Summer top dressing of vegetable crops in the open field

In order to fully meet the summer and help the plants form a full-fledged crop, it is necessary to carry out the necessary preparatory work in the winter period:

  • check the garden pharmacy and purchase the missing mineral fertilizers, including complex fertilizers with microelement additives;
  • individual microelement additives, which are still unconventional in vegetable growing – iodine and boric acid, baking soda; top dressing will require natural yeast, some biological products (Baikal EM-1, Ekomik fruitful and others); since autumn, a stock of ash from the burning of wood waste and other organic debris should be prepared.

Application of mineral fertilizers for tomatoesApplication of mineral fertilizers for tomatoes. ยฉ vsgawade

You should also look at the layout of vegetable crops in the garden crop rotation. Separate into separate groups cultures that have the same phases and times of fertilizing (for example: the budding phase is the first decade of May, the growth phase of the ovaries is the second decade of June).

Read more about crop rotation in the material “Five ways of crop rotation for a summer cottage.”

All preparatory work will free up summer time directly for the execution of scheduled work, the time for which it is more expedient to plan for the weekend (so that there is an opportunity to โ€œhurry up slowlyโ€).

Contents:

Basic fertilization – in autumn and spring

As a rule, the main dose and types of fertilizers are applied for autumn preparation or divided into autumn and pre-planting / pre-sowing spring. But these nutrients may not be enough for plants, especially those that form a large biomass and yield. In order not to impoverish the soil, turning it into a whitish sandy loam over time, the soil needs to be returned to the taken-out nutrients. Moreover, the return should be in the form of organic matter, which certain groups of soil microorganisms decompose to chelate forms of salts used by plants.

Types of top dressing during the growing season

During the growing season, mainly root and foliar top dressings are used. Root top dressing is usually performed with water-soluble complex fertilizers in solid or dissolved form, and foliar top dressing – only with working solutions.

When root feeding with liquid fertilizers, the treatment must be completed by washing the solution from the plants to prevent burns of the above-ground mass. Root top dressing is carried out in the first half of the summer season until rows and row spacings close, and then they switch only to foliar top dressing for green plants.

Foliar top dressing spend the entire growing season.

Fertilizing the soilApplying fertilizer to the soil. ยฉ Dorling Kindersley

Types of fertilizers for top dressing

During top dressing, plants should receive adequate nutrition with the elements that are most necessary in a certain phase of development. The best for top dressing are ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate, potassium nitrate, double superphosphate, urea, microfertilizers, Kemira-universal.

Currently, mineral fertilizers are produced that are balanced with the requirements of certain crops. So, Kemira is produced in the form of vegetable, potato kemira, for tomatoes Agrotuk tomato, for cucumbers – Cucumber, for beans, peas with potassium, molybdenum, magnesium, boron, for root crops – Vegetable and others.

What can’t be fed?

In preparation for the summer season, it is necessary to clearly state what top dressings will be carried out (root, foliar), in what phases and an approximate list of fertilizers for the tank mix.

During the summer period, top dressing is not used for vegetable green or spicy-flavoring crops.. For them, the main application of fertilizers is sufficient (radishes, onions on a green feather, dill, parsley, salads, sorrel and others).

Phases of top dressing in open ground

Traditionally, root top dressing is carried out in the following phases:

  • on the 10-12th day of mass shoots of sowing vegetable crops,
  • 2 weeks after planting seedlings in open ground,
  • in the budding phase – the beginning of flowering,
  • after flowering
  • in the phase of growth of ovaries,
  • with repeated harvesting (cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants) – after the next harvest of fruits.

Foliar top dressing is carried out, as a rule, 5-6 days after the root.

Urgent foliar top dressing is carried out with obvious starvation of crops, which is determined by the state of the above-ground mass, in particular, leaves.

The best period for plant treatments is the morning period before 10 o’clock and the afternoon – after 15 o’clock.

The recommended feeding systems for groups of crops are advisory in nature, mainly for beginner gardeners. Experienced owners, as a rule, have their own experience on the periods and methods of feeding.

Traditional feeding system

In the phase of mass shoots of vegetable crops, top dressing is carried out with ammonia fertilizers at the rate of 8-12 g/linear meter. Fertilizers are applied in the middle of the row spacing, covered with a layer of soil, followed by watering. If the soil is low-fertile, then it is more practical to fertilize with nitrophoska in the same dose.

Seedlings of vegetable crops in the open ground are fed for the first time with a nitroammophos norm of 10-15 g / linear meter, followed by watering and mulching the soil.

In the following phases of plant development, top dressing is carried out according to the planned phases. Vegetable crops require the greatest amount of nutrients during budding, growth of the above-ground mass and in the phase of fruit growth. During these periods, top dressing is required, including foliar. The following are the top dressing of plants by crop groups in the summer.

CucumberCucumber. ยฉ urbanseedling

Fertilizing pumpkin crops in the summer

Cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkin are fed for the first time with dry nitrogen-containing fertilizers or nitrophoska in the phase of 3-4 unfolded leaves, about 2-3 g under a cucumber bush and 3-4 g under the rest of the pumpkin. You can dilute nitroammophoska or kemira. Dissolve 10-25 g of fertilizers in 30 liters of water and pour 1,5-2,0 l / sq. from a watering can under the root. m landings.

The second top dressing is carried out in the budding phase, preferably with ash between the rows or with an organic solution. If the soil is 70-80% covered with green mass of plants, then insist 2 cups of ash in 2 liters of water for 10 days and pour from a watering can without a nozzle, trying to get under the bush. In the infusion of ash, you can add the drug “Ideal” or another containing trace elements. If there are organic fertilizers, then dilute 0,5 kg of manure or chicken manure in 10 liters of water, leave for 1-2 days and pour under the root. After top dressing, be sure to wash off the fallen dressing solution from the leaves.

After flowering in the phase of mass growth of ovaries, pumpkin seeds are fertilized with nitrophoska, a mixture of urea with potassium fertilizers, using potassium sulfate. per sq. m contribute 6-10 g of fertilizer. 4-6 days after each root dressing, foliar solutions of microelements can be carried out according to the recommendations for preparing the solution.

Nightshade feeding

Tomatoes, sweet peppers and eggplants in all phases falling in the period May-June are fed with nitrophoska or other complex fertilizer. During this period, foliar top dressing is necessarily carried out with a solution of Kemira with the addition of boric acid or the preparation “Giant”. Good results are provided by top dressing with slurry or chicken manure when dissolved, respectively, in 8-10 and 12-15 liters of water.

Recently, the results of the use of non-traditional solutions that have a beneficial effect on solanaceous have appeared on the pages of recommendations. In 10 liters of water, dissolve 30 drops of iodine, a teaspoon without a top of boric acid and a dessert spoon without a top of baking soda. You can add a tablespoon of ammonium nitrate. The tank mixture is thoroughly stirred and the plants are treated. Starting from July, nightshade plants are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (dry), planting them in row-spacings of 30-40 g / linear meter or 40-60 g / sq. m. m area. Top dressing with a solution of natural yeast (100 g per 10 liters of water) is effective. Consumption under the bush is 1,0-1,5 liters of solution.

Potato nutrition

Potatoes do not like fresh organic fertilizers and most of all, during the growing season and crop formation, they need phosphorus and, especially, potash fertilizers.

Under the potatoes, the entire necessary dose of fertilizer is applied in the fall or directly under the planting of tubers. The best fertilizer is kemira-potato or universal kemira. In their absence, nitrophoska is introduced for planting potatoes. The dose of application for planting is 60-80 g/sq. m area. If direct fertilization is used during planting, then the rate is 15-20 g per hole. Fertilizers are mixed in the hole with the soil. After 3-4 weeks, fertilizing with nitrophoska or kemira is carried out at a dose of 30-40 g / sq. m. The next top dressing is carried out in the phase of tuber growth.

PotatoesPotato. ยฉ Allotment

Bean nutrition

Vegetable peas, beans, beans are crops that consume a large amount of nutrients per unit of crop formation. Therefore, they are usually fertilized throughout the growing season after 15-20 days with complete fertilizer (nitrophoska, another complex fertilizer). The drug “Giant” has a good effect on this group of plants.

Legumes are demanding on the presence of a sufficient amount of potassium in the soil, which is used by the crop to deliver nutrients to the emerging crop. You can use it for foliar feeding mixed with potassium sulfate (1-2 tablespoons per bucket of water). After flowering, you can also use ash or ash extract for top dressing.

Cruciferous nutrition

White cabbage, cauliflower and other types need increased amounts of nutrients, starting from the head formation phase.

Do not feed early cabbage. The middle and late ones are fed 10-15 days after planting in open ground with nitrophos with the addition of trace elements. 3-4 tablespoons of fertilizer are diluted in 10 liters of water and watered the root area along the contour of the plant. Followed by watering and mulching. The second phase in the beginning of head curling is best done with organic animal or vegetable matter, but always with the addition of 20-30 g of superphosphate per bucket of mullein or bird droppings.

Organics are diluted in the ratio of 1 part of fertilizer to 10-15 parts of water. In turn, after 3-4 weeks, 2 more foliar top dressings are carried out with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, using water-soluble superphosphate and potassium sulfate, 20-25 g per bucket of water. The easiest way is to feed the cabbage with universal kemira, crystallin or crystallon. These fertilizers, in addition to the main elements, contain boron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, magnesium, which are necessary for the formation of a full-fledged head of cabbage.

CabbageCabbage. ยฉ cropluck

How to determine what the plant lacks?

Sometimes the carried out top dressing does not improve the condition of the plants. In this case, the micronutrient culture is probably deficient. Their deficiency is easy to determine by the state of the above-ground mass.

  • The lack of manganese is manifested in the yellowing of the edges of the leaf blades from old leaves to young ones,
  • lack of iron, on the contrary, causes yellowing of the leaf between the veins; color change begins with young leaves and gradually yellowness spreads from above from young leaves to older ones located lower along the stem of the plant,
  • general leaf chlorosis (leaf blade unnaturally light green in color) reveals a lack of nitrogen,
  • a lack of magnesium is easy to determine by yellowing of the edge of the leaf blade with a red-violet tint; gradually the leaf becomes spotty and falls off,
  • a lack of phosphorus manifests itself in the form of a bronze shade of leaves, and potassium – violet-blue; the plant begins to lag behind other healthy bushes of the corresponding crop,
  • zinc deficiency inhibits stem development; the bush has underdeveloped internodes, the bush turns into a โ€œrosetteโ€,
  • the lack of calcium causes the death of the growth point; and sometimes it persists, but the ovaries fall,
  • the fall of the ovaries is also observed with a lack of boron.

Having determined the lack of one or another element in the plant by the state of appearance, the most correct thing is to contact the nearest laboratory and analyze the soil and plants. If this is not possible, then treat 1-2 plants with a solution of trace elements and follow the reaction of the plant. If the signs go away, it means that this microelement is not enough.

Prepare the solution according to the recommendations and spray the plants or make the solution under the root. Remember that a violation of the ratio between the fertilizer elements also leads to a violation of their entry into the plant. Therefore, for top dressing, it is better to use ready-made complex fertilizers, and not to prepare complex mixtures on your own.

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Anna Evans

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