Thinking about what a mineral fertilizer is? As a rule, this question is most often asked by novice farmers, as professionals are familiar not only with the terminology, but also with the method of their application at home. In our article you will learn all about what types of mineral fertilizing exist, what their composition is, how to determine the fertilizer application rate in a particular case, and so on.
What is a mineral fertilizer?
So, mineral fertilizing is a special group of inorganic elements that contain in their composition a number of useful substances necessary for the proper growth and development of plants. Such fertilizers can achieve good soil fertility and grow a rich harvest. The most popular mineral elements are:
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- nitrogen.
Fertilizers containing such substances are actively used both in large farms and in private garden plots. However, it should be understood that fertilizing the earth with mineral elements should be approached with great responsibility. With an excessive dosage, you can not only kill the plant, but also poison the soil, after which it will not be possible to plant crops on it for several years.
Nitrogen Fertilizers
Among the main types of mineral fertilizers for growing plants, nitrogen feeding is most often used. Most often, the lack of this element in the soil is felt in the spring season, when the culture requires a lot of strength in order to put them on the growth of stems and leaves. Lack of nitrogen manifests itself in slowing down or stopping growth. Also, rather weak shoots and small pale foliage can talk about this problem.
Most of all, tomatoes, garden strawberries, potatoes, apple trees and cucumbers react to a lack of nitrogen in the soil. If you find that the stems of the tomato bush begin to break under the weight of the brushes, then you should immediately water the culture with mineral fertilizers diluted in water containing nitrogen. The best option for this is urea and calcium nitrate.
A novice gardener or gardener should also not forget that different types of nitrogenous fertilizers have different effects on certain crops, so before you apply fertilizing to the soil, you should definitely read the instructions for use of the purchased drug. For example, an excess of urea can lead to soil oxidation, which is detrimental to cauliflower, lettuce, onions, cucumbers and many other crops.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate
Have you thought about the rate of fertilizer application per 1 ha? Most manufacturers indicate in the instructions the number of grams per 1 square meter, however, calculating the value will be quite simple: you only need to multiply the original figure by 10 to the fifth degree. That is, if we need to add 10 grams of urea per 1 square meter, then 1 ton of mineral fertilizers will be required per hectare. Here is a short list on the rate of nitrogen fertilizer application for a particular crop:
- shrubs and trees - 10-20 grams per 1 square meter;
- beets and tomatoes - 20 grams per 1 square meter;
- vegetables - 5-12 grams per 1 square meter.
It should be remembered that nitrogenous fertilizers are the most dangerous for plants among all mineral ones. With an excess of nutrients, the culture begins to deposit inside an excessive amount of all kinds of nitrates, which are dangerous for the human body. In addition, too much nitrogen is also detrimental to any green crop. For example, if a gardener thinks about using manure as a fertilizer, and makes too concentrated a composition for the root of the cucumber, then the plant will literally burn, especially when it comes to chicken manure.
How to feed?
Many beginner farmers are interested in where to buy mineral fertilizer spreaders. As a rule, we are talking about special equipment that is used to distribute top dressing to large areas. You can order such a device on the Internet or search in stores for gardeners. However, be prepared for the fact that the spreader will cost quite a round sum, so you should buy mineral fertilizer spreaders only if it comes to fertilizing large-scale soils. Otherwise, dressing can be done manually or using a spray gun.
Many mineral fertilizers can be diluted in water, and then water the soil under the root with such a composition or treat leaves from a spray bottle. As for the first option, it is best suited for root crops and various crops with a developed root system (trees, shrubs, and so on). Plants with large leaves and powerful stems (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers) are best treated with mineral dressings using a spray bottle, after making a solution of the desired concentration. Now you understand that a spreader for mineral fertilizers is not always needed?
Phosphoric Fertilizers
Most phosphate fertilizers are mineral fertilizers, containing about 20 percent phosphoric anhydride. Superphosphate is considered to be the best option for fertilizing most types of crops, which is ideal for any type of soil that needs this chemical element. The application of phosphorus fertilizers is carried out in the early stages of crop growth, when the soil is characterized by high humidity. That is, before applying top dressing to the root, it is necessary to water the soil for several days in a row.
Some professional gardeners use double superphosphate, the concentration of the active substance in which is several times higher than the dosage of a conventional drug. Also, it does not have useless CaSO 4 , which saves quite a lot of money on the purchase of fertilizers. However, double superphosphate is very rarely sold in small quantities, and only large farms can afford to purchase a large package of mineral fertilizers, although such top dressing will be no less useful for a beginner gardener.
Also another type of phosphate fertilizer is phosphorite flour, which is most often used on acidic soils intended for growing vegetable, fruit and cereal crops. This element helps to control pests, and also significantly increases the immunity of plants. That is why this top dressing is so often used for medicinal purposes in order to get rid of infectious diseases. Although it is worthwhile to understand that the desired result can only be achieved with the right dosage, which is individual for each drug and culture.
What is the danger of mineral fertilizers getting into water for irrigation? It all depends on the concentration of the drug that was introduced into the soil by negligence, but in most cases it is not worth worrying, since farmers in most cases complain of a lack of phosphorus in the soil than its excess. In addition, this chemical element decomposes very quickly at high temperatures, which is why it is not recommended to be applied together with manure. Therefore, if you ask yourself the question of why it is dangerous to get mineral fertilizers into the water, then in the case of phosphorus there is no reason for concern.
Potash dressing
If we are talking about the use of mineral fertilizers, then just can not help but mention the various potash preparations designed to increase the level of potassium in the soil. These top dressings are recommended to be applied in the late autumn during digging of a site. As an exception, you can make a small dose of diluted fertilizer at the stage of plant development, but only if absolutely necessary.
Root crops (potatoes, beets) and cereals are most in need of potash top dressing. The best options for fertilizer are:
- potassium sulfate - suitable for feeding during crop growth;
- potassium sulfate - used during tillage in late autumn.
These formulations do not contain any chemical impurities (magnesium, sodium, chlorine) in any way, so their use in no way affects human health. If you believe the producers of mineral fertilizers, then various potash compositions are also suitable for feeding legumes, but peas or beans rarely need fertilizers, so the use of fertilizing will be justified only on the most infertile soils.
Norms for applying potash fertilizers
Since potassium salt contains two very dangerous chloride elements in its composition - sodium chloride and potassium chloride, it is necessary to carefully monitor the dosage of the drug, otherwise the cultures can seriously suffer. Here are just the basic application rates that a novice farmer should adhere to:
- potassium sulfate - from 25 to 30 grams per 1 square meter;
- potassium chloride - from 20 to 25 grams per 1 square meter.
It should be understood that the composition of mineral fertilizers can adversely affect the presence of other chemical elements. For example, an excess of potassium in the soil leads to a deficiency of magnesium, due to which the fruits acquire an ugly shape and a bitter aftertaste (hooked cucumbers are a vivid example).
Although the lack of potash fertilizers also affects the health of green crops is not the most favorable way. Potassium takes an important part in the water balance of plants, therefore, with a lack of a chemical element, various diseases or wilting of leaves and stems can occur.
Complex mineral fertilizers
Many novice gardeners are wondering: "Are there nitrogen-phosphorus-potash type mineral fertilizers?" Yes there are. Moreover, such drugs are one of the most popular among modern gardeners and gardeners. Although it is worthwhile to understand that mixed fertilizers are obtained by combining various chemical elements, so their cost is poor. The list below will present the most popular complex preparations and their composition:
- Ammophos is a nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer that contains phosphorus and nitrogen in a ratio of five to one. This mineral complex is very well absorbed by young cultures, especially when it comes to potatoes or cucumbers.
- "Diammophos" is a nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer that contains 75% phosphorus and 25% nitrogen. The drug is highly soluble in cold water and is suitable for tillage at any time of the year. It does not contain various ballast elements.
- "Azofoska" - a very effective granular fertilizer, which has in its composition just three elements: potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. The substance is characterized by low toxicity, as well as a long shelf life. Suitable for most types of crops.
Many agro-industrial complexes prefer to use complex mineral fertilizers. GOST of the Russian Federation - the main indicator that you should pay attention to when choosing a drug for feeding. If the fertilizer does not have certification, then the farmer must understand that the use of fertilizing is associated with great risks. Therefore, if you want to achieve a good result, then purchase only products that have the GOST mark.
Differences between organic and mineral fertilizers
Have you thought about what are the differences between organic and mineral fertilizers? This will help you figure out the information in this section. Despite the general purpose of the application, chemistry and organics are quite different from each other. The list below shows the main parameters by which differences can be classified:
- All mineral additives are produced chemically or by extraction from an artificial base. Organics are created exclusively from the vital products of creatures and have only a natural basis.
- Most mineral fertilizers are much stronger and faster than any organic supplement. Organics gives a longer lasting effect, which is achieved over time.
- Synthetic additives are much more economical than an organic analogue, so they are very often used on an industrial scale. However, mineral fertilizers can harm vegetables and fruits.
- Organic additives have a narrow focus and help achieve several goals at once. Mineral fertilizers, as a rule, control only one single parameter.
- Mineral fertilizers very often have only one component in their composition, but organics have a large number of various impurities that do not always benefit a particular culture.
- Organic top dressing can improve the soil condition several times, but mineral additives, unfortunately, cannot boast of such a property.
We hope that now you understand the differences between mineral and organic fertilizers. Each type of top dressing has its pros and cons, so talking about the unconditional advantage of one kind or another will not work right away. Of course, mineral fertilizers can do quite a lot of harm to human health, but they act much more efficiently than organic, and much more economically, especially when it comes to large-scale production. So everything is very ambiguous.
Video and conclusion
We hope that this article helped you understand what a mineral fertilizer is. If you still have questions about this topic or you just want to find out more information about this, we recommend that you watch a short video that talks about the types and benefits of mineral fertilizing. The author of this video has a very large audience on the channel, which allows not to doubt the quality of the information that is presented to the viewer. Happy viewing!
Now you probably know what mineral fertilizers are, how they are best used. Of course, there is a fairly widespread opinion that all chemical dressings are extremely harmful to the human body, but this is far from the case. Yes, there is a certain probability that mineral fertilizers can introduce nitrates and other harmful impurities into the product, but this is most often associated not with the fertilizer itself, but with its incorrect use. Therefore, if you decide to use urea or potassium sulfate in your garden, you can safely carry out the plan, guided by the instructions that were presented in our article or come with the packaging for the drug.