The value of superphosphate as a mineral fertilizer in the care of tomatoes, potatoes, seedlings, and other crops. Ways to use it in the garden (Photo & Video) + Reviews

Superphosphate

In our article, we will talk about the importance of a phosphorus-containing substance for plant crops, about the norms and terms for applying superphosphate fertilizer, and about its application.

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The role of phosphorus in the plant kingdom

In nature, phosphorus does not occur in a free state, but is present in organic minerals and oxides. As fertilizer is produced artificially from natural rocks, which were formed from the decomposed bone mass of animals. Also, the element is contained in the slag formed during the processing of iron ore.

Scientists call phosphorus the biogenic mechanism of human and plant life. Read more about how a chemical element affects the growth of agricultural and ornamental crops.

Phosphorus is a key component of DNA

The value of the element is difficult to overestimate:

1. It is part of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), which ensures the maintenance and transmission of genetic information from generation to generation. It is located in the nucleus of the cell among the chromosomes.
   

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2. Without it, the process of photosynthesis is impossible - the formation in the leaves of a special green pigment - chlorophyll. As a result, solar energy forms in organic compounds and accumulates in tissues in the form of phosphate compounds of ATP (adenisine triphosphoric acid). It is the basis of all vital processes - respiration and metabolism.
   

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3. An important participant in the formation and renewal of the root system, that is, it contributes to the growth of young roots.
   

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4. Stimulates the laying of flower buds and improves budding.
   

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5. Responsible for the production of pigments in the color of flowers.
   

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6. Affects the size and quality of fruits.
   

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7. Contained in phytin - the main reserve substance that affects the resistance of plants to adverse conditions. Most of the phytin is in the seeds.
   

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Phosphorus has a huge impact on vital processes, so the lack of an element adversely affects all organs of the plant.

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How to determine the lack of phosphorus. Characteristic symptoms

Deficiency of the element is found almost everywhere on all types of soil. Natural compounds are sparingly soluble and unavailable for nutrition. That is why, plants need easily soluble salts, which are synthesized artificially.

Phosphorus deficiency symptoms in plants

If they are not enough, it is manifested by such signs:

However, when caring for plants, phosphorus is applied for each plant species in the right amount and certain periods of vegetation.

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Phosphorus fertilizers. Features of use

Phosphorite flour

Industrial production produces several types of fertilizers containing phosphorus.

The most common compositions are:

Phosphorus-containing compounds slowly dissolve in water. They are recommended to be paid in advance. For example, precipitate, phosphate rock, phosphorus-slag are used only for basic soil preparation, which are carried out in autumn for planting in spring. During the winter, a complete transformation of the substance into a state accessible to plants occurs.

And superphosphate and double superphosphate are suitable for current top dressing, because they are produced in a form more accessible to plants than other phosphorites. It is available in various forms and dosages.

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Varieties

fertilizer is available in several types

Manufacturers offer gardeners several types:

Simple

In granules

It is a phosphorus water-soluble compound. The content of the element is relatively low 15 - 20%. Also, it includes:

Available as powder or granules. As a fertilizer, it is used on various types of soils for feeding all plants without exception. It is especially important for agricultural crops, which, together with phosphorus, consume a lot of sulfur.

For instance:

• representatives of the legume family - peas, beans, asparagus beans, lentils, etc.
• cereals, including lawn grasses
• cruciferous - lettuce, radish, all types of white and red cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli
• root crops - beets, carrots, potatoes, turnips, onions
• especially responsive to superphosphate tomatoes and cucumbers. Soon after top dressing, the crops become more active in growth, gain turgor (resilience of stems and leaves), flowering improves.

Double

Double

Unlike simple, it includes 2 times more phosphorus and is 42 - 46%. The composition contains:

The purpose and application is the same as that of simple superphosphate, only with different application rates.

With additives

Ammonized fertilizer

An ammoniated version with a high sulfur content of 12% and potassium sulfate. This fertilizer is highly soluble in water and is most often used to feed oilseeds and cruciferous crops, which need sulfur more than others.

Other types are also known:

The name uses the "name" of the trace element that is part of the fertilizer.

In the form of an extract

In some cases, superphosphate forms the basis of the extract

All phosphorus-containing compounds dissolve slowly in water, which means they do not act fast enough.. To speed up the process, resourceful gardeners figured out how to convert the chemical compound into a form more accessible to plants.

To do this, use hot water, or rather in boiling water. All useful properties are preserved in full, although they pass into a dispersed form, called a suspension.It is placed in a warm place, stirred from time to time throughout the day. After 24 hours, a suspension will be obtained that looks like milk with a high fat content.

To prepare a working suspension you will need:

For plant nutrition, 150 ml of suspension is used, which is added to 10 liters of water.

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Terms of application in different periods of vegetation of plants

The action of the fertilizer is multifaceted, so it is applied when planting trees, garden and ornamental crops. Fertilize flowering plants before bud break. More details about when and how to fertilize different types of plantings.

When planting trees and shrubs

Of all the phosphorus-containing compounds, only superphosphate dissolves relatively easily in water, but not as quickly as, for example, nitrogen-containing fertilizers.. In order for seedlings to successfully take root, it is recommended to prepare a planting pit in advance so that all substances become available to plants before planting.

It is brought into the planting hole, evenly mixing with the soil.

Ideally, if the preparatory work took place in the fall, and planting in the spring. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. It is often necessary to plant trees and shrubs shortly after preparing the fertile mixture. In this case, superphosphate is indispensable. It is evenly mixed with improving additives and returned to the planting hole along with the soil.

When planting woody plants with an open root system in spring, fertilizer is applied no later than a month before the start of work. This usually happens in late April, early May, when the soil on the site warms up to +10 C. When planting in autumn, fertilizer is applied no later than three weeks in advance.

Plants with a lump of earth are transferred to a permanent place from early spring to late autumn. It is advisable to prepare the soil with the addition of phosphorus top dressing in advance, as well as for seedlings with an open root system. If the deadlines are running out, then the fertilizer is applied simultaneously with planting. In this case, it is better to dissolve it in water.

When planting garden crops

Fertilizer is poured directly into the hole right before planting

In the spring, when the soil in the garden dries out so much that you can start digging, then top dressing is applied. It is poured into planting rows when sowing seeds, or directly into the hole when planting seedlings. It is important to thoroughly mix the granules with the soil, and after planting, water abundantly.

Caring for fruit trees

When planting woody plants, phosphorus-containing fertilizers are necessary for rooting. When the seedlings have taken root, top dressing is used to improve flowering and fruiting.

Moisture-charging irrigation

In the spring, fruit trees are fertilized before flowering, but no later than the pink bud. The second session is repeated during the formation of the ovary, until a funnel appears at the stalk (stalk).

Next time, top dressing will be needed to prepare the orchard for winter. In autumn, water-charging irrigation is carried out, after which fertilizer is applied.

In this case, its action is aimed at strengthening the root system, which increases the winter hardiness and frost resistance of plants.

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Compatibility with other substances

Simple and double superphosphate are the most common phosphate mineral fertilizers. They are used on soils of any structure and fertility. But, if the soil is acidic, phosphorus becomes inaccessible to plants, since it reacts with soil compounds and turns into a substance inaccessible to plants. Therefore, before use, it is necessary to neutralize the soil.

It is categorically incompatible with nitrogen fertilizers, such as ammonium nitrate.

It is carried out using calcium-containing compounds:

Lime or mineral compounds will need 500 g/m2 to bring the pH one unit closer to neutral.

For example, the initial state of the soil is pH - 5.5. After applying the corrective substance, the mark will change to pH - 6.5. Which is quite acceptable for the use of superphosphate.

To achieve a similar result with wood ash, a rate of 500 g / m2 is used.

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Instructions for use. Application rates

It is important to know and follow the rules for fertilizing

When planting fruit trees and berry bushes

Fertilizer will bring the greatest benefit if it is applied after soil optimization.

For this, the following preparations are made:

Then, the mixture is returned to the pit, where it is compacted and transformed in 25 to 30 days.

It is applied directly at the time of landing based on:

When planting garden crops in spring

General recommendations for most plants are 60 - 70 g/m2 in fertile soils. If the land on the site is poor, the dosage is increased by 20 - 30%.

Fertilizer is applied twice a year, in the spring for digging the soil before planting and in the fall after harvesting.

When caring for fruit plants

Fertilizers will be needed less than for rooting seedlings when planting.

In the spring, before bud break, 40-60 g of fertilizer is applied to one near-stem circle to feed adult trees.

Trees are fed in autumn to prepare for winter.

The following dosage of single superphosphate per tree is recommended:

• for young people - 25 - 30 g
• for fruitful - 40 - 60 g

The double application rate is 2 times less.

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Recommendations for use for some plants

Single and double superphosphate is a universal fertilizer for all plants without exception. Not a single garden or decorative culture can do without it. This is their similarity. But there are also differences that need to be taken into account when making dressings.

For potatoes

There are several ways to apply to the soil before planting potatoes.

Phosphorus is required by all plants, but more than others, it is needed by root crops in particular. potatoes. One of the features of superphosphate is a decisive role in the formation of the root system. This is why fertilizer is so valuable to the crop.

It is applied in the spring when planting. For one well, you need 3-4 g. Usually granules are used, they are easier to dose. With continuous preparation of the soil on the site, a norm of 20 g per square meter is recommended.

For tomatoes

Phosphorus deficiency in tomatoes

Phosphorus compounds are necessary for other members of the Nightshade family - tomatoes.

Superphosphate passes not only during planting, but also during flowering or immediately after it. The effectiveness of feeding will increase if it is supplemented with potassium compounds. In close union, phosphorus and potassium give the fruits juiciness and brightness. Significantly improve the taste.

To get a quality crop, it is important to take care of a well-developed root system, which is laid when planting. Adult bushes with powerful roots absorb nutrients much better. As a result, the ground part of the stems, leaves develop fully, the fruits are large, well stored and not damaged during transportation.

If there is not enough phosphorus in the soil, tomatoes let you know. The growth of the ground mass noticeably slows down, which negatively affects the general condition of the plant and its fruiting.

External symptoms are:

If signs appear on seedlings during hardening or shortly after transfer to open ground, then this is normal. Young plants absorb phosphorus slowly, so when conditions change, a similar reaction appears. Usually, after survival, the symptoms disappear, and the tomatoes restore their characteristic appearance.

In the case when this does not happen, additional top dressing is necessary. Fertilizer is applied to the soil in the spring, before planting, with continuous digging of the soil in the garden where tomatoes are planned.

To save the drug, it is poured into the hole when planting seedlings into open ground. For one plant, one teaspoon without a slide is enough. The granules are evenly mixed with the soil.

Soil characteristics for the effective assimilation of phosphorus by tomatoes are light, fertile loam, neutral reaction. This state allows you to fully absorb the desired substance. On acidic and alkaline soils, the fertilizer will not reach the recipient. Therefore, preliminary neutralization is necessary.

For cucumbers

Signs of lack of fertilizer in cucumbers

The culture will be strong with good flowering and fruiting if the soil contains enough phosphorus.

The lack of an element is manifested by the following symptoms:

The lack of phosphorus is usually replenished with superphosphate, which not only improves the appearance of cucumbers, but also improves immunity. This is important, since cucumbers are often affected by fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens that accumulate in the soil. In this connection, you should not plant a crop in the same place for several years in a row.

Although superphosphate takes part in strengthening plants, it cannot cope if a large amount of a dangerous infection has accumulated in the soil. That is why it is advised to transfer the culture to another bed every year.

When a new place is determined, fertilizer is applied when digging the soil, at the rate of 20 g per square meter or in a hole when sowing seeds 3-4 g, this is one teaspoon.

Top dressing is repeated when cucumbers bloom.

For seedlings

Seedlings of vegetable crops grown in room conditions will be thin and weak if phosphorus fertilizer is not added to the nutrient substrate. Superphosphate is most suitable, which is necessary for seed germination and rooting of seedlings.

The process will be more active if boric acid or a special preparation containing manganese is added to the soil mixture along with fertilizer. The close union of a phosphorus-containing substance and trace elements improves seed germination. Even grains of dubious appearance germinate.

When hardened, the stems of seedlings and the lower part of the leaf blade acquire a reddish-violet color. This is fine

When hardening dived seedlings, characteristic signs of a lack of phosphorus appear on the leaves.

Obvious symptoms are clearly visible on tomato seedlings. When conditions change from greenhouse to cold, the ability of young plants to absorb phosphorus decreases. This is manifested by a change in color on the leaves. As soon as the stress passes, and the seedlings gain strength, the stems will get stronger, and the leaves will acquire the desired color.

The same symptoms appear when planting a tomato in open ground. If after 2 - 3 weeks after rooting, the color has not changed, you need to add an additional dose of superphosphate again, at the rate of 30 g / m2. The effect will increase if mullein and ash are added to the fertilizer.

Top dressing is prepared in the form of an infusion, for which you will need:

Mix all components thoroughly and apply to the soil in liquid form, stirring constantly. For one bush, 0.5 liters of the mixture is enough. After landing, you will need two sessions with an interval of ten days. The pause is a must.

cucumber seedling

A popular culture is more demanding on the presence of phosphorus in the soil than, for example, tomatoes. Due to the special properties of the root system, which is easily damaged, phosphorus is vital for the germination and rooting of seedlings. It is especially important to add superphosphate when transplanting young plants into open ground. At the same time, it is necessary to keep the earth lump not destroyed, so as not to harm the capricious roots.

Seedlings of cucumbers in peat pots filled with soil mixture with superphosphate

Not so long ago it was believed that cucumbers do not tolerate transplants at all. Now, with the advent of new materials and technologies, seed germination by seedlings has become a reality. Sowing is carried out in special containers - pots, cassettes, peat cups and tablets.

Rooted seedlings are transferred to open ground along with a glass. For better rooting of seedlings in open ground, be sure to add superphosphate, which is necessary to strengthen young roots and grow new ones.

The application rate is the same as for other vegetable crops. Fertilizer is used not only for traditional top dressing, but also for nutritious spraying of leaves.

For this purpose, a useful mixture is prepared, for which it is necessary:

The composition is prepared in the following sequence:

1. Boric acid and sugar are dissolved in one liter of hot water.
2. The solution is added to 10 liters.
3. Add superphosphate.

Before spraying, the plants need to be sprinkled to wash off the dust from them, which clogs the pores on the leaf blades. After a shower, be sure to wait until the plant dries. Otherwise, when foliar top dressing, the fertilizer will not linger on the wet crown, but will roll down with the water.

Nutrient sessions are especially important for vegetables grown in greenhouse conditions.

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Application in closed ground conditions

Vegetable and ornamental crops grown in a greenhouse grow in an environment that cannot be considered a full-fledged soil. In reality, this is a nutrient substrate in which you need to constantly maintain the balance of the necessary elements. It is necessary to apply fertilizers in closed ground more often than in the garden. Because, there is a rapid depletion of the soil due to the tightness of planting in a small area. It is problematic to replace the substrate annually, so you have to apply mineral fertilizers in large quantities.

In closed ground conditions, superphosphate is applied twice as often

For example, the frequency of application in closed ground is twice as high as for the same plants in the garden.

The first time it is needed when planting, then during flowering and during fruit ripening. In closed ground, fertilizer is used on average at least every two weeks.

After analyzing the properties and characteristics of superphosphate, we can safely say that without it it is extremely problematic to grow full-fledged crops. It is easy to use and does not actually harm plants and people.

The right fertilizer for our garden (Superphosphate)

The value of superphosphate as a mineral fertilizer in the care of tomatoes, potatoes, seedlings, and other crops. Ways to use it in the garden (Photo & Video) + Reviews