How to fertilize lettuce for high yield? Latest fertilization technique tutorial

Lettuce is a common vegetable in our daily lives. It is an annual or biennial herbaceous crop that can be eaten raw directly. It is crisp and refreshing with a slight sweetness. In recent years, as market demand has expanded, its planting area has also expanded rapidly. When planting, if you want to increase yield, fertilization is a key point. Let us take a look at lettuce fertilization techniques below.

1. Nutrient requirements

During growth, lettuce mainly needs nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. At the seedling stage, it has a very high demand for nitrogen fertilizer, followed by phosphorus fertilizer, and a relatively low demand for potassium fertilizer. In the peak growing season, the demand for phosphorus and potassium fertilizers increases, and a large amount of nitrogen fertilizer is also needed to support its growth; nitrogen fertilizer demand peaks at this time. In the middle and late growth stages, that is, when lettuce begins to head, the demand for nitrogen fertilizer gradually decreases, while the demand for potassium fertilizer reaches its peak. According to research, for every 100 kg of lettuce heads produced, it needs to absorb 0.37 kg of pure nitrogen, 0.14 kg of phosphorus, and 0.33 kg of potassium. In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, it also needs trace elements such as boron, iron, copper, magnesium, zinc and molybdenum. These elements play extremely important roles for it and are all indispensable; otherwise, in mild cases yield is reduced and quality is affected, and in severe cases large numbers of plants die, causing total crop failure.

2. Apply sufficient base fertilizer

Base fertilizer can continuously provide the nutrients needed for production and growth over a long period, so it is recommended to apply a large amount of decomposed organic fertilizer as base fertilizer. This can increase the content of trace elements in the soil, improve soil structure, and avoid symptoms of nutrient deficiency during planting. However, organic fertilizer has a relatively slow fertilizer effect, so when applying fertilizer it should be combined with quick-acting chemical fertilizer to make lettuce grow quickly. Apply 1000-2000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu, combined with about 100 kg of compound fertilizer. Spread it evenly on the ground, and combine it with land preparation and plowing so that it mixes evenly with the soil.

3. Timely topdressing

Carry out timely and reasonable topdressing according to the different stages of lettuce growth to accelerate its growth and development. At the seedling stage, in order to make lettuce emerge and grow quickly, apply 8-10 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per mu at this time, along with 1-2 kg of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. When applying, it is best to dilute with water and pour it on, so that concentrated fertilizer does not damage the seedling roots. In the peak growing season, at the rosette stage, the demand for nitrogen and potassium fertilizer is relatively high. Generally, apply 11-14 kg of urea and 8-9 kg of potassium sulfate per mu, or choose Moore water-soluble fertilizer for flushing application, which gives better results. At the heading and head-forming stage, lettuce has a relatively high demand for potassium fertilizer and a relatively low demand for nitrogen fertilizer. Generally, apply 11-14 kg of urea and 8-9 kg of potassium sulfate per mu, or 20-25 kg of 45% high-nitrogen-potassium compound fertilizer, or apply Moore high-nitrogen-potassium water-soluble fertilizer, using 5 kg per mu diluted with water.

4. Fertilization precautions

For water-soluble fertilizer, generally choose 5 kg of Moore water-soluble fertilizer, add 1000 kg of water, stir until dissolved, and then apply by flushing. When applying by flushing, open furrows or make grooves, or pour slowly, so that it is distributed evenly. In addition, lettuce is a leafy vegetable. Unlike melon and fruit vegetables, it does not have a large demand for fertility, so when fertilizing, pay attention to the application amount and strictly follow the instructions for standardized operation.

The above are high-yield fertilization techniques for lettuce. We hope they can help you. If you want to learn more about vegetable cultivation knowledge, please stay tuned to us.