NEWARK, Del. Many plants
don’t reach their full potential in
the home garden because they’re
not fertilized properly. The kind of
fertilizer, amount, method and
time of application are all im
portant, says University of
Delaware Extension horticulturist
Charles Dunham.
There are at least five ways to
fertilize a plant; broadcast during
bed preparation; banded next to
seeds or plants at planting;
sidedressed next to growing
plants; applied in soluble form
with water; and sprayed directly
on the leaves in dilute form.
Many garden plants are ready
now for supplemental feedings,
says the specialist. At this time of
year, sidedressing, liquid feeding
and foliar feeding are the methods
to employ. You can sidedress
whether plants are growing in
rows or singly.
For flowers and vegetables
sidedress with either 5-10-5, 5-10-10,
10-10-10 or 10-64 fertilizer. Use the
higher (10 percent) nitrogen
formulations to stimulate leafy
growth. Use the 6-10-5 or 5-10-10 as
all-purpose sources.
To sidedress, place fertilizer in a
Fertilize plants properly
narrow band three to six inches to
the side of plants and work it in
lightly with a hoe. (Three inches
away for small plants, six inches
away from the base of larger
ones.) Use two to three pounds of
each 50 feet of row.
For single plants, scatter the
fertilizer in a circle around each
one, using one'to four ounces per
plant (about a handful). Larger
plants will have a larger circle and
thus will need a bit more fertilizer.
MDA’s Jack Frey wants to talk to you
ANNAPOLIS, Md. Are you a
small-acreage grower of fruits and
vegetables who would like to ex
pand your production? Are you a
farmer who has thought of adding
some trait and vegetable acreage
to diversify vour operations? But
maybe you have shied away from
doing it because of marketing
problems?
If so, Maryland Department of
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16” Ball Bearing
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For very easy handling
We Also Manufacture Swivel Casters for
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IRVIN J. PEACHEY
Star Route, Box 35
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“Liquid feeding is an excellent
supplemental source of fertilizer
for summer feeding, says
Dunham. “The response is quick
and there’s little danger of plant
injury if you mix the solution ac
cording to directions.”
Soluble fertilizers are best for
this purpose. They’re often quite
concentrated (20-20-20) so rates of
only one to three teaspoons per
gallon are used. Apply at the rate
Agriculture Marketing Division’s
Jack Frey wants to come around to
talk to you about the future of
expanded fruit and vegetable
production for fresh market sale in
the state.
Frey is presently engaged in a
study of production, expansion
potential and, most important,
improved marketing methods, for
fruits and vegetables. He is basing
SILAGE AND FEED CARTS
28" wide, 60” long,
35” high, capacity
MANY OTHER SIZES AVAILABLE
FARM BUREAU
115 Washington Ave.
Souderton, PA 18964
PH: (215)273-4355
ROBERT GUTSNAU
RD1212 Womelsdorl,
PA 19567
PH: (717) 933-4516
CHESTER INGRAM
HublersburgßD2
Bellefonte, PA 16823
PH: (814) 383-2798
d, fruit and vegetable growers
600 lbs.
Choice of 10”
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pneumatic wheels
FARM BUREAU
Mill Street
Dublin, PA 18917
deliveries
available
of one pint per square foot.
Foliar feeding is another ex
cellent method for supplemental
feeding. This technique also
requires a soluble fertilizer. Many
formulations for foliar feeding
contain micronutrients as well as
major elements.
' The amount of fertilizer used in
foliar feeding is often similar to the
concentration for liquid feeding,
though foliar solutions can be
much of the foundation of the study
on interviews with growers and
would-be growers and, thus, wants
to know who you are.
At this points, it appears the key
element in increased production of
fruits and vegetables and updated
marketing of them is the creation
of centrally located, precon
ditioning center fo the produce
Frey observed. ’
A preconditioning center is a
facility where produce is received,
graded, washed, pre-cooled,
packed and shipped out in large
lots.
* Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 11,1981—CIS
slightly more concentrated. It's
best to follow label recom
mendations.
Plants can absorb only a small
part of their nutrient requirements
through their leaves so foliar
feeding is always a supplemental
practice. Since these fertilizers
can be added to sprays for insects
and diseases, they provide an
extra growth stimulus without any
extra work on your part.
If you’d like to talk over future
fruit and vegetable plans and
marketing assistance, call Frey to
set up a visit. During working
hours, call 301/269-2181. At night,
call (Eastern Shore 301/822-7852)
or (WestemShore 301/923-2422).
4