For normal functioning, any living thing needs oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. The last chemical element is necessary both for human life and for plants. To make up its content, special nitrogen fertilizers are used, which will be discussed later.
Nitrate-containing bait
What do you need to know about them? The main source of nitrogen for plants is soil. Depending on its type and degree of deterioration, the amount of fertilizer is determined. Typically, crops feel a lack of nitrogen in sandy and sandy soils. It is these soils that always require additional enrichment with various fertilizers. In this case, the plants will feel normal.
How is the use of nitrogen fertilizers carried out correctly? Studies have shown that most of them are found in humus. The thicker its layer, the greater the amount of nitrogen. Thus, plants in such soil feel much better.
Humus is a persistent, slowly decomposing substance. This means that the release of mineral substances from it is also carried out gradually. Thus, in the presence of a thick layer of humus, plants require less additional fertilizing.
Why do plants need top dressing?
Experienced flower growers recommend using nitrogen fertilizers for growing various crops . But why are they needed? As you know, nitrogen is not in all organic compounds. It is not found in fiber, starch, sugars and oils.
Nitrogen is present in protein and amino acids. Moreover, this is an important component of nucleic acid, which is found in all cells responsible for the duplication of hereditary information and protein synthesis.
Nitrogen is also present in chlorophyll. As you know, this substance contributes to the absorption of solar energy by plants. Fertilizer is also found in various components of organic media such as lipoids, alkaloids and similar substances.
The aboveground part of the plants contains nitrogen. Most of this element is in young leaf blades. When the flowering process is completed, nitrogen passes to the reproductive organs of the plant and accumulates there. During the formation of seeds, nitrogen is withdrawn from the vegetative organs in the maximum amount. As a result, they are severely depleted. However, if the soil contains an excessive amount of nitrate, it will be distributed to all organs of the plant. As a result, there will be a rapid increase in above-ground mass, a delay in the ripening of fruits and a decrease in yield.
In order to guarantee a good crop, it is necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizers in reasonable quantities. If the plants will consume the element in question in sufficient quantities, they will be able to fully develop and form leaves. With a lack of nitrogen, low yields and rapid wilting are observed.
Varieties
Nitrogen fertilizer is a substance that contains nitrate compounds.
Below are the main groups of fertilizers of this type:
- nitrate (sodium and calcium nitrate);
- ammonium (ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride);
- ammonium nitrate fertilizers (ammonium nitrate);
- liquid nitrogen substances (anhydrous ammonia, ammonia water);
- amide fertilizers (urea).
The production of nitrogen fertilizers is usually carried out at large enterprises. We will analyze in more detail each of these types.
Nitrate fertilizer
Nutrients of this type include calcium nitrate. It looks like white granules, which contain 18% nitrogen. This fertilizer is suitable for soils with a high level of acidity. To improve the quality of the soil, it is necessary to systematically introduce calcium nitrate into it every year. It is highly soluble in water. Store fertilizer in sealed bags or bags.
Do not mix calcium nitrate with phosphate fertilizers.
The sodium mixture is characterized by a 17% nitrogen content. The fertilizer is highly soluble in water and perfectly absorbed by the roots of plants. It is suitable for various cultures. Sodium nitrate is not recommended for use in the autumn.
Ammonium Fertilizers
This group includes ammonium sulfate. In appearance, it resembles a white powder with a nitrogen content of 20%. It can be used both as a main and as an additional top dressing. Experts recommend applying this fertilizer in the fall, since nitrogen in it is not washed off by groundwater and fixed in the soil. If you add ammonium sulfate to the soil every year, then its acidification will gradually occur. Therefore, the fertilizer must be mixed with chalk or lime in a ratio of 1: 2.
There are no special problems with the storage of ammonium sulfate, since it is not hygroscopic. It is enough to remember that alkaline substances cannot be used with it. Nitrogen fertilizer plants today produce ready-made mixtures that are easy to apply to the soil.
Ammonium chloride in appearance is a yellow-white powder with a nitrate content of 26%. When this powder is applied to the soil, leaching is not observed. Keeping it easy enough. For a long time, the powder does not cake and does not require grinding.
The main disadvantage of this fertilizer is chlorine. When 10 kg of nitrogen is introduced into the soil, it enters the soil twice as much. This element is poison for most plants. Ammonium chloride should only be introduced in the fall. So you can deactivate its chlorine.
Ammonium nitrate fertilizers
So what do you need to know about these elements? When it comes to nitrogen fertilizers of plants, many people immediately think of ammonium nitrate. In appearance, this fertilizer looks like a whitish granular powder. The nitrogen content in it is 36%. Ammonium nitrate can be used both as a main fertilizer and as an additional top dressing.
The composition relates to ballastless substances. It is mainly used in regions with fluid deficiency. In soils with excess moisture, the use of nitrogen fertilizers of this type will be meaningless, since the main active substance will be washed off into groundwater.
Since ammonium nitrate is highly hygroscopic, it cannot be stored in damp rooms. There she quickly cakes and hardens. This does not mean that the composition will become worthless. Just before applying to the soil, it will need to be crushed, which sometimes can be quite problematic.
If you want to independently prepare nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer by adding superphosphate to ammonium nitrate, then you will need to add any neutralizing component. You can use chalk, dolomite flour or lime for this purpose.
Amide elements
One of the most effective fertilizers in this group is urea or urea. They look like white granules. A characteristic feature of this fertilizer is the ability to acidify the soil. Urea can only be used in combination with neutralizing agents. It is rarely used as the main fertilizer. Urea mainly plays the role of foliar feeding. It does not burn leaves and is perfectly absorbed by plants.
Liquid nitrogen fertilizers
Ammonia water or ammonium hydroxide is in fact ammonia dissolved in water. A special technique is used to distribute this fertilizer, which allows it to be placed in soil to a depth of 14-16 cm. The main advantage of liquid nitrogen fertilizers is low cost and easy digestibility. However, storing and transporting them is quite difficult. If fertilizer gets on the surface of the sheet, there is a high probability of burns.
Organic Nitrogen Components
What is their feature? Nitrogen is known to be present in organic compounds, but not much there. Most nitrate is contained in compost, consisting of leaf litter, lake silt, lowland peat and weeds. However, the use of such fertilizer as the main one is not recommended. This can be fraught with nitrogen starvation of plants. In addition, such fertilizers strongly acidify the soil.
For which cultures is this element important?
Nitrogen fertilizers are required for any fruit plants. However, application doses for different crops may vary.
It is possible to conditionally divide all plants by the necessity of introducing nitrogen into several categories:
- Plants that need nitrate top dressing to activate growth and development before planting in the ground. These include cabbage, potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, rhubarb, pumpkin, plum, cherries and berries. About 26-28 g of nitrogen must be distributed per square meter of soil.
- Crops that need less nutrients. This is a cucumber, carrots, parsley, garlic, beets. In terms of square meter, only 18-19 grams of nitrogen will be enough for these vegetables to grow normally.
- Plants that require moderate amounts of nitrate. For a square meter of area they will need only 10-12 grams of nitrogen. Flower crops belong to this category: primroses, daisies, saxifrages.
How to use fertilizers?
Let's dwell on this issue in more detail. In order to correctly calculate the required amount of nitrogen, it is worth considering factors such as soil type, season, climatic conditions and plant type. If you plan to cultivate soils with high acidity, then you can use nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. They will begin to be better absorbed, and the soil will have an optimal level of acidity.
If you live in steppe areas characterized by dry soil, it is important to fertilize periodically. Do not take sharp breaks. If you timely apply nitrogen-phosphorus potash fertilizer to the soil, you can get an excellent crop.
It is best to make them after 11-12 days after the snow melts. Urea is suitable for the first top dressing. When the plants enter the active stage of vegetation, ammonium nitrate can be used.
Harm and Benefit
In some cases, the use of nitrogen fertilizers harms plants. This usually occurs due to excess nitrate. The green mass of crops begins to grow too actively. As a result, the shoots and leaf blades become thicker and larger. In this case, the flowering is too short and weak, or does not occur at all. This means that the ovaries and fruits are not formed.
When treating the aerial parts of plants with nitrogen fertilizers, burns may occur. In severe cases, the foliage completely dies. For this reason, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the dosages indicated in the instructions for use.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail what nitrogen fertilizers are. How to determine their dosages and apply to the soil. Guided by the recommendations presented, you can easily get a good harvest on your site.