Fertilizing
Vegetable crops primarily need nitrogen; however, some Southern California soils are low in available phosphorus and a few are deficient in potassium. Fertilizers come in either organic forms (i.e. manures, composts) or inorganic chemical forms. Plants respond equally to organic or inorganic forms of fertilizer. Organic fertilizers usually provide a number of plant-essential mineral elements in low concentrations along with certain nonfertilizer compounds that aid in improving soil structure. Often, a combination of the two forms is desirable and gives better results than either one used alone. If you use manure, apply it several weeks or even months before planting and work it well into the soil, allowing adequate time for decomposition and some of the salts to leach from the soil before seeding or transplanting. One pound of a dry steer or dairy manure per square foot of soil surface is usually sufficient. If you use the more concentrated poultry manure, apply it more sparingly (one pound to four or five square feet). Also, apply commercial nitrogen fertilizer to aid decomposition and avoid tying up soil nitrogen if you use manure that contains litter (straw, shavings, sawdust, or similar materials). Chemical fertilizers are available in a wide variety of compounds and concentrations. If you amend with manure or other organic materials, only inorganic nitrogen fertilizer will be needed. The most common and probably least expensive nitrogen fertilizer suitable for home garden use is ammonium sulfate. Check with your nursery for other suitable materials. Limit application of these materials to 1/2 to1 pound per 100 square feet of soil. If you do not amend with manure or other organic matter, it is usually wise to apply fertilizer that contains both nitrogen and phosphorus before planting, such as ammonium phosphate (16-20-0 or11-48-0). Commonly used inorganic fertilizers containing potassium include 5-10-5,5-10-10, 8-16-16, and 12-12-12. Apply one to two pounds per 100 square feet. Apply fertilizer before or at the time seeds or plants are planted and again when seedlings or plants have grown three or four inches. If no manure is applied, additional applications of nitrogen are often needed for crops growing longer than four months. Apply fertilizer by broadcasting it or by applying it to a narrow band buried alongside the plant
or seed row. If broadcasting, work it into the soil immediately and water the area well. If banned normal watering will dissolve the fertilizer toward the seed or plant row. Plants require a balanced diet for healthy growth
The three
most important nutrients in fertilizers are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and
Potassium
(K):
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