Content
- So you fertilize the vegetable garden in the fall
- Which mineral fertilizers are there and how they work
- phosphorus
- potassium
- magnesium
- calcium
- Tips
Until the end of October, the garden can be given mineral fertilizer
So you fertilize the vegetable garden in the fall
In the late autumn - from the middle to the end of October - the right time has come for mineral fertilizers such as lime, magnesium, potassium or phosphate fertilizer to be applied as needed. However, this is usually only necessary if a soil test indicates too low potassium or magnesium levels or pH values. In this case, preferably recommend slow-acting fertilizers such as Kalimagnesia (Patent Kali) and carbonate algae or dolomitic lime for sustainable improvement.
Which mineral fertilizers are there and how they work
Mineral fertilizers are sometimes under general suspicion of being "artificial fertilizer" or even "bad chemistry". This is not true, because most nutrients such as potassium or magnesium occur in nature mainly or only in mineral form, so as part of rocks before. This is how most raw materials for mineral fertilizers are mined in the mining industry. If they are only crushed (for example, ground), especially lime and potash fertilizers develop their effect only very slowly, but all the more sustainably. For this reason, such mineral fertilizers should be applied already in the fall, so that they can fully unfold their effects in the next season.
phosphorus
The fertilizer form of phosphorus is phosphate (P2O5). This nutrient is very important for flower and fruit formation as well as root growth and energy metabolism. Not only the development of fruits suffers from a deficiency (and thus the harvest!): The plants often remain small, appear strangely rigid and the leaves turn dark to dirty green, sometimes reddish. An excess of phosphorus, on the other hand, hinders the absorption of other nutrients, such as nitrogen, iron and zinc, and can seriously pollute bodies of water.
potassium
Potassium (K) is fertilized as potash salt. It plays a very important role in water balance and mass transport, strengthens the plant tissue and increases the resistance to cold and pests. In potassium deficiency, the leaf tips and edges brighten and then turn brown, starting at the older leaves. In addition, the leaves often roll in, the plants seem limp and withered. A potassium excess in the soil hinders the absorption of magnesium and calcium.
magnesium
Magnesium (Mg) is an important component of the leaf greens, promotes protein synthesis and other metabolic processes. In the case of a defect, the older leaves first turn yellow, later brownish; the leaf veins, however, remain green. An excess of magnesium in the soil is very rare. However, if it does occur, it can hinder calcium intake.
calcium
Calcium (Ca), the main component of lime, is important in the plant for water balance and various metabolic processes. A direct calcium deficiency (in which young leaves turn yellow and shoot tips tip) is quite rare. However, many gardeners know the final bloom of tomato and pepper fruits, in which the fruits at the top have an initially watery, later black-brown to gray spot. The same can happen with zucchini and pumpkins. The main cause of this is a poor supply of calcium - usually not because of a lack in the soil, but because an uneven water supply or excessive fertilization with other nutrients (especially with nitrogen) hinders the transport of calcium to the fruits. In addition, calcium, especially in the form of lime, is important for soil pH and soil structure.
Tips
Although trace nutrients such as boron, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum and zinc only require plants in small quantities, this is just as compelling as the main nutrients.