Mineral fertilizers - this is almost the entire table of Mendeleev, the substances that feed on plants and which have a more rapid and extensive positive effect in agriculture than organic. Let's consider the main types of mineral fertilizers and their characteristics.
Classification of mineral fertilizers
Conditionally, all mineral fertilizers can be divided into 2 large groups:
- simple;
- complex.
According to this classification, simple fertilizers have one component in the composition, complex fertilizers have two or more.
Depending on the main nutrient element, all mineral fertilizers are divided into:
1. Nitric - help to actively develop the terrestrial part of plants. All types of nitrogen fertilizers are readily soluble in water, introduced into the soil a month before the spring digging. They have 4 forms:
- nitrate (sodium and calcium nitrate);
- ammonium (ammonium sulfate);
- amide (urea);
- ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate).
2. Phosphoric - tangibly accelerate the beginning of flowering plants and tying fruit on them. They are made either in autumn or early spring during the digging process. The period of decomposition of such fertilizers is one and a half to two months, they are poorly soluble in water. The most popular types of phosphoric mineral fertilizers are the following:
- simple superphosphate;
- double superphosphate;
- phosphorite flour.
3. Potash - promote the growth of crop yields and increase their resistance to diseases, improve the taste of fruits and increase the shelf life. All potash fertilizers are perfectly soluble in water. They are rarely used in pure form, they are more often combined with nitrogen, phosphorus and some microelements. The most common fertilizers are based on potassium:
- potassium salt;
- potassium chloride;
- potassium sulphate.
Mineral fertilizers include multicomponent mixtures:
- ammophos;
- nitroammophoska;
- diammofosca;
- nitrophosphate .
Application of mineral fertilizers
The most important thing in this matter is the competent calculation of the application of a dose of mineral fertilizers. It must be produced taking into account the concentration of the active substance and recommendations for the introduction of substances for a particular plant.
In addition, in certain periods it is useful to use liquid mineral fertilizers for the implementation of foliar top dressing of plants. And some types of mineral fertilizers, for example, urea, are used in the form of a solution and for root top dressing, since nitrogen when dissolved in water is better fixed in the soil.