Base Fertilizer Application for Vegetable Crops

Base Fertilizer Application for Vegetable Crops

It is no secret that many farmers are now engaged in vegetable production, and often growing vegetables becomes a significant challenge for agronomists who have not dealt with this before. Vegetables are highly demanding in terms of moisture, nutrition, and protection from diseases and pests.

The yield of some vegetable crops can reach 50–100 tons per hectare or more, which in turn leads to a high demand for nutrients to achieve the expected harvest. Therefore, proper nutrition affects not only the quantity but also the quality of the yield.

So how should fertilizers be applied to achieve maximum agronomic and economic efficiency?

This will depend on soil type, climatic zone, precipitation levels, and the technology used in vegetable production. Vegetables can be grown without irrigation, under sprinkler irrigation, or using drip irrigation.

If you grow vegetables under drip irrigation, you can easily apply water-soluble fertilizers throughout the entire growing season. But if irrigation is done by sprinklers, not all systems allow fertilizers to be applied simultaneously with watering.

Thus, if you grow vegetables without irrigation, about 70–75% of phosphorus and potassium should be applied during primary tillage, and the rest should be applied in the spring in the seed row or when transplanting seedlings.

If vegetables are grown under sprinkler irrigation (without the possibility of injecting fertilizers), the scheme will be similar — 70–75% of fertilizers applied in the autumn and 25–30% applied in the spring in the row.

Regarding the base nutrition of vegetables grown under fertigation, opinions among agronomists vary greatly. Some apply 30% before plowing and the rest through fertigation, others use a 50/50 split, others 70/30, and some want to apply all 100% of fertilizers through irrigation.

As the saying goes: as many agronomists, as many opinions. However, we recommend applying 40–60% of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers before plowing and the rest through fertigation. This ensures optimal plant nutrition and allows savings on water-soluble fertilizers.

It is important to emphasize the necessity of base fertilizer application in vegetable production. Fertilizers applied under primary tillage are mixed throughout the entire depth of the arable layer. This provides nutrition during intensive growth and fruiting, when the root system extends beyond the zone of starter fertilizers and occupies the entire arable layer. Even when fertilizers are applied through fertigation, most of them remain near the dripper, while the root system continues to grow deeper and sideways, as geotropism works regardless. To achieve high yields, the root system must perform at full capacity, therefore base fertilizer application is a mandatory step toward success.

Application of Mineral Granular Fertilizers

Whether to apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers separately or choose a complex fertilizer with an optimal formula — this decision depends on soil type and the nutrient needs necessary for the planned yield.

Phosphorus fertilizers may include superphosphate products such as Makosh Fosfat; potassium fertilizers — Makosh Kalium. Complex fertilizers include Makosh 18+B, Makosh 5-13-13, Makosh NPK 12:24:12 + 8.5S, NPK 7:21:21 +S +Zn, etc.

When selecting fertilizers for base application, it is essential to consider soil acidity to choose the correct form of phosphorus. In acidic soils with pH below 6, phosphorus should be applied in the form of monocalcium phosphate; for soils close to neutral, monoammonium or diammonium phosphate forms are recommended.

It is important to note that most vegetable crops are sensitive to chlorine. Therefore, if chlorine-containing potassium fertilizers are used, they should only be applied during base fertilization so that chlorine leaches into deeper soil layers by spring and does not harm the plants. These fertilizers should not be applied at seeding or transplanting. If potassium fertilizers must be applied in spring, this should be done no earlier than one month before seeding or transplanting, and only if sufficient rainfall is expected.

If your soil requires improvement and a soil amendment is needed, it should also be applied before primary tillage. For the amendment to work effectively, it must be incorporated and mixed well throughout the arable layer, ensuring maximum reaction efficiency. Surface application does not provide optimal conditions for the root system, especially during the first season after application.

As for fertilizer rates, they should be based on the results of soil testing and the planned yield.

Only a well-reasoned approach will ensure maximum agronomic and economic efficiency of fertilizer investments, minimizing the risks of excessive nitrate and salt accumulation.