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Fertilizing and 5 mistakes most often made by gardeners
04.03.2023 03:30
Updated: 14.04.2023 11:00
It is impossible to underestimate the role of fertilizers in growing crops. After all, without additional feeding, even an experienced gardener will not be able to get juicy fruits and berries, aromatic vegetables.
However, adding additional nutrients is often accompanied by errors that prevent plants from replenishing their reserves.
Fertilizer dosage, verified with errors
Calculating the dosage of fertilizers is the most common mistake. At the same time, overdoing it with fertilizer has a much worse effect on plants. Excessive amounts can cause:
• development of all kinds of diseases due to weakening of natural immunity;
• abundant growth of green mass without ovaries;
• excess nitrogen, causing the accumulation of nitrates, which negatively impact human health;
• crops are unable to properly prepare for winter, which will cause their death.
The situation can be corrected by carefully studying the instructions for use, where the manufacturer describes in detail the type of crops and dosage.
Misunderstanding the timing of fertilization
Each plant has its own stages of development. And each stage requires a specific fertilizer. The gardener will have to familiarize himself with the needs of all the plants he grows. So nitrogen is needed exclusively at the beginning of the season to gain green mass.
The flowering period requires mineral fertilizing. At the end of the season, plants need to be completely excluded from nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium supplements should be repeated again so that they can prepare for winter without any problems.
Fertilizer application without taking into account weather conditions
Fertilizers under certain weather conditions are capable of giving maximum results, and this is the time that should be chosen for the procedure.
Top dressing "whenever possible" will not work completely. There are certain conditions, namely:
• microorganisms develop at temperatures above 15 degrees, therefore biological preparations should be applied only under this condition;
• fertilizing during periods of persistent drought does not produce any effect;
• mineral fertilizers are useless if the soil has not warmed up to 10 degrees;
• It is important to introduce liquid fertilizers into already moistened soil, otherwise they will burn the plant’s root system.
Ignoring the method of applying fertilizers
The method by which the plant is fed is of great importance. Thus, crops with a deep root system require exclusively liquid feeding.
It is enough to feed the surface roots with dry fertilizers. It is equally important to observe the time of feeding and their method of administration. At the end of spring, it is better to feed the plants with liquid fertilizers, as they are better absorbed due to the active flow of water.
Dry fertilizers are recommended to be applied in early spring, which will allow them to dissolve slowly before the plants bloom. Organics should be added in the fall due to their very slow decomposition.
Soil type and ignoring its characteristics
The amount of fertilizers and their formulas change depending on the type of soil they are used on. Poor sandy soils need to be constantly fed with mineral fertilizers in the spring, complex fertilizers throughout the season, and organic fertilizers in the fall.
Soil with a predominance of clay has a dense structure, so the gardener always has two urgent tasks: to improve fertility and change the structure for the better.
This can be done with organic fertilizers such as peat, compost, well-rotted manure. Clay does not need mineral fertilizers, as it is rich in them, but due to its dense structure it does not give them to plants.
Understanding the time, place, soil, and plant characteristics will help you better fertilize the soil, increasing yields.
