How to classify and fertilize vegetables
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Leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach, and leeks, require a balanced approach to fertilization. While nitrogen-based fertilizers are essential for their growth, it's equally important to supplement with phosphorus and potassium during the growing period. A lack of nitrogen throughout the entire growth cycle can result in stunted plants with rough tissues, especially in spring-grown leafy vegetables, which may also experience premature bolting. In the later stages, insufficient phosphorus and potassium can hinder the formation of compact heads or leaves, affecting both yield and quality.
Fruit vegetables, including melons, eggplants, and legumes, have their edible parts in the reproductive organs. During the seedling stage, these crops benefit from nitrogen-rich fertilizers, but excessive use can lead to weak, leggy growth and delay flowering, resulting in flower or fruit drop. As they enter the reproductive phase, the need for phosphorus increases while nitrogen should be slightly reduced. Proper balance between phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen is crucial to ensure healthy fruit development and high yields.
Root vegetables like radishes and carrots rely on fleshy roots for their edible portion. In the early growth stage, nitrogen helps promote leaf development. However, during the middle and late stages—when the roots begin to swell—more potassium should be applied, and nitrogen levels should be carefully controlled. This ensures that the nutrients produced in the leaves are efficiently transported to the roots, leading to larger, healthier fleshy roots. If nitrogen is applied too late or potassium is lacking, the above-ground growth may become excessive, while the root size decreases, reducing both yield and quality.
In greenhouse vegetable cultivation, it's highly recommended to use organic fertilizers. Greenhouse vegetables typically receive higher fertilizer inputs per unit area than those grown outdoors, and without rainfall to leach away excess nutrients, much of the fertilizer remains in the soil. This can lead to high soil salt concentrations, which can inhibit root nutrient uptake. Therefore, when growing vegetables in greenhouses, it's important to account for residual effects from previous crops. Using more organic fertilizers and fewer chemical ones helps prevent salt buildup, protecting the health of future crops and maintaining long-term soil fertility.