How to feed garlic with ammonium nitrate

Among the many species top dressing, ammonium nitrate for garlic is one of the main fertilizers. This type of nutrient saturates the earth with nitrogen, which is necessary for sprouting.

Dressing garlic with ammonium nitrate

Ammonium nitrate is necessarily introduced into the ground when planted in spring and autumn. However, the subsequent soil enrichment schedule depends on the type of land.

Composition of ammonia top dressing

Ammonium nitrate is an extremely popular complex of minerals, because many plants require fast and high-quality nitrogen saturation during the active vegetation period. The nitrogen component of fertilizing reaches 30%. This amount of element allows vegetable crops to balance the amount of protein and gluten, as well as increase productivity . In addition to the main component in the form of nitrogen, the composition also includes:

• sulfur (up to 15%);
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• potassium.

The percentage of these substances may vary depending on the type of mineral mixture. However, the predominant elements are sulfur and nitrogen.

Due to the presence of sulfur, the agrochemical is well absorbed by plants.Calcium and magnesium strengthen fiber and accelerate the growth of seedlings.

Advantages

This type of mineral has many positive qualities. These include:

• relative cheapness;
• ease of use;
• the complexity of nutrients that allows to saturate garlic with all the necessary elements;
• fast solubility in moist soil and water;
• the effectiveness of exposure at cold temperatures.

Despite the fact that in this agrochemical the amount of nitrogen is less than in urea, top dressing considered more universal. Useful components in it are found in nitrate and amide form. With the help of nitrates, mineral substances begin to be absorbed instantly, and thanks to the amide component, part of the useful components continues to act after a week.

Separately, mention should be made of resistance to frost. Organic substances begin to act only in the warm period, when the earth warms up. Because of this, winter garlic often experiences mineral hunger in the winter, so in the early spring and late autumn the agrochemical can be scattered in the snow. Thanks to its chemical formula, saltpeter burns through the ice cover and reaches the soil, instantly filling the lack of nitrogen.

Disadvantages

Badly affects yield

Despite the large number of pluses, this type of fertilizer also has disadvantages. Among them are the following:

• the agrochemical is quickly washed out by groundwater, because of which plants may not have time to get the right amount of minerals;
• the soil structure is disturbed;
• increase in soil acidity and an increase in the amount of salts, which can significantly reduce the yield;
• the nitrogen complex of substances may not be enough for good crop growth.

It is not recommended to mix nitrogen fertilizers with peat, sawdust, straw or lime. The presence of these components may lead to ignition of the mixture.

The dosage of the mixture should also be strictly adhered to. A large amount of nitrogen in the soil leads to the formation of empty flowers.

Soil preparation

An important role is played by soil preparation before planting garlic. After marking the rows two to three days before planting, 60 g per 1 m² for winter and 40 g per 1 m² for spring varieties should be applied. Along with this, the soil must be buried to a depth of 6-8 cm in two directions. This will contribute to the rapid development of the crop.

Ammonium nitrate is safe for vegetable crops, if you adhere to the schedule of soil enrichment.It is not recommended to overfeed plants – this can lead to a large amount of ground green. Harvest from such seedlings, as a rule, has low taste. At the first sign of soil oxidation, you should stop or reduce the rate of application of the agrochemical.

Some farmers recommend stopping the fertilizing 20 days before the harvest, but this may affect the amount of garlic. The optimal time for this is 14 days before digging the heads.

Application in the soil

The first fertilizing of garlic with ammonium nitrate occurs in spring or autumn directly during planting. On 1 m² use 1 tbsp. substances or divorced 30 g per 10 liters of water. In spring, this should be done immediately after the snow melts, and in autumn – before the first frost. When using organic fertilizers, the feeding rate is reduced by half. During the growth of seedlings, this agrochemical is used as the main fertilizer or as an additional saturation. It depends on the type of soil:

• alkaline soil can be fertilized on an ongoing basis;
• in oxidized soil, garlic nitrate is used in combination with organic fertilizers.

With each application, the composition should be well watered. This rule even works for diluted chemicals. For the entire growing season of garlic, it is advisable to carry out 4 dressings, the latter should be introduced two weeks before the harvest.

Recommendations

Many farmers recommend feeding plants with this agrochemical in combination with urea. This will improve the taste of the fruit.

Nitrogen fertilizers are not recommended to be applied in a non-root way, as this can lead to burns of the arrow. In a hot period, it is possible to feed with agrochemical only in diluted form, otherwise part of the nitrogen will evaporate into the atmosphere. In cool time, dressing is done under a rake, however, for better effect, plants should be fed to a greater depth.

Storage

Store this type of dressing in a closed container. The storage room should have good air circulation and low humidity. Also, ammonium nitrate can catch fire when in contact with flammable objects. It is necessary to monitor the temperature differences in the room. They can lead to crystallization of nitrates and poor solubility of top dressing.

To prevent fertilizer from caking, it is recommended to mix it with magnesia. The shelf life of the agrochemical is 6 months.

Conclusion

The effect of ammonia This agrochemical accelerates the growth and development of plants, allowing you to get the maximum yield from any variety.

Thanks to this mixture, the soil is quickly enriched with nitrogen, which garlic needs at an early stage of development. However, the soil should be fertilized in accordance with the application schedule, otherwise an excess of minerals may adversely affect the crop.