Calcium nitrate fertilizer is one of the most important types of fertilizers for the cultivation of crops in Nigeria. Calcium nitrate is known as a colourless salt used for farming and other purposes.
Calcium Nitrate fertilizer is one of the most important fertilizers for cucumber farming. Cucumber is a nitrogen and calcium hungry crop. Cucumber plants use a lot of nitrogen and calcium unlike other vegetable crops.
The use of Calcium Nitrate for cucumber growing can lead to a significant increase in the yield of cucumber plants. This fertilizer can also enhance the ability of cucumber plants to withstand pests and diseases, adverse weather conditions and other types of stress.
Application of Calcium Nitrate in cucumber farming
Calcium Nitrate fertilizer can be applied to cucumber plants in the following ways:
Side Dressing
Side dressing is a way of applying fertilizer to growing plants. To side dress calcium nitrate fertilizer to cucumber plants, the Calcium Nitrate granules can be buried beside the plants.
It is better to bury the Calcium Nitrate fertilizer few centimetres away from the cucumber plants. Burying the Calcium Nitrate fertilizer prevents leaching from the soil.
Top Dressing
Top dressing is the spreading of fertilizer on the surface of the soil or the surface of the plants grown on the soil. Calcium Nitrate fertilizer is one of the fertilizers that can be spread on the soil in a process called top dressing.
Base Dressing
Base dressing is the application and ploughing of fertilizer into the soil. Base dressing is done immediately after land preparation, before the planting of crops.
Calcium Nitrate can be applied using base dressing techniques.
Fertigation
Fertigation is the application of soluble fertilizer to the root zone of plants through the drip irrigation. To fertigated Calcium Nitrate to plants, you need to dissolve the Calcium Nitrate fertilizer in water.
After mixing the fertilizer in water, the venturi injector hose should be dipped into the fertilizer solution. Once, the pump is switched on and the drip irrigation system is fully pressurized, the fertilizer solution will be sucked into the drip irrigation system. The fertilizer solution will then be emitted to the root zone of every plant.
Fertigation is the most efficient way of applying fertilizers to plants. Fertigation can significantly increase the yield of crops.
Fertigation also enables farmers to apply fertilizer to plants in small doses intermittently, sometimes daily. This makes crops to use fertilizers more optimally.
Foliar Application
Calcium Nitrate can be sprayed to the surface of the cucumber plants through the use of sprayers like a knapsack sprayer in a process called foliar application of fertilizers.
To use foliar application, mix 100-200 grams of Calcium Nitrate with 100-200 litres water and spray the mixed solution the leaves and other surfaces of the cucumber plant. Foliar application should be done in the morning or evening when the intensity of the sun is low.
About Calcium Nitrate
The following are the chemical properties of Calcium Nitrate fertilizer:
- Calcium content: 26.6%
- Nitrogen content: 9.33%
- Moisture: 0.1%
- Oxygen: 64%
Cucumber Farming
Cucumber farming involves the cultivation of cucumbers with the aim of harvesting and marketing the cucumber fruits for consumption or for sales to the public. Cucumber farming starts from soil preparation to the marketing of the harvested cucumber fruits.
The steps to take to grow cucumber include land preparation, picking of seeds, planting, irrigation, application of pesticides, application of fertilizers, harvest and marketing of the produce.
Should you need more information about the use of Calcium Nitrate for cucumber farming, please call us on 08025141924.
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Price of Calcium Nitrate in Nigeria
How to Use Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer