Everyone has their favorite pastime, and a considerable number of people take great pleasure in caring for plants. How wonderful it is to watch the sprout hatching from the seed, take care of it during the period of active growth and, doubly pleasant, reap the benefits of a grateful green pet. But, for a good harvest, you need to make top dressing and fertilizers, including foliar.
Plant care rules always include:
- loosening the soil;
- watering;
- fertilization;
- weeding;
- pest protection and treatment;
- trimming or pinning;
- preparing plants for winter
You can fertilize in several ways:
- The main method involves fertilizing into the soil, before planting plants.
- The sowing method is performed at the time of planting seeds.
- Top dressing is the introduction of nutrients during life... Top dressing is root, foliar (leaf), inter-row and fertigation method.
What is foliar feeding
Foliar dressing is an additional way of introducing nutrients dissolved in water by spraying on the ground part, bypassing the roots.
Studies show that nutrients applied to the leaves and stems of plants actively penetrate the green organism and are absorbed much faster.
Ideal for quick, low-dose nutritional applications with visual plant response.
When you need it
The main incentives for deciding on foliar feeding:
- modernization of fertilization methods;
- due to low temperatures, salinity, underdevelopment of the root system, plant does not receive additional nutrients from the soil, which leads to a deficiency of nutritional elements, and leaf complementary foods will provide the most important microelements in the shortest possible time and in full;
- powerful root stimulationas the leaf nourishes the root, increasing the ability of the fortified root to absorb nutrition from the soil;
- increasing the intensity of photosynthesis;
- fertilization, following the stages of plant development, for example, at the time of extinction of the activity of the root system;
- bush height does not allow inter-row application fertilizers;
- combining foliar application with pesticide treatment, before that, carefully studying the compatibility tables so as not to cause new compounds;
- saving batteries due to local application
For the complete assimilation of nutrition with a leaf, it is generally accepted to highlight the rigorous rules:
- Apply fertilizers at the time of the best development of the vegetative apparatus of the bush.
- The solution must fall on the top and bottom of the leaf and on the stems;
- It is necessary to spray the solution at night or on a cloudy day, since the sun dries out the solution before the plant absorbs it;
- Ambient temperature not higher than 20 degrees.
- The weather should be calm, not rainy.
What fertilizers are most suitable
It is important to know, when implementing leaf nutrition, the principles of absorption of certain elements.
Nitrogen fertilizers
Lack of nitrogen during the growing season dramatically reduces the yield, as well as the quality and protein content. Nitrogen fertilizers are best sprayed onto the leaf. in early spring in order to improve the activity of photosynthesis, the intensity of growth, tillering and development of the reproductive organs.
Late leaf feeding does not affect the yield, but significantly increases the qualitative protein content in fruits.
The best results were shown by feeding the leaves with carbamide, which contains the amide form of nitrogen.
Potassium-phosphorus
Potash and phosphorus-potash fertilizers, contribute to accelerated ripening of fruits, while there is an increase in the quality characteristics of the crop.
It is important to remember that potassium insufficiently and slowly absorbed through foliage, potassium ions are very large and it is difficult for them to pass through the cuticle of the leaf. It is advisable to add potassium in dry weather to maintain the elasticity of the leaf.
Magnesium and trace elements
- Magnesium has excellent sheet absorbency, is introduced simultaneously with urea in the form of magnesium sulfate.
- Biostimulants based on seaweed.
- Trace elements are introduced in the form of chelates - complex organic compounds, characterized by a developed organometallic complex, in which the chylating agent effectively keeps the metal ion in a soluble state until it enters the plants. The introduction of trace elements in the form of organic salts was recognized as ineffective due to the fact that fertilizers are not absorbed, toxicity, the formation of new compounds in the soil and plant, burns at the point of contact.
How to prepare foliar dressing in the country
To increase the yield of apples, it is necessary to carry out leaf nutrition three times urea (synthetic urea). In the spring, while the leaves are still tender, apply 0,3% (three grams of carbamide per liter of water) solution, and in summer and autumn 0,5% (5 grams of carbamide per liter of water).
If a long and cold spring has stood out, before the plant blooms, it is urgent to feed it with the following composition:
Ammonium nitrate (amount of nitrogen 46%) - 20.0 g. dissolved in two liters of water, added potassium chloride - 20.0 g and copper sulfate - 1.0 g.,
to this mixture is added dissolved in 3 liters superphosphate - 200 gr. The mixture is filtered if a precipitate has formed and the resulting solution is treated with plants.
In the event of a dry and hot summer, it is necessary to process the leaves with a solution of potassium chloride 100 gr. by 10 liters of water, this will increase the turgor of the leaves.
Horticultural processing technology
First feeding
Before the plant blooms, it is urgent to feed it with the following composition:
- Double granular superphosphate (increased phosphorus content, and good solubility) - 200.0 g., dissolved in 3 liters of water during the day in a plastic container;
- Ammonium nitrate (amount of nitrogen 46%) - 20.0 g. and copper sulfate - 10.0 g., boric acid 1 gr., potassium sulphide - 80 gr.
- The acidity is neutralized with a solution lime.
- Both mixtures are mixed and 5 liters of water are poured in.
The introduction of such a solution in the spring guarantees increase in yield by 20%... At the time of flowering, the plants are not fed.
The second
After the plants faded, you should carry out the second bait:
- Double granular superphosphate (increased phosphorus content, and good solubility) - 200.0 g, dissolved in 3 liters of water during the day in a plastic container;
- Ammonium sulfate - 50.0 g dissolved in two liters of water, added potassium sulphide - 100 gr. Both mixtures are mixed, acidity is neutralized with a solution soda, and 5 liters of water is poured in.
Third
Before harvest recommends a third feeding:
Double granular superphosphate (increased phosphorus content, and good solubility) - 400.0 g, dissolved in 3 liters of water during the day in a plastic container. 4 glasses wood ash insist in three liters of water for a day, mix with dissolved superphosphate, neutralize acidity with a food solution soda, add 5 liters of water.
Such fertilizer increases the palatability of fruits, improves their shelf life during long storage and transportation.
When applying foliar dressing, it must be remembered that in no way, this method does not replace the standard methods of fertilizing, but serves as an additional source that increases the yield, the vital functions of the plant, the taste and safety of the fruit.
Never exceed the permissible concentration of the solution, the risk of plant burns increases significantly, carefully read the instructions for fertilizers.
Carefully distribute the applied fertilizer over the surface of the ground part, if you skip the lower elements, the quality of spraying will drop.
Be attentive to the stages of development, erroneous fertilization leads to non-receipt of the necessary fertilizers, and an overabundance leads to a lack of harvest and the development of tops.