How to fertilize facility vegetables in winter? Keep these four key points in mind

In winter, facility vegetables face low outside temperatures, making production management quite difficult, especially when it comes to fertilization. If methods are improper, they often have a major impact on the growth of facility vegetables. Below is an introduction to the key points of winter fertilization for facility vegetables, for the reference of vegetable growers.

1. Apply sufficient base fertilizer

In production, the principle should be to apply sufficient base fertilizer and less topdressing. Generally, the base fertilizer ratio should account for about 70% of the total fertilizer application, among which phosphorus fertilizer, because it decomposes slowly, can be increased to 70%, while nitrogen and potassium topdressing should be 50%. High-quality farmyard compost and manure must be fully decomposed, with a application rate of about 5000 kg per mu, and high-quality compound fertilizer generally at 75 kg per mu, and it should not exceed 100 kg. The remaining topdressing should be flexibly controlled according to the growth of the vegetables and the period of fertilizer demand.

2. Balanced fertilization

Organic fertilizer has comprehensive and balanced nutrients. It can not only improve the soil and enhance its ability to retain fertilizer and water, but also allow fertilizer to be released steadily, and it can also regulate and balance soil pH. In addition to applying farmyard composted fertilizer, the use of bio-organic fertilizer or bacterial fertilizer should also be strongly advocated. This type of organic compound fertilizer can provide macronutrient fertilizer and various trace elements, supplement organic matter to improve the soil, inhibit the harm of some soil-borne pests and diseases, and avoid fertilizer damage caused by concentrated soil fertilizer supply.

3. Apply deeply in furrows

Because greenhouse vegetables are grown in a highly enclosed environment, shallow fertilization or broadcast application of fertilizer can easily cause fertilizer volatilization, which not only reduces fertilizer efficiency but also easily produces ammonia gas that harms the vegetables. When topdressing, first, apply in holes or bands at a depth of 5-6 cm; second, keep a distance of 8-10 cm from the vegetable roots.

4. Master the appropriate temperature

For nitrogen fertilizers such as urea and ammonium bicarbonate, they are easily absorbed and utilized by vegetables only after being converted into nitrate nitrogen, and the external factor affecting the speed of absorption is temperature conditions. When the temperature in the greenhouse is below 15°C, the activity of nitrifying bacteria will be inhibited. Therefore, topdressing nitrogen fertilizer should be carried out around noon on sunny days. Too early or too late will reduce the topdressing effect due to low temperature. After watering and fertilizing, ventilate to remove moisture at 2-3 p.m.

Dingzhou City Agriculture Bureau Wang Hu