—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 5,1979 110 Fertilizing a garden takes more than a guess NEWARK, Del. - Many home gardeners mistakenly overfertilize their flower and vegetable plants, unaware that nutrients like potassium and phosphorus tend to accumulate in the soil and can reach levels which in terfere with healthy growth. What appears like only a small amount of fertilizer when you spread it over a few square yards is actually a rather high rate especially considering the high nutrient concentration of today’s fertilizers. In most cases, says University of Delaware Extension soil specialist Leo Cotnoir, when a complete fertilizer has been used for several years, the potassium and phosphorus are at good levels and all you need to grow a good crop is some added nitrogen. This should be applied at the rate of three pounds actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet of ground. This can be provided, by using either 10 pounds of am monium nitrate or 7 1/2 pounds of urea per 1000 square feet. These materials are available at most garden centers, as well as farm supply stores. For ease of application figure on putting down one cup of ammonium nitrate per 100 square feet or 3/4 cup urea over the same area at planting time. Then apply an equal amount divided over three subsequent ap plications-the first when plants are vigorously growing (sweet corn and tomatoes will be about a foot high); a second and third application at two to three week intervals following this. Each of these later ap plications will amount to about ? heaping tablespoons of ammonium nitrate or three level tablespoons of urea per 10 feet of rows spaced two feet apart. In crease the dosage slightly if rows are further apart; decrease it if they are closer. For individual plants, such as tomatoes, small shrubs, etc., or for small flower beds these supplementary ap plications should be either 2 heaping tablespoons of ammonium nitrate or 2 level tablespoons of urea per plant or per square yard. Work the fertilizer in around the plants. This is especially important when using urea. Should you prefer to supply the nitrogen needs of your garden with animal manure, this may be applied at a rate of up to 500 pounds per 1000 square feet, depending on the condition of the material. Nitrogen from a source like cow manure will have a residual benefit for two or three years following application. Unless the manure is well-rotted, be careful about using it around growing plants. On the subject of special fertilizers such as bonemeal, Cotnoir isn’t very en thusiastic. He feels this material is somewhat overrated and says super phosphate will do just as good a job at a much lower cost. And, of course, if your soil already tests high in phosphorus, there’s no reason for using this material anyway. High-acid fertilizers designed for use around holly, rhododendron and azalea plants may also give you more of a good thing than you need. In this case, they may make the soil too acid. If your pH is already satisfactory, you could be better off just using a simple nitrogen source-but no lime, of course. Except where special plant needs require an acid soil, home gardeners may also need to Ume their soil, if Sate! BURCH EGG COOLERS SEE US FOR SPECIAL PRICES, NOW! BURCH COOLER DOORS • Burch Egg Room Doors • Burch Loading Chute Doors • Right or Left Hand Doors • Sizes Available on Request Modern Poultry Supplies, Inc. mn the pH level is too low. The be the amount needed, bi only way to find this out is to very acid soils as muc have your soil tested. If lime „„„ , „ , is called for, 50 pounds per 200 pounds can sometime 1000 square feet will usually required. HESS’ BUTCHER SHOP 2635 Willow Street Pike Willow Street, PA CUSTOM BUTCHERING Beef cut, wrapped and frozen, j Dried beef and bologna. j WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN U.S.O.A GRADED SIDES AND QUARTERS FOR HOME FREEZER Also Custom Butchering For Pori • Pudding ® Scrapple • Sausage Call 717-464-3374 INVENTORY REDUCTION BUY NOW AND SAVE 25% PROTECT QUALITY TECT PROFITS •3,000 to 50,000 BID Office & Warehouse (Pickup) 1907-A Olde Homestead Lane Lancaster, Pa. 17601 717-299-0828 or 717-397-5850 OFF! • Maintains Proper Egg Room T emperatures • Maintains High Humidity to Safeguard Quality • Cools Eggs Quickly-Hold: Them at Proper Temperature • Rugged, Compact Unit. Easy to Install and Maintain. • Provides increased Ai Movement even in extreme Temperatures. •efrosting Required l Designee /iinimum Maintenance ;ure Range, 50 Degrees F. and
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