Composition of nitrophoska and instructions for use of fertilizer, timing of application

To grow healthy plants and subsequently harvest a rich harvest from them, you will have to use organic and mineral fertilizers. Often gardeners give preference to complex preparations, which contain a set of substances necessary for crops. Nitrophoska has several varieties, so before purchasing a chemical, it is determined for the purpose of use. The instructions indicate the dosage and rules for using the drug.

What is nitrophoska

Nitrophoska, or NPK complex, is a complex mineral fertilizer that contains three main plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). As a rule, a preparation for feeding crops goes on sale in the form of easily soluble granules, which, when they fall into the ground, quite quickly break down into ions and are absorbed by seedlings.

The main components of nitrophoska are necessary for cultivated and ornamental plants throughout the entire growing season - seedling development, flowering, fruit formation, however, the percentage of nutrients at each stage will be different.

Thus, at the beginning of the growing season, the main component needed by crops is nitrogen; during the formation of inflorescences and flowering, more potassium will be needed, and at the time of fruit set - phosphorus. Therefore, when purchasing nitrophoska preparations, it is necessary to focus on the needs of plants. In addition to the main elements, the fertilizer contains other equally important substances, but in lower concentrations.

Composition and formula

The basis of the complex mineral fertilizer is the NPK complex, consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The percentage of the main components in the total amount does not exceed 60%, and the amount of each of these substances may vary.More often there is an option on sale where nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are in equal proportions, but there are also varieties with a high content of one of the components.

In addition, the mineral fertilizer contains substances such as precipitate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium and calcium chloride, and potassium nitrate. Nitrophoska also contains a small amount of gypsum flour.

The chemical formula of complex mineral nutrition is NH4NO3CaHPO4(NH4)2HPO4Ca+CaSO42H2OKCl. Nitrates contained in nitrophosk can harm human health, however, if the dosage of the drug and instructions for use are followed, they are safe to use. The use of fertilizer is permitted for all cultural and ornamental plants in any region where agriculture is practiced. Nitrophoska is inexpensive, so it is often preferred by both farmers who grow crops for sale and owners of small garden plots.

Types of fertilizer

On the shelves of retail outlets there are several varieties of nitrophoska, which differ in the method of production and purpose:

1. Sulfate. It is recommended to purchase this type of mineral fertilizer if the gardener plans to plant the area with legumes, as well as tomatoes and cucumbers. This is due to the fact that, thanks to nitrophosphate sulfate, an increased amount of proteins is formed. The addition of this drug to the soils on which cabbage will be grown also has a good effect.
2. Phosphorite. This type of mineral fertilizer contains an increased amount of phosphorus, which has a beneficial effect on tomato planting.Thanks to the influence of this component, ripened vegetables become denser and meatier, are characterized by a pleasant taste and retain their presentation even when transported over long distances.
3. Sulfate. An additional component in this nitrophoska is calcium, which is absent in other types of fertilizer. It is recommended to use sulfate-type fertilizer for ornamental crops, since its effect saturates the color of leaf plates and flower petals. Nitrophoska is used both for flowers in the flowerbed and for shrubs and trees in the garden.

Also, some drugs contain sulfur or magnesium; as a rule, the manufacturer indicates the detailed composition on the packaging or in the instructions.

Advantages and disadvantages

Farmers and owners of summer cottages, who have been using mineral fertilizer on their plots for many years, noted the advantages and disadvantages of the chemical.

The advantages of nitrophoska include:

• universality - fertilizing with minerals is used for all plants without exception, both fruit and ornamental;
• no harm to the future harvest if the dosage and instructions for use are followed;
• low cost of fertilizer, thanks to this any gardener can purchase the drug;
• good solubility of the mineral in water, so the chemical is used not only in dry form, but also in the form of a working liquid;
• possibility of use by both farmers and summer residents who do not have much experience in working with chemicals;
• getting quick results after using the fertilizer;
• complete absorption of all fertilizer components by plant roots;
• the possibility of using mineral fertilizing on any type of soil without the risk of a negative impact on their composition.

Among the disadvantages of mineral fertilizer, it is worth noting the need to use personal protective equipment when working with the chemical and strictly adhere to the recommended dosage.

What is the difference between nitrophoska and nitroammophoska?

Both mineral fertilizers belong to the same class of drugs, but there are differences between them. In both nitrophosk and nitroammophosk, the main components are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, their percentages may vary.

The difference between fertilizers is as follows:

• color: nitrophoska has a white or blue tint, and nitroammophoska has a pink tint;
• form of presence of the main substances in the composition;
• method of obtaining fertilizer;
• absence of magnesium in the composition of nitroammophoska.

When using fertilizers on the site, you must remember that the dosage of nitroammophoska is two times lower than that of nitrophoska.

How to determine that plants need fertilizer?

You can determine that a plant needs one or more nutrients included in the complex fertilizer by the appearance of the crop

Main symptoms of deficiency:

1. Nitrogen. Deficiency of the element affects the growth of crops, including side shoots. The plant lags behind in development, and the leaf blades lose their shine and acquire a pale green tint. If measures are not taken in time, the leaves turn yellow, and then dry out and fall off.
2. Phosphorus. In this case, a sharp stop in the growth of crops and a change in the color of the lower leaf blades occur. At first they become greenish-gray, and then turn purple. Over time, the leaves curl, become limp and eventually fall off.The danger of phosphorus deficiency for young plants is that untimely application of fertilizer will not correct the developmental delay.
3. Potassium. Symptoms of potassium deficiency can primarily be seen on the lower parts of crops. The leaf blades take on a rust color and are covered with small specks. Due to the uneven growth of cells and tissues of the culture, the leaves become corrugated. Due to the slowdown in photosynthesis, the flowering period is delayed.

Terms of use

Complex mineral fertilizer can be used both in spring and autumn, it depends on the purpose of using the chemical.

in spring

In the spring, before planting plants, it is recommended to use nitrophoska on sandy soils. This is due to the fact that one of the fertilizer components, nitrogen, is very quickly washed out of such soils. Also in the spring, perennial fruit trees and shrubs are fed, since in the fall the nitrogen contained in the composition will provoke increased growth of shoots, which will not have time to become lignified before the onset of cold weather and will die from frost.

in autumn

When digging up the garden in the fall, nitrophoska is added if the soil in the area is peaty or clayey. In such heavy soil, the fertilizer components need time to dissolve and acquire a form suitable for plants. In this case, during spring digging, fertilizing is no longer added to avoid overdose.

Can it be used against pests?

To repel pests, a sulfuric acid variety of nitrophoska is used, which, in addition to the main components, includes sulfur. It is its smell that some pests cannot tolerate; ticks are especially sensitive to it.

Instructions for use

In order for the complex mineral fertilizer to fulfill its tasks and not harm the plants, you must adhere to the instructions from the manufacturer, which are included with each preparation.

For cucumbers

Gardeners who used fertilizer in their gardens when growing cucumbers claim that the yield increased by 20%. Thanks to the nitrogen included in the composition, the growth of green mass is stimulated, potassium has a beneficial effect on the taste of vegetables, and phosphorus helps cucumbers acquire density and juiciness.

Use fertilizer twice per season, in dry form and as a solution for irrigation:

1. The first time, take 30 grams of granules per square meter of bed and apply fertilizing during the spring digging of the soil.
2. The second time, prepare a working solution for root watering at the rate of 40 grams of chemical per 10 liters of water. 500 ml of solution is used per plant.

For strawberries

Fertilizer can be used for strawberries only in spring and summer. When transplanting bushes, it is allowed to add several granules of the chemical into each hole, but they are pre-mixed with the soil to avoid contact of the nitrophoska with the delicate root system of garden strawberries.

Subsequent fertilizing is carried out using the root watering method, and if fertilizer has already been added to each hole during planting, the first procedure is skipped. The second time the chemical is used during active budding, preparing a solution of 30 grams of granules and 10 liters of water. To water each crop you will need 500 ml of working fluid.

For trees and shrubs

Fruit trees and shrubs are fed with nitrophoska only in spring and early summer due to the presence of nitrogen in the fertilizer.If a gardener wants to get quick results, it is recommended to use fertilizer in the form of a liquid solution, using 45 grams of granules per 10-liter bucket of water. For one adult plant, 3 buckets of working fluid are consumed; for trees older than 5 years on a vigorous rootstock, the dosage is increased to 4 buckets.

The first time fertilizer is applied after the crops have finished flowering, the second time at the stage of ovary formation.

For the garlic

Both winter and spring garlic are fed with nitrophoska in the spring. First, use urea, and after 2 weeks - complex fertilizer. Pour 25 grams of granules into a 10-liter bucket of water, mix until completely dissolved and water the bed at the rate of 3.5 liters of working fluid per square meter of plantings.

For seedlings

If the seedlings are weak and look sickly, it is worth feeding them with nitrophoska. The first application of fertilizer is carried out a week after picking, dissolving 15 grams of the chemical in a liter of water. This amount of solution is enough to feed 50 young seedlings. You can also use fertilizer when planting seedlings in the ground, placing 15 grams of dry granules per hole.

Potato fertilizer

If the area allocated for planting potatoes is small, complex fertilizer is used when planting tubers in the spring. For each hole, use a tablespoon (without a slide) of dry granules, having previously mixed them with soil, and planting material is placed as top dressing.

Use for cabbage

To fertilize cabbage, experienced gardeners recommend purchasing a sulfuric acid variety of nitrophoska, since it contains an increased concentration of protein necessary for the crop to fully form heads. The first time the chemical is used for seedlings at the rate of 10 grams per liter of water, the procedure is carried out 10 days after picking.

If fertilizer was not applied during the spring or autumn digging of the garden, then nitrophoska is used a second time when planting seedlings in open ground. Spend a teaspoon of chemical on each hole, mixing it with soil.

Raspberry feeding

Raspberry shoots are fed twice in the spring, using 50 grams of granules per square meter. They are placed between rows, combining the procedure with loosening the soil. The chemical is used the first time before the raspberries begin to bloom, and the second time after harvesting.

Fertilizing flowers in open ground

For ornamental plants, it is recommended to use the sulfate variety of nitrophoska, since it contains calcium, which is necessary for the formation of a large number of large buds, as well as the intense color of the leaf blades. The fertilizer is suitable for saturating both annual and perennial crops with nutritional components.

Working liquid for watering flowers and ornamental shrubs is prepared from 30 grams of granules and 10 liters of water. Fertilizer is used for the first time in the spring, subsequent fertilizing is carried out in the summer and after the end of flowering.

For indoor flowers and plants

Houseplants are fed by watering at the root twice a season - at the beginning of spring and at the stage of bud formation. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the prepared liquid does not get on the leaves and stems, as this leads to burns. Add 25 grams of granules to 10 liters of water and mix thoroughly until the chemical is completely dissolved. It is recommended to fertilize in the evening, after watering the plant using a third of the usual amount of water, in this case it will be possible to avoid burns to the root system.

Precautionary measures

When working with complex mineral fertilizer, you must remember that this is a chemical substance and requires careful handling. Use work clothes and rubber gloves. To prevent vapors of the substance from entering the respiratory tract, wear a gauze bandage or a respirator. All work with fertilizer is carried out in calm weather, at an air temperature no higher than 25 degrees.

After applying the fertilizer, be sure to wash your face and hands with soap, and wash your clothes. If the working fluid accidentally gets on the skin or mucous membranes, wash them with plenty of water and go to a medical facility.

Common mistakes

Novice gardeners often make mistakes when using mineral fertilizers that lead to the death of the plant:

• fertilize fruit crops in the fall;
• do not adhere to recommended dosages;
• do not observe breaks between fertilizing applications;
• do not mix granules with soil when adding them to the planting hole, which leads to burns of the root system.

Complex fertilizer will benefit plants only if you follow all the manufacturer’s recommendations specified in the instructions.