NPK fertilizer is used by almost all farmers in Nigeria; it is seen as the most used type of fertilizer in Nigeria. NPK fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These are some of the most important macro-nutrients required by plants.
NPK fertilizer is widely used for cucumber farming in Nigeria. Cucumber plants like other vegetables consume a lot of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for their growth.
The use of NPK for cucumber growing can enhance the yield of cucumber plants. The use of NPK fertilizer can improve the resistances of cucumber plants to pests and other types of stress. NPK fertilizers can also make cucumber plants hardy.
Application of NPK in cucumber farming
NPK 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 NPK fertilizer to cucumber plants, the NPK granules can be buried beside the plants.
It is better to bury the NPK fertilizer few centimetres away from the cucumber plants. Burying the NPK 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. NPK 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.
NPK 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 NPK to plants, you need to dissolve the NPK 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
NPK 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 NPK 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 NPK
The following are the chemical properties of NPK fertilizer:
- Nitrogen content: 5-20%
- Phosphorus content: 5-20%
- Potassium content: 5-20%
Cucumber Farming
Cucumber farming is the growing of cucumbers from the stage of land preparation to the final stage of harvesting and marketing the produce.
Cucumber farming is popular in Nigeria as educated new farmers prefer to grow cucumbers because of its relatively short maturing time. You can start to harvest cucumbers as early as 36 days.
Should you need more information about the use of NPK for cucumber farming, please call us on 08025141924.
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How to use NPK fertilizer as a foliar fertilizer