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Fertilizer Application and Soil Preparation for Flowers, Fruit Trees, and Veggies

Fertilizer Application and Soil Preparation for Flowers, Fruit Trees, and Veggies. Jerry Clark Crops and Soils/Agronomy Educator UW-Extension Chippewa/Eau Claire County. 700 different soils in Wis. Productive soil must be fertile. physical fertility

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Fertilizer Application and Soil Preparation for Flowers, Fruit Trees, and Veggies

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  1. Fertilizer Application and Soil Preparation for Flowers, Fruit Trees, and Veggies Jerry Clark Crops and Soils/Agronomy Educator UW-Extension Chippewa/Eau Claire County

  2. 700 different • soils • in Wis.

  3. Productive soil must be fertile • physical fertility • texture, structure, drainage, tilth • chemical fertility • nutrient supply • soil testing • nutrient additions • biologically fertile • microorganisms • organic materials • soil environment

  4. A Healthy Soil

  5. Soil formation-’weathering’ • physical • freezing, thawing, wetting, drying, organisms • chemical • dissolved minerals moved in water • soil horizons formed • 1 inch - 100 years

  6. Soil = f (Climate, Parent material, Living organisms, Topography, Time ) Deciduous Coniferous Prairie

  7. Soil texture • classes - sand, silt, clay • names based on proportions • loam, silty clay, loamy sand • changing proportions not recommended • clay also group of minerals • montmorillinite, kaolinite.… • nutrient storehouse

  8. Textural classes

  9. Soil organic matter • plants, animals, microorganisms • living, dead, decay products • humus • complex, dark-colored, reactive • soil acidity reservoir • nutrient storehouse • difficult to significantly increase

  10. Soil structure • particles ‘glued’into aggregates • organic matter, clay, bacterial secretions • granular, platy, blocky • finer aggregates in ‘topsoil’, massive in subsoil • improve by adding organic residues • decay: 90% CO2 + H2O

  11. Problem: ‘heavy’ soil • aggregates tightly packed • small pores • poor drainage, roots suffocate • ‘cloddy’ if tilled wet • compact easily • improve with organic residues • better crumb stability • larger pores • sand + clay = cement

  12. Problem: ‘light’ soil • aggregates too big to pack tightly • large pore spaces • droughty • improve with organic residues • ‘sponge’ • better water holding capacity

  13. Organic residues • compost, grass clippings, crop residues • annual gardens - 1 bu / 20 sq ft • perennial gardens - 1 bu / 10 ft • do not add to tree/shrub planting hole • green manure, fall cover crops • green topgrowth tilled under • extra N needed for high C residues • microorganisms ‘tie-up’ N • wood chips, sawdust, oat straw

  14. Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios of Different Amendments

  15. Organic residues • provides ‘food’ for microorganisms • for every 100 lb. added, 90 lb. converted to water, carbon dioxide • 10 lb. stable 1st year • 1 lb. stable 2nd year • microbial decay process • more ‘glue’ for better crumb stability • nutrients released • fresh surfaces for nutrient holding

  16. How to remember the 17 essential elements C HOPKINS CaFe is Mighty Nice, But Many More Prefer Clara’s Zany Cup Required for the plant to complete life cycle • Directly involved in metabolism • Can not be substituted by another nutrient • Essential for a wide range of plants

  17. Food for plants? • plant, animal nutrition very different • plants manufacture basics • protein, carbohydrate, sugar…. • framework with C, H, O • 14 essential soil elements • N, P, K - primary • Ca, Mg, S - secondary • B, Cl, Ni, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn – trace or micro • animals (we) eat basics

  18. Nutrient supply • clay main ‘nutrient storehouse’ • negative charge • attracts, holds positive ions • Ca ++, Mg ++, K +, NH4+ • easily displaced, exchanged • plant uptake • some leaching on sandy soils • negative ions remain in soil solution • NO3-, Cl-, SO4=

  19. Nutrients must be soluble plant root pore space soil solution Nutrient exchange between clay and soil solution

  20. Soil testing is the only preplant method of knowing nutrient need! • WHAT SOIL TESTING TELLS US • Crop N need • Plant available P and K • Crop P and K need • Soil organic matter • Soil pH and lime requirement • Other tests if requested

  21. A shovel is OK too, mix a small amount in a clean bucket

  22. Soil test • rapid chemical analysis • index of potential nutrient supply • deficiency • excess • sample to show ‘true’ variation • Composite • University of WI recommendations • Contact your local county UW-Extension Office for details

  23. Sampling soils • sample depth • established turf - 4 inches • new turf, gardens - 6 inches or tillage depth • raised beds - depth of bed • probe best, spade OK • combine 5 subsamples – composite

  24. Avoid unusual areas: backfill, wet spots, etc.

  25. Sampling soils • when • annual gardens, new turf • fall, spring before tillage • perennials, problems, established turf • anytime • suspected salt damage • very early spring • sample each area separately • repeat every 2-3 yrs

  26. Soil test report • potential for deficiency • which nutrient needed • how much to apply • fertilizer for nutrient need • lime, sulfur amendments for pH change • when to apply • when to STOP!

  27. Soil test results • excessively high • common for residential areas • not detrimental • adding more not beneficial • avoid balanced blends, most organics • low • buildto optimum • turf fertilizer blends

  28. Soil test results - pH • measure of acidity, alkalinity • scale 1 - 14, optimum 6 - 7+ • add lime only if recommended • incorporate 6 - 8 inches • add aluminum sulfate or ammonium sulfate or elemental sulfur to acidify

  29. Effect of soil pH on nutrient availability

  30. Optimum pH for garden plants pH range • sweet corn 6.0 • potato 5.4 – 6.0 • green bean 6.8 • tomato 6.0 • blueberry 5.5 • rhododendron 5.3

  31. Adjusting pH

  32. Soil test results - organic matter • 2 - 4% most soils • impractical and difficult to change • nutrient reservoir • used for calculating N and lime recommendations

  33. Soil test results - N • no direct measures on report • N rec from crop need, organic matter • promotes leaf growth • excess N • delays maturity • moves below root zone and may contaminate ground water

  34. Soil test results - P • stimulates root growth and flowering • shallow rooted greater need • optimum soil test P for gardens - onion 16 – 25 ppm - sweet corn 16 - 25 ppm - green bean 16 - 25 ppm - tomato 31 - 45 ppm - potato 161- 200 ppm

  35. Soil test results - K • promotes disease resistance, winter hardiness • root crops require most • optimum soil test K for gardens - carrot 101 -120 ppm - sweet corn 101 -120 ppm - green bean 101 -120 ppm - tomato 121 -180 ppm -potato 121 - 160 ppm

  36. Inorganic fertilizer • sold on a percent by weight basis • N + P2O5 + K2O • chemically simple • N in air plus natural gas • rock phosphate, potash mined, sized and cleaned very soluble salts easily blended must be careful with rates

  37. Inorganic fertilizer Nutrient Type N P2O5 K2O --------------% --------------- urea 46 0 0 ammonium nitrate 33 0 0 Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0 (24S) triple super P 0 46 0 ordinary super P 0 20 0 muriate of potash 0 0 60 potassium sulfate 0 0 50 di-ammonium phos. 18 46 0

  38. Organic fertilizer • chemically complex, contains C • naturally occurring • byproducts • microorganisms must degrade • slow release, rate ??? • improve structure with long-term use

  39. Organic fertilizer Nutrient Type N P2O5 K2O ---------------%---------------- blood meal 13.0 1.5 0.6 bone meal 2.2 27.0 0 seaweed 1.5 1.0 4.9 tree leaves 0.7 0.1 0.8 greensand 0 1.4 6.3 activated biosolid 6.0 3.0 0.2

  40. Organic fertilizer • may contain • unnecessary nutrients, compounds • nonessential elements • does not add nutrition, improve flavor, enhance food safety and quality • often more expensive per pound of nutrient

  41. Foliar sprays: fruits, sensitive ornamentals • trace, secondary elements • soil Fe, Mn ‘fixed’ at high soil pH • supply by spraying leaves • temporary ‘fix’, requires repeating • emergencies • no substitute for soil applied nutrients • leaf burn, expensive, extra work • most spray falls on soil

  42. Flower Garden Fertility(if no soil test results) • Flowers • Perennials 5-0-10 • 2 lbs/100 sq. ft. • Annuals 10-0-10 • 2 lbs/100 sq. ft.

  43. Fruit Tree Fertility • At Establishment • Soil Sample • Adjust, pH, P, and K according to soil test results • Established Trees • Use tissue testing to guide fertilizer application of P and K • Foliar sprays may be needed to adjust secondary/trace nutrients

  44. Fruit Tree Fertility • Fruit Trees • 1 oz of actual nitrogen per age of tree • Example • 3 year old tree needs 3 oz of N • To find how much N to add, divide amount by % N in fertilizer • If using Ammonium Sulfate as nitrogen source – • Ammonium sulfate is 21-0-0 (24 s) • Take 3 oz divide by 0.21 = 14 oz needed to supply 3 oz of nitrogen • Don not apply N after August 1

  45. Fruit Tree Fertility • Growth should be: • 12-20 inches on non bearing trees • 8-12 inches on bearing trees • Adjust +/- 25% of above or below normal growth

  46. Vegetable Garden Fertility • If not available use 25-5-5 or 30-3-3 • Higher K fertilizers (20-0-20) on perennial veggies and root crops • Rhubarb • Potato • Carrot

  47. Summary • Soil Test • Add Organic Matter • Compost • Add nutrients and lime according to recommendations • Physical and Biological Fertility

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