fertilizing and watering
TRANSCRIPT
Agenda● Watering
● How much water● Techniques
● Fertilization● Fertilizer Components● Types of Nitrogen● Calculating Organic Mixtures● Applying Fertilizer● Fertilizer Problems
●
How Much Water is Needed
● 1 to 1.5 inches per week● Soil appears dark leaves wet outline on
hand.● Between 40 and 70% of soil capacity.● Over watering is as bad as not enough
– The biggest reason non commercial plants die in GA is over watering
● Allow for rain
How Much to Water
●On a DCGO plot one inch of water is about 20 gallons
A cubic ft =7.48 gallons1 inch on a 4x8 ft plot is 2.67 cubic ft or
19.95 gal●Needed between 20 to 30 gallons total per week
●Water flow is 12 gallons per minute maximum●Only 2 minutes at full pressure
How To Water● Possible Methods
– Hose and nozzle aim stream at the ground around the roots
● use appropriate pressure– Sprinkler can water the roots– Soaker hose place under the mulch
● Flow meters and timers are available● If using a timer make sure all connections are
tight and don't drip.● Avoid leaves as much as possible
When to Water
● Best time is morning shortly after due evaporates
● Late afternoon is also good● Try to avoid mid day when water
evaporates quickly● Avoid late in the day when water will
remain on the leaves and encourage fungus growth
Fertilizer Components● Nitrogen
– Urea– Ammonia Nitrate– Nitrate
● Phosphate P2O2● Potassium● Trace Element● Inert Ingredients
Trace Minerals
● Not present in all fertilizers● Include: sulfur, iron, magnesium, copper and
zinc● May need to add separately
Some Organic Fertilizers
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 40
2
4
6
8
10
12
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Ammonium Nitrate
● NH4● Most commonly in the form (NH4)2SO4● Absorbed by soil● Converted by soil bacteria to NO3,Nitrate● In the form NH4NO3 is explosive
Urea
● NH2-CO-NH2● Form of nitrogen in some organic fertilizers● Can be lost to volatilization● Water soluble
Nitrate
NO3
Not absorbed into the soil
Product of microbial action on ammonium fertilizers NH4
Can be lost to leeching
Test Report
Organic Fertilizers to Use
Calculating Fertilizer
● Take fertilizer recommendation and calculate pounds needed of N, P and K
● Example recommendation:● UGA recommends 30lbs 10-10-10 per 1000
sq ft approximately 1 lb 10-10-10 for a 4x8 bed
● 1.6 oz each of N, P and K(32/1000)*48● Use 4-3-4 organic fertilizer from big box
store and bat guano
Calculation Continued
● Need N and K 40 oz (1.6 / .04)● P .03 * 40 = 1.2 oz still need .4 oz of P● Bat Guano 0-7-0 5.7 oz (.4/.07)● Mix 2.5 lbs Holly Tone (40oz) with 5 ¾ oz
bat guano
Dawgs to the Rescue
● http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soil/fertcalc
When to Fertilize● Sweet Corn
– 12” tall, one month later● Leafy green vegetables
– 3-4 weeks after emergence● Onions
– 3-4 weeks after emergence● Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants
– First fruits 1” diameter● Cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower)
– 2-3 weeks after transplanting then 2 wks later
Nitrogen Deficiency
Yellowing of the leaves,showing first in older leaves and lack of growth
Potassium Deficiency
Older leaves and/or leaf edges are yellow or brown; leaves may be chlorotic (yellow) and curl, and may have necrotic (burned/brown) spots, limited to older leaves.
●Phosphorous Deficiency
older leaves to become dark green and have red or purple patches in them. Growth can be stunted and/or the plant can have late flowering/maturing fruits
Calcium Deficiency
● Stunted● Distorted cupped
shaped leaves● Interveinal chlorosis● Symptoms appear
first on new growth● Blossom end rot on
tomatoes
Magnesium Deficiency● Yellow or white areas
between the veins of older leaves at first
● Yellowed areas may turn into dead spots
● Older leaves in plants may be purple or bronze
● Plants may be stunted and have a yellow appearance
Zinc Deficiency
● First become light green.
● Leaves are deformed, dwarfed and crumpled
● Terminal blossoms set pods that drop off, delaying maturity
Excess Nitrogen● May run off into the
environment● “Leggy” stems● Delayed Maturity● Reduced yields● Reduced quality
– Softer– lower nutritional
content– less sugar
Questions
Thank you