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No matter how fertile the soil is, but over time, with constant use and without fertilization, it is still depleted. This negatively affects the yield. Therefore, sooner or later you will have to do top dressing. Urea is a fertilizer with a high content of nitrogen, which is necessary for plants for growth and development. The rules of use for different garden and garden crops will be discussed in the article.
Description and characteristics
This fertilizer is known to gardeners by two names – urea or urea.
Appearance
It is produced by any manufacturer in the form of round granules, the size of which varies between 1-4 mm. They are light, white or transparent, odorless.
physical properties
- Affects plants in dry and dissolved form.
- They dissolve well in water or soil after watering. The percentage of solubility depends on the temperature of the water and the environment.
- In addition to water, urea can be dissolved in methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and other media.
- Forms compounds with organic and inorganic substances.
- The granules do not cake and stick together during storage, do not lose their properties.
Composition
Urea fertilizer is a complex chemical compound in composition. This is a product of protein metabolism with a high concentration of nitrogen, the only mineral fertilizer in the world with such indicators.
Specialists often refer to carbamide as carbonic acid diamide. This chemical compound is synthesized from organic substances, has its own formula: (NH2)2CO. In urea, about half of the composition falls directly on nitrogen.
Carbamide is an excellent option for root and foliar feeding of garden and vegetable garden plants.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any chemical compound, urea has its pros and cons. The advantages include the following:
- ease of assimilation by plants in the shortest possible time;
- suitable for foliar top dressing, because with the right dosage it does not burn the green mass;
- can be used on any soil.
- on irrigated areas, the result of assimilation is increased.
If we talk about the shortcomings, then this:
- with increased acidity of the soil, you need to add dolomite flour or other organic fertilizers to increase the effect;
- deviation of the dosage in a big direction leads to a decrease in seed germination;
- Urea is hygroscopic, so a dry place should be used for storage.
Instructions
Urea is a special type of top dressing to which plants respond instantly. Transformations occur very quickly due to the fact that the bacteria in the soil process nitrogen, release ammonium carbonate. Since it is a gas, it decomposes in air in a matter of minutes. To make the process slower, and urea to give the desired effect, it must be applied to a certain depth.
If we talk about urea as a fertilizer, then its use in the garden and in the garden is possible both in open and protected ground.
When using nitrogen fertilizer, you should carefully read the instructions for use on the package. It details the norms that apply to garden and horticultural crops at different stages of growing plants.
Urea is added:
- As the main fertilizer before sowing with a 4 cm incorporation to retain ammonia in the soil.
- As top dressing when planting plants. In this case, a layer of soil must be laid between the root system and the fertilizer so that there is no burn. As a concomitant top dressing, potash fertilizers are added.
- To increase the nutritional value of the soil during the growing season.
- As foliar top dressing for spraying of plants. Work is carried out early in the morning or late in the evening.
Urea in dry form, as indicated in the instructions, it is desirable to make two weeks before planting. The fact is that the granules contain buaret. With a high content of this substance, if it does not have time to decompose, the plants feel oppressed.
Rules for the use of urea:
Definition of nitrogen deficiency
The application of any fertilizer, including urea, should not be spontaneous. Fertilize plants when they really need it. After all, an excess of minerals in the soil is much more dangerous than their lack. Therefore, plants are fed in strictly limited quantities. It is impossible to fertilize the soil, as they say, in reserve, under any circumstances.
Extra fertilizing with carbamide can be carried out if the plants give peculiar signals.
You can determine the lack of nitrogen by the following signs:
- Garden or garden crops grow very slowly, begin to suffer due to weakened immunity from diseases and pests.
- Shrubs and trees are distinguished by short and weak shoots.
- Leaf blades become smaller, change color, become pale green, yellowness appears on them, which can provoke early leaf fall. This is a sign of a violation of photosynthesis.
- Problems arise with flower buds. They are either weak and lag behind in development, or are formed in small numbers, and even fall off. This leads to a decrease in fruiting and a sharp decrease in yield.
With obvious signs of a lack of nitrogen, plants are fed with a solution of carbamide as needed at any time during the growing season. So that the soil does not acidify (and urea has such a feature), an equal amount of lime or dolomite flour is added to 400 grams of nitrogen fertilizer.
The benefits of urea
Unfortunately, not every gardener knows what kind of fertilizer is urea, so it is not in the arsenal. But it is this nitrogen fertilization that is very important for ensuring the normal functioning of horticultural and horticultural crops. It is ammonia, or otherwise ammonium carbonate, that has a beneficial effect on the development of plants at all stages of the growing season:
- cells begin to divide faster, therefore, growth increases;
- in the presence of the required amount of nitrogen, the inhibition of plants stops, they become stronger;
- according to gardeners and gardeners, strengthening immunity helps fight diseases and pests.
Feature of application
The use of urea in the garden and in the garden is possible at different periods of plant development in precisely calculated dosages. It should be understood that violating the instructions will only harm the landings.
Vegetative period
Consider the recommendations in relation to individual cultures:
- For cabbage, beets, onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and potatoes, 19-23 grams per square meter is enough.
- The need for cucumbers and peas is from 6 to 9 grams.
- Squash, eggplant, zucchini need 10-12 grams. Top dressing should be done no more than two times. The first time when planting seeds or seedlings, the second – in the fruiting phase.
- Under strawberries and strawberries, carbamide is applied during the preparation of the beds. Then, at the stage of budding and setting berries, the plants must be sprayed with a solution: 10 grams of nitrogen fertilizer are added to two liters of water. In order for the plants to bear fruit well next season, before sheltering for the winter, strawberries and strawberries need to be fed with a concentrated solution of urea: 10 grams of nitrogen-containing substance is dissolved in 30 liters of water.
- For grain crops, the consumption rate per hundred square meters is 300 grams. Urea is scattered dry.
- Mineral fertilizer is used strictly according to the instructions for foliar top dressing and plant protection. The solution requires 9-15 grams of urea per ten-liter bucket.
Preplant dressing
Before planting, the soil is fertilized with dry granules: for each square meter from 5 to 11 grams of urea. Then they dig up the earth to mix top dressing. As a rule, such work is carried out in the fall, adding 60% of the granules, based on the total need. The rest of the urea is added in the spring a few days before sowing.
Rules for obtaining a solution
The use of urea in the garden requires a special approach. As a rule, trees and shrubs are watered with concentrated solutions and less often with dry matter:
- under adult fruit-bearing apple trees, 10 grams of urea are taken per 200 liters of water;
- plum, chokeberry, shadberry and cherry require a less concentrated solution: 120 grams is enough for a ten-liter bucket.
There is not always a measuring spoon at hand to collect the right amount of mineral fertilizer. In this case, you can use improvised containers:
- a tablespoon contains 10 grams;
- a matchbox can measure 13 grams;
- 200 grams of urea is placed in a glass with a capacity of 130 g.
Features of storage
The packaging indicates that urea or carbamide is stored for no more than six months. But if you create the appropriate conditions, then unlimited time. If the fertilizer has not been used completely, then the bag must be closed tightly or transferred to a plastic container and tightly closed with a lid. Moisture should not get into the room, since urea is hygroscopic. From this, the quality is sharply reduced and the mineral substance will not be useful.