Can Compound Fertilizer Be Diluted with Water to Water Flowers? A Detailed Guide to the Correct Method of Use

Compound fertilizer contains a relatively large variety of nutrient elements and has a more noticeable yield-increasing effect than applying single-nutrient fertilizers, and it can meet the fertilizer requirements of most crops. It is now widely recognized and applied. So, how is compound fertilizer used correctly? Can it be diluted with water to water flowers?

1. What kind of fertilizer is compound fertilizer?

Compound fertilizer refers to fertilizer made through chemical combination (chemical) action or the ammoniation granulation process, synthesized through obvious chemical reactions. Common types mainly include diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, nitric phosphate, potassium nitrate, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate. This type of compound fertilizer contains two or more elements needed by crops, has a high nutrient content, can supply the nutrients needed by crops in a relatively balanced way over a long period, and improves the yield-increasing effect of fertilization.

2. How is compound fertilizer used correctly?

1. It is suitable as a base fertilizer

Compound fertilizer has a long fertilizer effect. A large number of trials show that whether it is a binary or ternary compound, it is best applied as a base fertilizer. This is because compound fertilizer contains various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In the early stage, crops are especially sensitive to phosphorus and potassium, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are required to be applied early as a base fertilizer. Controlled-release compound fertilizer uses coating, granulation, and other processes during production, so its fertilizer effect is slow and steady, it decomposes more slowly than single-element chemical fertilizers, has less nutrient leaching loss, and has a high utilization rate, making it suitable as a base fertilizer. The usual application rate is 30 to 40 kg per mu. Compound fertilizer should not be used as a seedling-stage fertilizer or a mid-to-late-stage fertilizer, to prevent excessive vegetative growth and lodging.

2. Supplement quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer in time

Compound fertilizer decomposes relatively slowly. For crops that use compound fertilizer as a base fertilizer at sowing, quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should be supplemented in time during topdressing according to the fertilizer requirement patterns of different crops, to meet the nutritional needs of the crops.

3. Attention should be paid to choosing a suitable concentration

The concentration of compound fertilizer varies greatly. Most compound fertilizers are formulated according to the average nutrient status of a certain region's soil type and the fertilizer requirement ratio of major crops. On the market there are high-, medium-, and low-concentration series of compound fertilizers. Generally, the total nutrient content of low concentration is between 25% and 30%, medium concentration is between 30% and 40%, and high concentration is above 40%. According to differences in region, soil, and crop, an economical and efficient compound fertilizer should be selected for use. Generally, high-concentration compound fertilizer is used on cash crops, with good quality, little residue, and high utilization rate.

4. Avoid direct contact between seeds and fertilizer

Compound fertilizer has a relatively high concentration, which can affect emergence and even burn seedlings and rot roots. When sowing, seeds should be about 5 to 10 cm away from compound fertilizer applied in holes or bands. Never apply it directly in the same hole as the seeds, which would cause fertilizer damage.

5. Attention should be paid to the scope of use of nutrient components.

The raw materials used in compound fertilizer ratios differ. Different brands and different concentrations of compound fertilizer use different raw materials, and in production they should be selected for use according to soil type and crop type. Compound fertilizer containing nitrate should not be used on leafy vegetables, and compound fertilizer containing ammonium ions should not be used in paddy fields and is not suitable for application on saline-alkali land; compound fertilizer containing potassium chloride or chloride ions should not be used on chlorine-sensitive crops or saline-alkali land; compound fertilizer containing potassium sulfate is not suitable for application in paddy fields and acidic soil. Otherwise, the fertilizer effect will be reduced and the crop may even be harmed.

6. Apply deeply and cover with soil

Compound fertilizer contains two or more major elements. Ammonia applied on the surface is prone to volatilization loss or loss through rainwater, and phosphorus and potassium are easily fixed by the soil. In particular, phosphorus has low mobility in the soil, and when applied to the surface it is not easily absorbed and used by crop roots, nor is it conducive to deep root growth. In drought conditions, the fertilizer cannot dissolve, and the fertilizer effect is even worse. Therefore, the application of compound fertilizer should avoid surface broadcasting as much as possible and should be applied deeply and covered with soil.

3. Can compound fertilizer be diluted with water to water flowers?

1. Compound fertilizer can be diluted with water to water flowers. Most compound fertilizers are alkaline fertilizers, suitable for flowers that grow in alkaline-loving soil, such as Chinese rose, hyacinth, and pomegranate, but not suitable for flowers that grow in acid-loving soil, such as flamingo flower, amaryllis, and Cymbidium goeringii. In addition, flowers that do not like multi-element fertilizers cannot use it, such as bromeliads and Cymbidium hybridum.

2. There are many types of compound fertilizer, and the elements and ratios they contain are all different. Taking a compound fertilizer containing 15-16% each of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as an example, when watering flowers it can be mixed with water at a ratio of 1:1000. If the potting soil is relatively dry, the concentration of the compound fertilizer needs to be lowered to a ratio of 1:1500 for watering, to avoid fertilizer damage. When watering flowers, it only needs to be evenly applied to the soil surface, and fertilizer water should be kept from being poured onto the leaves, to avoid burning the leaves.

Overall, compound fertilizer refers to chemical fertilizer containing two or more nutrient elements. Correct and reasonable use plays a very important role in balanced fertilization, improving fertilizer utilization rate, and promoting high and stable crop yields.