Pearl among Beans: Fertilizing Time for Snow Peas and Fertilizer Amount and Method per Mu

Snow pea is a common vegetable, deeply loved by people because of its high edible value and the fact that its tender pods, tender shoots and seeds are all edible. But to achieve high yield of snow peas, in addition to simple management techniques, fertilization work must also be done well. So when is the best time to fertilize snow peas? How much fertilizer is roughly needed per mu? How to apply it?

I. How much fertilizer is roughly needed per mu for snow peas?

Snow peas have the highest nitrogen requirement. Their root nodules have nitrogen-fixing ability and can fix a large amount of nitrogen from the air, while absorbing less nitrogen from the soil. Therefore, snow peas absorb the most potassium from the soil, followed by nitrogen, and the least phosphorus.

Although snow peas have rhizobia that can fix nitrogen from the soil and air, the activity of the rhizobia is weak in the early stage, so a certain amount of nitrogen fertilizer still needs to be supplemented at the seedling stage. Throughout the entire growth period, sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrient elements should be supplied. In cultivation, organic fertilizer is mainly used, with additional application of phosphorus, potassium, boron, molybdenum and other fertilizers, which is beneficial for inducing the growth and reproduction of root nodules.

For snow peas, supplement nitrogen fertilizer at the seedling stage, supplement phosphorus and potassium fertilizers during the peak growth period, and pay attention to increasing the application of molybdenum fertilizer and manganese fertilizer. According to reports, producing every 1000 kg of snow peas requires 3-11.5 kg of nitrogen, 1-6 kg of phosphorus, and 5.7-12 kg of potassium. The absorption ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 1:0.36:0.73; if tender pods are harvested, the absorption amount decreases accordingly.

II. How much base fertilizer is needed per mu for snow peas?

Generally, before sowing snow peas, apply per mu 3000-4600 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer, 100 kg of bio-organic compound fertilizer, 20 kg of urea, 25-30 kg of superphosphate, 40 kg of potassium sulfate, and 0.5-1 kg of manganese sulfate. Broadcast on the surface, then plow into the tillage layer, level, make beds or ridges, and prepare for sowing.

III. How much topdressing is needed per mu for snow peas?

Apply topdressing once each before flowering, before harvest and during the peak harvest period of snow peas, with 8-15 kg of compound fertilizer or 1500-2500 kg of decomposed human manure per mu each time (can be applied with irrigation).

After snow peas are trained onto the trellis, 60 kg of compound fertilizer can be applied per mu during the flowering and pod-setting period. The pod-setting period generally lasts more than 25 days, and the plants grow while setting pods. After harvest begins, when the leaves show some yellowing every 6-7 days, topdressing should be applied, using 3-5 kg of urea per mu broadcast or diluted with water for watering, but the urea should be kept at a certain distance from the roots. After topdressing with urea, irrigate promptly to prevent root burn. Fertilization should depend on whether the field is fertile or poor. If the field is relatively poor, use 15 kg of compound fertilizer as base fertilizer, 20 kg of compound fertilizer as the spring-return fertilizer, and topdress 3 times with 5 kg of urea each time. If the field is relatively fertile, use 15 kg of compound fertilizer as base fertilizer, 15 kg of compound fertilizer as the spring-return fertilizer, and topdress 3 times with 3 kg of urea each time. Snow peas have relatively high water requirements and are afraid of both drought and waterlogging. Soil moisture should be maintained at about 70%, especially during the flowering and pod-setting period, when water must not be lacking, otherwise it will cause flower and pod drop, affecting the pod shape and yield. During drought, pay attention to irrigating from the furrows.

IV. How much foliar fertilization is roughly needed per mu for snow peas?

After snow peas emerge, check and replenish seedlings promptly. When the seedlings are 30 cm tall, trace-element fertilizer can be applied as a foliar supplement, that is, on a sunny afternoon, spray the leaves with a 250-fold potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, and after 1 week spray once more with a 500-fold borax solution.

Throughout the entire growth period of snow peas, depending on the plant growth condition, amino acid fertilizer can be sprayed during the whole process, which has a good effect on enhancing the plant's stress resistance and increasing yield.