What Fertilizers Should You Have?

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What Fertilizers Should You Have?Harry C. Kohl, Jr.

Department of Floriculture and Ornamental HorticultureCornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.

The fertilizer situation is much confused

with brand names, trade names, different analyses, and different ingredients.

Some of the common names of fertilizer

materials and their chemical names, If theywere pure, are as follows:

Chemical Name

Ammonium Nitrate

Ammonium SulfateAmmonium PhosphateAluminum Sulfate

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium Hydroxide

Calcium Phosphate

Calcium Phosphateand Calcium Sulfate

Calcium Sulfate

Ferrous SulphatePotassium Chloride

Potassium Sulfate

Sodium Nitrate

Urea

Common Name

Ammonium Nitrate

Sulfate of Ammonia

Ammo-phosAlum

Limestone

Hydrated Lime, Spraylime

Double or Treble Superphosphate

Superphosphate

Gypsum or Land plasterSulfate of ironMuriate of Potash

Sulfate of Potash

Chile Saltpeter orNitrate of Soda

Urea, Uramon, Ureor

Following are some general rules on fertilizers and fertilization.

Use soluble fertilizers as much as possible for the following reasons:

1. They are easy to apply.

2. They give an even distribution throughout the soil volume.

3. They are fast acting.

4. They can be chosen so that a minimumof inert material is added to the soil.

5. Their original cost is less than forlow grade fertilizers for the sameamount of plant nutrients.

Carry a minimum number of fertilizers because a few are easier to learn to use and youcan save money by buying in larger quantities.Here is a suggested minimum list. The asterisks (*) following the fertilizer indicatesolubility. One (*), very soluble; two (**),fairly soluble; three (***), weakly soluble.

Preferred

Ammonium Nitrate *Potassium Nitrate *Superphosphate ***

Limestone (100Mesh) ***

Sulphur (100 Mesh)***

Good Substitute

Ammonium Sulfate *

Potassium Chloride *Treble Superphos

phate **

Hydrated Lime **Aluminum Sulfate *

When to Apply Fertilizers

The limestone or sulfur and superphosphate, if needed, should preferably be appliedin the soil preparation process. They areslow acting. The rates at which they are useddepend upon the pH of the soil and, for thesuperphosphate, the phosphorus content (seeNew York State Flower Growers Bulletin 31*page 1 and Florist Crop Production and Marketing, page 141 J. The other fertilizers onthe preferred list are readily soluble andshould be used as needed and not before.Since nitrogen, as nitrates or ammonia, isused faster than any of the other soil nutrients, it is anticipated that potassium andphosphorus will not usually be added separately but in conjunction with nitrogen. Hencepotassium nitrate is suggested. In general,the phosphorus content of the soil should beadequate if'superphosphate is used in the soilmixture. If a soluble phosphorus compound isneeded, however, ammo-phos is preferred.

Sodium nitrate produces an alkaline reaction and should be added to the list bythose growing long-time crops such as roses.Continuous nitrogen fertilization with ammoniumsulfate or ammonium nitrate will give the soila very acid reaction.

Here is an-example of how a completefertilizer is made up by a commercial company.For a 5-10-5 analysis they would Incorporate100 pounds of nitrogen, 200 pounds of P2O5,and 100 pounds of KpO per ton of fertilizer.They could use the following materials:

Pounds

Ammonium Nitrate 75Ammo-phos (monobasicAmmonium Phosphate).... 450

Potassium Nitrate 225Filler (Sand, clay, lime

stone, etc.) 1250

Total 2000

This Is admittedly an extreme case, but itdemonstrates clearly that most mixed fertilizers contain filler. Why not buy the concentrated material and add your own sand orbetter still use the concentrated solublematerial at a lesser rate? In the above example vihere you would use three pounds of thefertilizer with the filler you could use onepound of the concentrates without the fillerand you would have a soluble fertilizer aswell. Here is a recipe for a 20-20-20 allsoluble fertilizer.

Pounds

Urea 500Ammonium phosphate (monobasic) 657

Potassium phosphate (dl- '—'basic) o. 260

Potassium nitrate 583Total 2000

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Here is a recipe for an all soluble 15-30-15:

Pounds

Urea 208Ammonium phosphate (monobasic) 960

Potassium phosphate (monobasic) .."... .". 350

Potassium nitrate 402

Total 2000

Organic fertilizers, such as blood andmllorganite, can be used instead of inorganicmaterials (urea included as an inorganic)which we have discussed so far. The big advantage of the organic forms is that most ofthem do not burn the foliage and injury isless likely by a heavy application. However, organic fertilizers are much more costly than inorganics for the same analysis.They are slow acting because they depend onbacterial activity to make them soluble.They have a low analysis and hence you arebuying "filler." They cause an increase inthe soil bacteria and fungi whose desirability in greenhouse soils is questionable.

Calcium sulfate is frequently used ingreenhouses today. Actually its role ismainly that of a soil conditioner ratherthan a fertilizer or plant nutrient carrier.It is used to improve granulation or "crumbi-ness." -The necessity for its use on greenhouse soils is questionable, especially inregions having "hard" water.

The "minor" elements such as magnesium,iron, zinc, boron, copper, manganese,molybdenum, and sulfur are generally sufficient in soils and waters of the state or areadded In sufficient quantity as impurities infertilizers. Insofar as we knovi, they may bedisregarded in the fertilizer program. Someapparent deficiencies of boron have beennoted but convincing evidence of improvementdue to addition of this element Is lackingat this time.

Proper storage of the soluble fertilizersmay save you much work breaking lumps andweighing. Store them as a concentrated liquidIn vats or barrels. To a hundred pounds of agiven fertilizer, add enough water to make 100gallons, then every gallon contains one poundof the fertilizer. Since the fertilizers aremore or less corrosive, asphalt lined (woodenor metal) containers should be used. The containers should close tightly since evaporationof viater changes the concentration and alsosome of the ammonium compounds are weaklyvolatile.

Many of the simple soluble fertilizersare hard to get. Perseverance, however,should get you what you want.

How Many Rows WideShould You Plant?

John Brookins,Orchard Park, N. Y.

The wider the benches the greater theproductive area but not necessarily is theproduction per square foot of area increasedover narrower benches. During the past year,pompon sprays of the variety Constellationviere grown in a 40 inch bench with five rowsin the bench. The spacing in the rovi was 9inches. The outside rows were pruned to 4stems per plant and the Inside rows viere allowed to develop only 3 stems per plant.

The production of a block of four rovisacross the bench was analyzed. Each spraycut from the plants was weighed and the results tabulated.

The table shows the heaviest stems wereproduced on the outside rows and the averageweight of each stem was 15 to 25 per centgreater on the outside rows. The two outside rows produced a total weight of 67ounces, while the three middle rows produceda total of 58 ounces. The average weightof stem on the two outside rovis was 2.05 and2.17 ounces while the three middle rowsaveraged 1.44, I.65, and 1.75 ounces, respectively.

Would narrower benches and more walks

produce more flowers in a.house?

Weight of Pompon Sprays fromInside and Outside Rows

Variety ConstellationSpacing 8" x 9"Number Stems 4 - outside rows

3 - inner rows

N 5 X X X X

J 4 X X X X

3 X X X X

2 X X X X

1 X X X X

GUTTER

No. TotalHeaviest Lightest Av.Row Stems

16

Stem Stem Weight

1 1/4 oz. 2.05

Weight

1 3 1/4 oz. 32.622 12 2 1/8 5/8 1.44 17.373 12 2 5/8 1/4(Blind) 1.65

3/4(Next)19.87

4 12 2 5/8 3/4 1.75 21.00

5 16 3 1/2 5/8 2.17 34.75