrate into root system during complex metabolic reactions. Thanks to this, plants absorb only what they need and grow strong, resistant to adverse weather and disease. The harvest in such conditions may not be maximum, but it is environmentally friendly, stores well, and the fruits are tasty and aromatic, with a high content of vitamins and microelements.
Inorganic compounds that contain nutritional elements have long been used in agriculture and in some ways surpassed organic matter. Depending on the composition, these fertilizers are usually divided into complex and simple. If they contain at least two main elements, this is complex fertilizers: ammophos, nitrophos, potassium nitrate and others. If nutrient only one, the fertilizer belongs to the second type (urea, ammonium nitrate, phosphate rock, superphosphate).
Mineral fertilizers are sold in concentrated form - granules, powder, liquid solutions. This makes working with them much easier, but at the same time requires great care, because the slightest excess of the dosage can negatively affect the future harvest. The use of such fertilizers allows you to grow various cultures not only on the ground, but also on soilless substrates - sawdust, coconut fiber, perlite, vermiculite and others. These substrates are more porous than soil, which means plant roots receive more oxygen and grow more easily.
When feeding, the roots gain quick access to nutrients that come with water. In this case, the plant cannot regulate absorption and absorbs everything that is given to it. If an excess of mineral salts forms in the tissues, it is compensated by the increased growth of the aerial parts. That is why crops on mineral fertilizers develop much faster than on organic matter. At the same time, the plants become watery and very susceptible to various infections, which requires additional protective measures.
The use of mineral fertilizers allows you to collect record harvests not only in quantity, but also in the size of the fruit. Despite attractive appearance, such fruits contain less vitamins and are worse stored. If during cultivation the norm of fertilizing is allowed to be exceeded, mineral salts accumulate in the fruits and harm human health, causing severe poisoning. But if you follow the feeding technology negative consequences is not observed, and can be achieved stable harvests even on poor soils.
If you select fertilizers depending on the needs of a particular crop and correctly calculate the dose, the plant will receive all the necessary nutrients.
There is another type of fertilizer that successfully combines all the advantages of organic matter and mineral salts, and practically does not have their disadvantages. These are organomineral mixtures consisting of processed organic waste and enriched with potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen and other components. This composition allows you to improve the soil, promoting the development of microflora, as well as accelerate the ripening of fruits and increase the yield. Since the concentration of mineral salts in these mixtures is quite low, plants receive only necessary elements and do not accumulate harmful substances.
Combined fertilizers - description
Which fertilizer to choose, each gardener decides for himself, depending on desired results. But it’s best to be able to find a balance between chemistry and organics and know moderation in everything. Inept handling also makes its own adjustments, so before using fertilizers, carefully study how it is done.
Video - What is the difference between organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers