The use of calcium and ammonium nitrate for cucumbers as top dressing
For soil with high acidity, calcium nitrate is essential. Calcium nitrate absorbs iron, manganese and metal, acidity in the soil. Upon receipt of the calcium contained in nitrate, the root system begins to develop fruitfully. Therefore, feeding the cucumbers is necessary after 7 to 10 days.
Calcium nitrate for cucumbers
Can cucumbers be processed with calcium nitrate? Calcium is not the main component, therefore it is called calcium nitrate.
Cucumbers should be watered from a watering can without a spray, so that the solution falls exactly under the root of the plant, otherwise the leaves may be damaged and covered with white spots.
If the fruit grows hooked and thickened at the stem or base, they do not have enough potassium and magnesium. In this case, you need to feed the cucumbers. During fruiting, fertilizing should not be overused.
Properties of calcium nitrate
Due to a lack of calcium, the root system begins to rot, the plant dies.
Potassium nitrate - nitrate fertilizer, but if you observe the correct dosages and timing of top dressing, it does not harm human health at all, but it has a very positive effect on the harvest. If the cucumbers become lethargic and begin to weaken, the properties of saltpeter are able to revive the plants, and the cucumbers will develop and bear fruit during the entire growth period.
The use of nitrate
A large number of gardeners use potassium nitrate on their plots. Its use is very widely practiced in agriculture, especially for forage crops. Potassium nitrate is known to promote abundant green growth.
By introducing this type of fertilizer into the soil before planting, seeds and tubers germinate much faster. The roots become strong and resistant to various types of diseases. Thanks to calcium nitrate, winter crops can more easily tolerate sudden changes in temperature.
Fertilizing cucumbers with calcium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is essential for feeding cucumbers. It is necessary to apply fertilizer to the soil in early spring when digging up the soil. If this work is done in the fall, in the spring all useful qualities will go away with the snow.
Calcium nitrate is not recommended to be combined with another mineral fertilizer, which contains sulfate and nitrate. Calcium nitrate will help seedlings emerge faster. In the first period of growth, fertilization is necessary for the plant. Subsequent dressings must be applied throughout the entire growth period.
In these cases, water not only the root system, but spray the fertilizer all over the plant.This spraying will prevent top rot.
The first spraying of cucumbers can be carried out not earlier than the appearance of three full-fledged leaves. Initial doses should be minimal: for 6 liters of warm water, 1 tablespoon of fertilizer. As the plant grows, the dose is gradually increased, but not more than up to three tablespoons.
To fertilize cucumbers in a greenhouse, foliar dressing is carried out early in the morning or in the evening. Fertilize during the day on cloudy days. From the moment of planting plants in a greenhouse shelter with calcium nitrate, cucumbers are fed at least three times:
- The first feeding is carried out during the formation of the first two independent leaves.
- The second - 14 days after the first.
- The third is carried out a month after the second.
Calcium nitrate is produced in two types: in the form of small crystals and in white granules.
Experienced gardeners prefer fertilizer in crystals, because this way the fertilizer is easily absorbed in the soil and quickly dissolves in water.
Fertilizing cucumbers in the greenhouse
In order for vegetables to bear fruit for a long time and abundantly, they must be fertilized with calcium nitrate for cucumbers. In a greenhouse, the soil is rarely enriched with useful minerals. In addition to root feeding, foliar is also needed. It is better to spray the solution onto the leaves from a spray bottle, then the drops will be small and will not spread.
It is not recommended to spray in hot, sunny weather. The fertilizer will not have time to be absorbed, but will simply evaporate, the leaves may burn and turn white. Saltpeter for cucumbers should be started to feed the plants before they are transplanted into the greenhouse, so that the roots have time to fully strengthen.
Ammonium nitrate
Ammonium nitrate is in no way inferior to calcium in terms of the content of nutrients, it is rich in calcium and magnesium.
This dressing is considered one of the most popular and demanded. The universal property of this composition allows it to be mixed with other fertilizers. Treatment with ammonium nitrate stimulates the growth and fruiting of vegetable crops. Available in granules or white powders. Fertilizer can be applied dry or as a solution.
Fertilizer can be applied in early spring, as soon as the snow melts. Used for feeding crops planted in autumn (winter crops). Nitrate is also used to control pests that multiply in the soil. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant potatoes, onions, carrots and other vegetables in the same place.
Top dressing with ammonium nitrate for cucumbers
A solution of ammonium nitrate is the cheapest and most affordable among a number of fertilizers. Contains nitrogen, which is so essential for the growth and harvest of cucumbers. But it is worth warning that you need to be very careful when feeding: you cannot spray cucumber leaves with ammonium nitrate.
This substance can be harmful - the foliage will receive a chemical burn, the plant will die. For safety, fertilizer is placed in the ground during loosening, where it is mixed with the soil, and then the root system will not be damaged, but will receive all the necessary nutrients.
Plants can be watered with a weak solution of ammonium nitrate. However, it is extremely rare to feed cucumbers in this way, especially in autumn and during fruiting. Before preparing the solution, consult with experts in what proportions to cook and how to fertilize.
How to prepare a solution
From the first days of planting seedlings, cucumbers should sometimes be fed. Ammonium nitrate must be diluted in warm water until the powder is completely dissolved.
For a ten-liter bucket of water - 10 grams of saltpeter. Fertilize cucumbers no more than 10 times per season. If the plant grows well and bears fruit, there is no need for feeding.
Excessive nitrogen can harm the plant.During fruiting, it is not recommended to water cucumbers with ammonium nitrate - the fruits will absorb pesticides.
For other vegetables, this fertilizer is safe - most vegetable crops are not saturated with nitrate. Many summer residents noted that vegetables fed with ammonium nitrate in the garden brought an excellent harvest. Ammonium nitrate fertilizers are used in all regions with different climatic conditions. Ammonium properties are indispensable for acidic soil.
Top dressing of greenhouse cucumbers
Cucumber is one of the earliest ripening vegetable crops. Does not require growing in seedlings. In greenhouses and hotbeds it ripens earlier than other vegetables. By using all the rules and regulations, the desired yield can be achieved.
It is necessary to provide:
- fertile soil;
- adequate lighting;
- timely watering;
- the right fertilizer.
For cucumbers, a potassium solution is needed, which nourishes the root system, and through it the whole plant is enriched. Pay attention to the composition of the fertilizer. Chlorine, which is part of many fertilizers, is categorically harmful to cucumbers. Experiment on individual bushes before fertilizing. If after 4 - 5 days the appearance of the fed vegetables does not deteriorate, feel free to fertilize the rest.
In greenhouses, you need to be especially careful with feeding. In hot, sunny weather, you cannot feed and spray. In addition to chemical fertilizers, you can use safer organic ones. The most famous and popular is manure. Plants are fed with its solution throughout the season.
With the onset of cold weather, cucumbers stop growing and bearing fruit, it makes no sense to apply fertilizers. With the appearance of the fruit ovary, fertilizing with chemical fertilizers must be stopped, instead, you can switch to organic matter, in which there are no substances harmful to health, and the result is no worse.
