How to properly use calcium nitrate to fertilize peppers

Proper care, including regular fertilizing, is the key to a bountiful and delicious harvest. Calcium nitrate is used as a nitrogen-containing fertilizer for peppers, which makes the plants strong and resilient. To achieve the best results and avoid harming vegetable crops when applying fertilizer, consider the specifics and rules of application.

Why do you need calcium nitrate for pepper?

This heat-loving vegetable crop requires constant attention from the farmer. It is sensitive to soil conditions: if the soil is poor, the plants become diseased and produce a meager harvest. Mineral fertilizers help the vegetable crop form fruit. They thicken the walls and make the flesh juicier. Applying calcium nitrate to peppers allows the plants to fully realize their reproductive potential, and gardeners to harvest high-quality, viable seeds.

The fertilizer contains nitrogen (13%) and calcium (19%). This combination does not increase soil acidity, which distinguishes this fertilizer from other nitrogen-containing agrochemicals. Beneficial properties of fertilizer for vegetable crops:

• facilitates the absorption of nitrogen from the soil, accelerates the growth of green mass;
• strengthens shoots;
• promotes abundant flowering and fruiting, increasing the number of ovaries and the speed of their formation;
• increases tolerance to pathogenic organisms and pests, as well as taste and commercial qualities.

How to make calcium nitrate yourself

Nutrient deficiencies can be seen in peppers. During the active growth period, weak shoots, yellowing, and leaf drop are signs of nitrogen deficiency. Small apical buds that fall off or stop growing, blossom-end rot, leaf spots, and curling indicate a calcium deficiency. In this situation, it's necessary to fertilize the peppers with calcium nitrate.

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Making your own fertilizer is easy. Just make sure you have the necessary ingredients: 300 g of ammonium nitrate, half that amount of slaked lime, and ½ liter of water. Before starting, wear a respirator to protect yourself. The main steps are:

1. Place a 3-liter aluminum pan on the fire.
2. Add saltpeter and water, bring the contents to a boil.
3. Slaked lime is added in portions.
4. After boiling for a short time, during which the smell of ammonia should disappear, remove the dishes from the stove.
5. The lime reacts and begins to form a dark-colored precipitate, after which the remaining solution (calcium nitrate) is poured into a separate container and sent for storage.

How to apply calcium nitrate

During normal development of vegetables, plantings they feed a nutrient solution prepared from 20 g of the preparation and 10 liters of water. The working solution is sufficient for an area of ​​1-1.5 m²The optimal application method is foliar application. This fertilizer, which has immune-boosting properties, demonstrates excellent results against blossom-end rot.

If pathogens develop, spray the bushes with a 0.2% solution. The application rate is 1 liter of working solution per plant. In the fall, applying calcium nitrite-based fertilizer is not advisable. Nitrogen is washed out over the winter. And calcium is useless without this chemical. However, in the spring, the soil is fertilized with an agrochemical before planting, which is done during tillage.

Feeding schedules and timing

Using calcium nitrate requires following certain guidelines, as both excess nitrogen and deficiency negatively impact peppers. Soil composition, density, and the crop's development stage influence the fertilization schedule and timing. While the plant requires a high level of nitrogen during the active growth period, when shoots are forming, it requires more phosphorus and potassium, which are essential for harvest, during the budding and fruiting stages.

In the seedling phase after picking

At the initial stage, seedlings need nitrogen to gain strength and become stronger. After planting in individual containers, pepper seedlings are watered with a calcium nitrate solution to minimize stress and promote root development. To speed up metabolism, which also has a beneficial effect on the vegetable's rapid adaptation, superphosphate or wood ash, rich in phosphorus. To ensure successful transplantation to a permanent location, repeat the nutrient solution application.

After planting in the ground or greenhouse

Prepare the beds for pepper transplanting 10 days in advance by watering the holes with a solution made from 10 liters of water, 15 g of calcium nitrate, and twice as much superphosphate. Fourteen days after planting, the peppers can be fertilized with a similar solution or replaced with a more complex one consisting of 5 g of ammonium nitrate and 20 g of potassium sulfate. To ensure accurate determination of the required nutrients, the condition of the plants should be monitored regularly.

During the flowering period

An abundance of buds doesn't always indicate a large fruit set, as weakened plants may drop flowers. Fertilizing at this time ensures the formation of small fruits and the formation of a future harvest. Nitrogen is reduced. Foliar spraying is done with a working solution based on 5 liters of water, diluted with 1 g each of boric acid, magnesium sulfate, and 5 g of superphosphate.

During harvest time, for rapid ripening of fruits

During this phase, plants need potassium. It promotes fruit growth, sugar accumulation, and makes them larger and juicier. Foliar feeding with potassium nitrate is effective for peppers grown outdoors. Phosphorus ensures long-term storage of the fruit, and it is included in the fertilizer. The ratio is 5 g of potassium nitrate and superphosphate per 10 liters of water. Spray the plants 10-14 days before harvesting. Before harvesting, it is recommended to spray the plants with clean water to wash away any residual chemicals (if there has been no precipitation).

Helpful tips

Both new gardeners and experienced farmers face challenges when growing peppers. Tips and general recommendations will help you avoid mistakes and grow healthy plants. After all, only strong plants are capable of blooming profusely, setting fruit vigorously, and producing a high-quality, well-shaped harvest.

How to avoid phosphorus and potassium deficiency

Since nitrogen alone cannot ensure normal metabolism, the plant must receive all the necessary elements during the growing season. Phosphorus and potassium are responsible for the formation of inflorescences and ovaries, as well as fruit set. A deficiency of the former is indicated by a purple tint to the leaves. During the seedling stage, seedlings are fed with superphosphate, a simple form of which contains up to 20% of the essential chemical element. If shoots begin to take on a reddish tint, this indicates a potassium deficiency. Immediately after signs of deficiency are detected, apply "Kalimagnesia."

Determination of nitrogen and magnesium deficiency

Nitrogen deficiency is immediately noticeable: few fruits are produced, foliage darkens and wrinkles, and prolonged starvation can lead to plant death. A magnesium deficiency, which is essential for normal plant development, is indicated by yellowing and curling leaves. To avoid these unpleasant symptoms, nitrogen in the form of calcium nitrate is applied during pre-planting soil cultivation.

It is important to adhere to the timing and dosage, since excess is also harmful to peppers: the growing season (before ripening) increases, and the fruiting period is shortened, making the vegetable crop vulnerable to diseases.

General recommendations

The positive effect of fertilizing occurs only if the rules are followed. The main conditions for using calcium nitrate:

• absence of chlorine in the working solution;
• strictly following the directions for use and dosage;
• correct combination;
• Use the product with caution - contact of high concentrations of nitrogen with foliage can cause burns.

Compatibility with other drugs

Calcium nitrate helps plants grow strong, capable of setting fruit, and provides them with all the necessary nutrients for full ripening. Early feeding increases peppers' resistance to aggressive microflora, making the plants less susceptible to weather conditions. However, only a balanced diet can help them realize their original potential.

To achieve excellent results, this mineral fertilizer is mixed with superphosphate, potassium sulfate, and boric acid when preparing the working solution. However, there are some products that should not be combined with calcium nitrate. Farmers and experienced agronomists avoid using it in a tank mix with other nitrogen fertilizers, as this increases the risk of nitrogen overdose.

Precautionary measures

This mineral agrochemical is classified as hazard class 3. When working with it, safety precautions must be observed, which include:

• protecting hands with gloves;
• use of a mask that prevents substances from coming into contact with mucous membranes;
• Prevent children from playing with granules or calcium nitrate solution.

Store mineral fertilizer in a sealed bag for no more than six months after opening. The container must be hermetically sealed, as the granules quickly absorb moisture from the air. Keep children and animals away from the storage area. When fertilizing peppers and other crops, strictly follow the specified dosages; do not prepare the solution "by eye."

The quality and quantity of pepper harvests directly depend on fertilizer. Calcium nitrate helps shorten the growing season and extend the fruiting phase, during which growers harvest juicy and tasty fruits.