Primary Nutrients
Nitrogen (N) |
Micronutrients
Zinc (Zn) |
Secondary Nutrients
Sulfur (S) |
|
Deficiencies
- Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the most required nutrients and are often found deficient in plants.
- Deficiency symptoms for any element depend primarily on two factors:
– the role of the element
– the ease of translation from matured leaves to new leaves
Toxicities
- Over fertilization or fertilization at the wrong time can have harmful effects on plant growth.
- It is important to plan fertilizer application according to plant requirements and environmental factors and limitations
Fertilizer Types
- Organic: natural materials with limited to no processing
- Processed fertilizers: manufactured or extracted from natural materials often undergoes extensive processing
Reading Fertilizer Labels
Fertilizer is usually labeled with just numbers such as 5-10-10. This always refers to the amount of N, P, and K, respectively. Therefore, it contains 5% N, 10% P, and 10% K.
Soil Tests
- Can confirm whether a nutrient or amendment needs to be applied
- Take a representative sample by compositing 10 samples at the 0-6in depth, mix, and subsample.
- Use stainless steel or plastic tools
- Label and transport or ship to lab ASAP