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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
- 3 -
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