Types of nitrogen fertilizers for cucumbers: rules and timing of application

Cucumbers

Nitrogen is one of three macronutrients essential for normal cucumber metabolism. This chemical compound is responsible for vegetation and the growth of green mass. Nitrogen deficiency, which has several causes, can cause severe plant disease. To enrich the chemical composition of the soil, nitrogen fertilizers are used, each type of which has its own rules of application.

Why do cucumbers need nitrogen fertilizers?

Nitrogen (N) is responsible for the growth and development of flora, but it is quickly lost by crops, especially under intensive cultivation. As a result, the soil is depleted every year. However, the use of nitrogen fertilizers helps maintain and even increase the fertile soil layer, without which a bountiful cucumber harvest is unachievable.

The role of nitrogen in growing vegetables

Nitrogen is a component found in almost all parts of plant cell cytoplasm, including its proteins, chlorophyll, most vitamins, nucleic acids, and enzymes. Key physiological processes in cucumbers occur only with the participation of this chemical compound. It is responsible for overall nutrition. Young plants especially need this element during the period of active stem and leaf growth. Nitrogen's role in cucumber development is also due to the fact that it has a greater impact on the quality and quantity of the harvest than phosphorus and potassium.

Why is its deficiency dangerous?

Plants obtain all the necessary macro- and micronutrients from the soil for their development. However, after each season in which farmers grow various crops without replenishing the soil's nutrient reserves, the soil's chemical composition deteriorates. Plants deficient in nitrogen slow down their growth. Stems and leaves become thin, limp, and quickly turn yellow. Fruit buds develop sparingly and fall off before fully ripening. Ultimately, the plants die without realizing their genetic potential.

Signs of nitrogen deficiency and excess in the soil with photos

Cucumbers are demanding of the soil's chemical composition. If nitrogen is insufficient, vegetable crops quickly react. The main signs that indicate a lack of this macronutrient in the area or that it is poorly absorbed by the roots of the plants are:

discoloration of leaves and fruits - they become light green;
formation of beak-like shoots on the tops of cucumbers;
yellowing of leaf blades in the lower part;
cessation of development of stepsons, the shoots stop developing.

If you notice any of these symptoms, apply a small amount of nitrogen-containing mineral or organic fertilizer to the plant and observe its response. Frequent applications can be harmful, as excess nitrogen promotes disease. Soils high in nitrogen promote fungal growth. Excessive nitrogen concentrations also cause potassium deficiency. A deficiency of potassium (K) negatively impacts fruit quality.

For your information!

With a high concentration of nitrogen in the soil at the initial stages of crop development, active growth of green mass occurs at the expense of flowering and fruit formation.

Characteristics and types of nutritional compositions

Nitrogen fertilizers are supplements containing the chemical compound of the same name. They come in two forms: mineral and organic. The best results are achieved by using a combination of different fertilizers. The most suitable fertilizer is determined based on the cucumber's growth stage. Furthermore, nitrogen-containing fertilizers come in different forms: granules, powder, and liquid.

Organics

Natural fertilizers require preliminary, and sometimes lengthy, preparation before application. However, due to the organic compounds they contain, overdosing is less likely than with mineral fertilizers, which are concentrated nutrient mixtures. This type is less expensive, and if desired and the ingredients are readily available, it can be prepared at home.

Manure

Due to the high concentration of urea in the product, it should not be applied fresh. This can burn the plant's root system. Cucumber bushes are fed at the roots by mixing a mullein infusion with water in a ratio of 1:10. Also, to improve the humus layer, sprinkle the well-rotted (at least one year old) humus improver around the perimeter of the tree trunk.

Bird droppings

Before adding this type of organic matter, prepare an infusion. The droppings must ferment. The mixture is left for several days, stirring regularly. Initially, the organic matter is diluted in water at a ratio of 1:10. After two weeks of development (with direct sowing), young plants are fed with an even less concentrated preparation: the infusion is diluted at a ratio of 1:5.

Peat

A good fertilizer for cucumber plants, applied during fall soil preparation, is available at any gardening store. During the growing season, peat is also used as a mulch, which also acts as a fertilizer. However, if the soil is slightly acidic, use it with caution to avoid over-acidifying the soil.

Silt

Organic matter extracted from the bottom of reservoirs is rich in various minerals, including nitrogen. This natural remedy is primarily used to improve the fertility of sandy soils. The silt is spread in a thin layer and dried in the sun for 2-3 days. The resulting mixture is then applied to the tree trunk circle. The thickness should not exceed 1.5 cm.

Compost

An effective cucumber fertilizer can easily be prepared from plant residues in a compost heap or pit. Add the fertilizer to the planting holes, mixing it with the soil to prevent the nitrogen released from the decaying material from burning the roots. It's best to add compost in the fall: it's an excellent loosening agent and provides oxygen to the roots of cucumber plants.

For your information!

Every three years, it's recommended to sow green manure in the cucumber plot as a green fertilizer. During fall tillage, simply incorporate it into the soil during digging.

Mineral fertilizers

Agrochemicals are divided into three groups: ammonia, nitrate, and amide. Ammonia-based fertilizers are applied during fall and spring soil preparation, after the crop has been harvested or has not yet been sown. Nitrate fertilizers, such as ammonium nitrate, are used as fertilizer during the growing season. Amide fertilizers (urea) increase the pH, which cucumbers need to remain neutral. Fertilizers in this group are used at various stages of vegetable cultivation, but with caution.

Urea

The product, which contains 47% nitrogen, is used in both solid and liquid form. In the solid form, the granules are incorporated into the soil, as the beneficial gas evaporates upon exposure to air. The liquid solution (1:10) is applied foliar to plants to quickly reverse signs of nitrogen deficiency and restore normal crop growth.

Calcium nitrate and nitrate

These alkaline compounds are added to highly acidic soils, as nitrogen compounds are readily absorbed. The N content of the agrochemical is 15%. Calcium nitrate is highly hygroscopic. It is beneficial to apply the fertilizer during planting or sowing, as it stimulates shoot growth. During intensive growing seasons, it is used as a supplement to plants if wilting fruit and drooping leaves are observed.

Ammonium sulfate

A water-soluble mineral fertilizer. Its active ingredients are sulfur and nitrogen, each containing 20% of each. Due to the acidifying effect of ammonium sulfate, chalk may need to be added as a neutralizer when applied to cucumber beds. The ratio is 1:1. Before applying the fertilizer, thoroughly moisten the soil.

Ammonium nitrate

The agrochemical is available commercially in powder or granular form. It is highly water-soluble. Nitrate can be used at various stages of the growing season. The application rate depends on the application method:

the solution is applied as a fertilizing irrigation, after dissolving 60 g of powder in 10 liters of water;
The granules are placed in the furrows at a rate of 5 g per area of 1 m.

When and how to apply fertilizers correctly

Since nitrogen stimulates the growth of green mass in cucumbers, nutrient mixtures containing it are initially added during autumn soil preparation for vegetables. Organic matter (humus, compost) is typically used. At this time, small amounts of manure can be added to remove ammonia over the winter and kill any infections or pests. The second feeding is carried out two weeks after germination when direct sowing.

For your information!

When cultivating cucumbers using seedlings, nitrogen fertilization is carried out 10 days after planting the seedlings in the beds.

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During the flowering period

Nitrogen fertilizers for cucumbers, both indoors and outdoors, are effective before inflorescence formation, as they stimulate vegetative growth. However, once the crop enters the flowering phase, nitrogen fertilization should not be completely abandoned. During this time, the plants are watered with a nutrient mixture of 15 g of urea and the same amount of double superphosphate per 10 liters of water.

In the fruiting phase

During harvest, nitrogen is not applied, as excess nitrogen can interfere with potassium absorption. A deficiency shortens the fruiting process, causing the fruits to fail to ripen and develop a hooked shape. The exception is nitrogen deficiency. In this case, plants are fed foliarly with a complete nitroammophoska solution. A working solution is prepared by mixing 30 g of the solution per 10 liters of water.

Features of fertilizing cucumbers with nitrogen

For the full development of vegetable crops, all macronutrients are essential, including nitrogen. However, the choice of the specific type and method of application of this chemical compound is influenced not only by the crop's development stage but also by growing conditions. In greenhouses, complete mineral fertilizers are preferred, while organic compounds are effective in open beds.

In a greenhouse

In protected soil, the beds are enriched with nitrogen 14 days before planting seedlings or sowing seeds. Dissolve 15 g of urea, 30 g of superphosphate, and 20 g of potassium sulfate in 10 liters of water. This volume of working solution is sufficient for 1 m². To save time preparing the fertilizer mixture, prepare a barrel in advance. Repeat the feeding two weeks after the seeds have sprouted.

In open ground

In the garden, cucumber plants require more moisture. At the beginning of their development, watering with plain water is alternated with nutrient-rich nitrogen mixtures, such as solutions of bird droppings or mullein. These are prepared from a concentrated infusion diluted with water at a ratio of 1:10. If nitrogen deficiency is present, foliar feeding with ammonium nitrate is recommended in the morning.

What are the dangers of overdosing on fertilizer?

Despite the beneficial effects of nitrogen, its presence in the soil should not be excessive. High concentrations or frequent application of nitrogen-containing fertilizers also have a negative impact. In the former case, there is a high risk of burning the cucumbers' root system. And with intensive application of nitrogen, flowering, much less fruiting and harvest, may not occur.

For your information!

Overdosing on nitrogen-containing agrochemicals with an acidifying effect can lead to an increase in soil pH and the death of plantings.

Reviews

Irina, 56 years old:

"I grow cucumbers in my garden every year. I try to add nitrogen when preparing the beds in the fall, since I use organic matter. I had a bitter experience early on when I added partially rotted manure in the spring before sowing. As a result, I didn't see a single sprout. The mole cricket, which was in the manure, ate all the seeds."

Oleg, 62 years old:

"I've been growing vegetables for many years now. I haven't encountered any problems. However, I don't neglect to improve the topsoil, recognizing that the soil becomes very depleted without fertilizer. Every fall, I add compost to the soil under the soil, and when planting, I add 5-10 grams of ammonium nitrate to the holes. During flowering and fruiting, I prefer to use complex agrochemicals that include nitrogen. I haven't noticed any signs of excess nitrogen."

To grow healthy plants and obtain a bountiful harvest, the soil must contain not only phosphorus and potassium, but also nitrogen. Nitrogen fertilizers help replenish depleted soil layers in a timely manner, and their beneficial effects are only achieved when used correctly.