How to manage water and fertilizer for crops in winter? Careful operation brings a bigger harvest
In the cold winter season, many plants enter a dormant state, and at this time the water and fertilizer management of crops needs to be very careful. Without careful management in winter, the growth of crops the following year may be affected. So how should water and fertilizer management for crops be done in winter?
1. Do not apply excessive fertilizer
In winter, both the temperature inside the greenhouse and the soil temperature are relatively low, and the absorption rate of fertilizer nutrients by crops is relatively low. If flushing application is still carried out according to the previous fertilizer amount, it will only cause a large amount of fertilizer to accumulate in the soil, raising the concentration of the soil solution and causing root burn; in more serious cases, it can also lead to the death of crops or the wilting of leaves.
2. Do not water too much
If the temperature is relatively low, it will affect the growth of crops. Especially after watering, the soil temperature and aeration function will decline, which leads to yellowing leaves and root rot.
3. Carry out flushing application according to the situation
When the soil is relatively moist, there is no need for flushing application, so as to avoid root rot and yellowing leaves. Of course, if the fertilizer needed by the crops can be provided, foliar fertilizer can be applied first, and then flushing application can be carried out according to the soil moisture conditions.
4. Pay attention to ventilation
Because the greenhouse is often not ventilated, nitrogen fertilizer releases harmful nitrogen gas. When the concentration of harmful nitrogen gas is too high, it will cause the stems and leaves of crops to change color. Therefore, from late December to early February, the use of fertilizers with a high nitrogen content should be reduced to avoid the harm caused by harmful nitrogen gas.
5. Apply fertilizer according to the weather
When carrying out flushing fertilization, in order to avoid encountering cloudy days after fertilization, it is best to choose to fertilize when the weather turns clear after a cold wave, because if cloudy days are encountered during flushing fertilization, it will only increase the humidity inside the greenhouse, and the surface temperature will be difficult to recover, which is not conducive to the growth of vegetables and will cause diseases over time.
6. Temperature management
On the first and second days after flushing fertilization, the vents can be appropriately closed to raise the temperature inside the greenhouse by 2 to 3 degrees, which can effectively increase the surface temperature and alleviate the adverse effects caused by flushing fertilization.
The water and fertilizer management of crops in winter needs to be treated with care. In winter, fertilization and watering should be reduced to allow the plants to go through normal dormancy, and normal water and fertilizer management can be carried out again when spring comes and flowers bloom.