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“You are what you eat” - this simple truth of Hippocrates is equally true not only for humans, but also for plants. For normal development, resistance to negative factors and diseases, flowering and fruiting, they need nutrients absorbed by the roots from the soil or nutrient solution in case of soilless cultivation.
If the soil is depleted, poor and plants do not receive enough micro- and macro-components, or if there is one or another “distortion” in the content of nutrients and, as a result, absorption is blocked, the plant organism rapidly weakens, develops poorly, and withers. To prevent this from happening and to ensure that the nutritional needs of the cultivated crops are fully covered, if the soil cannot be called sufficiently fertile, various types of plant fertilizers are used, one way or another ensuring that the root zone is saturated with the necessary nutrients.
What are fertilizers?
Fertilizers should be understood as those substances in dry or liquid form that are added by gardeners to soils, substrates or hydroponic solutions in order to provide or improve plant nutrition and their proper development, increase decorative characteristics or productivity indicators.
That is, everything that is naturally contained in the soil or water in dissolved form is not fertilizers, but something with which the environment is additionally enriched to provide the plants with some missing, several or a whole complex of nutritional components in the form of their compounds - fertilizers. At the same time, plant fertilizers can differ significantly in origin, composition and route of action, so the gardener must clearly understand what, how, when and for what purpose to “feed”.
Fertilizer classification
For a plant grower who has no experience or has not thoroughly studied the “materials” beforehand, the very first visit to a gardening store can lead to a stupor: how can you choose what you need among all these jars, bottles and bags with different types of fertilizers for plants?
The classification of fertilizers will partly help clarify the issue. Their entire assortment, presented on store windows, can be divided into 4 large groups according to origin and main purpose:
Organic – usually of natural origin. The main purpose of organic fertilizers is to create a favorable nutrient environment for beneficial microorganisms in the root zone. Microorganisms break down complex substances into simple ones, make the soil more loose and aerated, saturated with moisture and nutrients, and also provide additional protection to the roots from pathogens. Simple nutrients associated with humic acids are released into the soil gradually and are not washed away.
Mineral - mono- or polycomponent inorganic preparations, which are mineral salts of these or other elements (nitrates, phosphates, potassium, sulfur- and iron-containing, complex, etc.).Mineral salts dissolved in water are absorbed directly by the roots, without requiring preliminary “processing” by bacteria and fungi.
Bacterial fertilizers do not have any nutritional value in themselves, but contribute to the rapid colonization of the root zone with beneficial microflora and the formation of a strong symbiotic biocenosis.
Stimulants – growth, flowering, root formation, immunity. These are additives and preparations used for root and foliar treatment as additional to the main nutrition and “work” to help the plant reach its fuller potential.
More about organic fertilizers
If we talk about the types of organic fertilizers, then the simplest examples used by man since time immemorial include manure, bird droppings, sawdust, ash, compost, straw, peat. From the “new”, created directly by man, but on a natural basis - humins, vermicompost, as well as balanced multi-component liquid concentrates.
In addition to the release of chelated nutrient compounds into the soil as a result of the breakdown of complex organic matter, carbon dioxide is also released, which plants need for photosynthesis. Thus, plants get the opportunity to “eat properly” and photosynthesize more efficiently, which has a beneficial effect on their development and productivity.
As already mentioned, you can prepare fertilizers yourself (for example, add ash, manure, droppings, bone meal, etc. to the soil when digging a garden, or prepare special infusions, and then apply them at the root with watering) or use ready-made solutions in accordance with the attached instructions.
However, the application of even organic - natural and natural fertilizers should not be thoughtless, even if the risk of “burning” the roots (which can be the “sin” of bird droppings) or overfeeding green pets is minimal.
It is necessary to have an idea of what elements plants need at a particular stage. If, during the period of active growth of green mass, nitrogen is at the forefront, and during flowering and during the ripening period, plants need an increased dose of phosphorus, they must cover their needs. That is, the soil must be saturated with both components. At the same time, you should not continue to feed crops that are about to bloom with slurry as a powerful nitrogen-potassium fertilizer, as they run the risk of never blooming. But bird droppings and infusions from it will be able to saturate the root zone with phosphorus, and in smaller quantities with other important elements.
To “reanimate” soil fertility, the green manure method is also used, when land plots are sown with green manure crops that accumulate useful substances, and then naturally release them into the ground as a result of natural decomposition and mineralization. Legumes and grains, as well as clover, are considered good green manures. Straw is also used as a good protective mulch and green manure, especially together with manure, which helps saturate the soil with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, cobalt, molybdenum, manganese, zinc, etc.
As for ready-made organic polycomplexes for basic plant nutrition, they are, as a rule, divided into those intended for feeding in the vegetative phase and during flowering, which is indicated on the packaging and in the instructions.
More details about mineral fertilizers
There are also various types of mineral fertilizers, the peculiarity of which is a “direct” effect on plants - easy and rapid absorption. On the one hand, this causes a faster and more violent reaction of crops to this type of fertilizing, but on the other hand, unlike organic mineral fertilizers, beneficial microorganisms are not “interested” in mineral fertilizers, since they are not a breeding ground for them. Accordingly, a favorable biocenosis that provides additional protection to the roots, improves the looseness, moisture capacity, and aerability of the soil is not formed, and the plant turns out to be practically defenseless against attacks by pathogens, requiring increased attention from the plant grower.
Nature does not take part in the formation of mineral fertilizers. This is a product of human hands, albeit from natural raw materials, but in combination with some waste from chemical and coke production.
Mineral fertilizers can be mono- (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus) and polycomponent (NPK-complex or so-called macrofertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur, microelement additives, complete balanced options, including special chlorine-free fertilizers for some plant species).
“Mineral water” is represented by solid (granulated, powdered) and liquid (usually highly concentrated and requiring prior dilution in water) options.
The main properties of mineral fertilizers are that they are perfectly and completely soluble in water and are completely ready for absorption by the roots. For this reason, “mineral water” is an ideal option for feeding in hydroponics, since it does not clog the system and does not require preliminary breakdown by microorganisms.
However, taking into account the direct impact and quick effect, caution in use, studying the signs of deficiency and excess of certain elements in plants, as well as useful advice on feeding plants from experienced plant growers should become law when choosing in favor of “mineral water”, which should also be introduced taking into account the phase of the crop life cycle.
