How to Apply Urea to Vegetables for Good Results

Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound composed of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, and it is a white crystal. So how do you apply urea to fertilize vegetables?

1. How to apply urea to fertilize vegetables

Urea can be used as a base fertilizer, a top dressing and a foliar top dressing. When urea is used as a base fertilizer, organic fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, potash fertilizer and about 30% of the nitrogen fertilizer should be applied all at once together with land preparation. Urea is the most suitable nitrogen fertilizer for foliar spraying; it can be added as a 0.5%-1% urea solution together with pest and disease control, and sprayed in the morning and evening, with good results.

2. How to store urea

1. Before use, make sure the urea packaging bag is intact; handle it gently during transport, protect it from rain, and store it in a dry, well-ventilated place at a temperature below 20 degrees.

2. If storing in large quantities, the bottom of the urea should be raised about 20 cm with wooden strips, and a gap of more than 50 cm should be left between the top and the roof to help ventilation and moisture dispersal; passages should be left between stacks to facilitate inspection and ventilation. If an opened bag of urea is not used up, be sure to seal the bag opening promptly so it can be used next year.

3. Avoid contact of urea with the skin and eyes.

3. Precautions for using urea

1. Aqueous urea solution is unstable in nature; the injection must be dissolved with 10% glucose solution just before use, and must be used up within 24 h to prevent decomposition that releases ammonia and produces toxicity. It cannot be used after more than 24 h.

2. Urea alone has a hemolytic effect and must be diluted with 5% or 10% glucose injection or 10% invert sugar solution; it must not be diluted with sterile water for injection.

3. When urea is given by drip infusion, it must not overflow into the subcutaneous tissue. If it overflows, the area should be blocked locally with 0.25% procaine injection, and treated with a hot compress or a wet compress of 50% magnesium sulfate.

4. Urea has many shortcomings, and it is now rarely used clinically.

One of the simplest organic compounds, it is the main nitrogen-containing end product of protein metabolism and breakdown in mammals and some fish. It is also currently the nitrogen fertilizer with the highest nitrogen content.