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What are the fertilizer requirements of pumpkins? A detailed explanation

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What are the fertilizer requirements of pumpkins? A detailed introduction to the fertilizer requirements of pumpkins: (1) Root fertilizer absorption characteristics: Pumpkins have a well-developed root system. The main root can penetrate about 2 m deep into the soil, with more than 20 first-order lateral roots, about 50 cm long and up to 140 cm at the longest, and can produce third- and fourth-order lateral roots, forming a powerful root mass,...

What are the fertilizer requirements of pumpkins? Please introduce them in detail


Fertilizer requirements of pumpkins:
     (1) Root fertilizer absorption characteristics: Pumpkins have a well-developed root system. The main root can penetrate about 2 m deep into the soil, with more than 20 first-order lateral roots, about 50 cm long and up to 140 cm at the longest, and can produce third- and fourth-order lateral roots, forming a powerful root mass. The main root mass is densely distributed in the 10-40 cm plough layer. Because pumpkin roots penetrate deeply and spread widely, their ability to absorb fertilizer and water is also very strong, and they have relatively strong drought resistance and tolerance to poor soil. They are not strict about soil requirements and can grow even when planted in relatively poor plots. When pumpkins are cultivated in heavy, fertile soil, excessive vegetative growth of stems and leaves often causes flower and fruit drop, and the yield is instead not high. Therefore, for early-maturing cultivation, sandy loam with deep soil, good drainage and rapid warming is best; for late-maturing varieties, loam with strong water- and fertilizer-holding capacity is suitable, with a suitable soil pH of 6.5-7.5. When soil fertility is sufficient, reasonable close planting and timely pruning and pinching can make full use of fertility to obtain high yields.
     (2) Fertilizer requirement dynamics of pumpkins: Pumpkins have different nutrient uptake amounts and ratios at different growth and development stages. They need less fertilizer during the seedling stage, and the fruit expansion stage is the period of greatest fertilizer demand, especially with a sharp increase in nitrogen uptake; potassium shows a similar trend, while phosphorus uptake increases less. According to research in Miyazaki, Japan, during the 137 days from transplanting to vine removal, the uptake of the five elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium) increased slowly during the first 1/3 of the time, increased rapidly during the middle 1/3, and increased most significantly during the last 1/3. Over the whole period, the uptake of the five elements was greatest for potassium and nitrogen, intermediate for calcium, and lowest for magnesium and phosphorus. The increase in yield was completely consistent with the overall trend of uptake of the five elements, also rising rapidly during the last 1/3 of the time. Producing 1000 kg of pumpkins requires the uptake of nitrogen (N) 3.5-5.5 kg, phosphorus (P2O5) 1.5-2.2 kg, and potassium (K2O) 5.3-7.29 kg. Pumpkins respond well to organic fertilizers such as barnyard manure and compost.
     If there is too much nitrogen fertilizer in the early growth stage of pumpkins, it easily causes excessive vegetative growth of stems and leaves, and the first fruit is prone to dropping; applying nitrogen fertilizer too late affects fruit expansion.
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