NPK fertilizer is one of the commonest types of fertilizers for the cultivation of crops 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 tomato farming in Nigeria. Tomato plants need a lot of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for their growth.
The use of NPK for tomato growing can enhance the yield of tomato plants. The use of NPK fertilizer can improve the resistances of tomato plants to pests and other types of stress. NPK fertilizers can also make tomato plants hardy.
Application of NPK in tomato farming
NPK fertilizer can be applied to tomato plants in the following ways:
Side Dressing
Side dressing is a way of applying fertilizer to growing plants. To side dress NPK fertilizer to tomato plants, the NPK granules can be buried beside the plants.
It is better to bury the NPK fertilizer few centimetres away from the tomato 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 tomato 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 tomato 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%
Tomato Farming
Tomato farming involves all the activities geared towards the planting of tomato seeds to the last stage of harvesting the matured tomato fruits and marketing them..
The steps to take to grow tomato 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 NPK for tomato farming, please call us on 08025141924.
Buy NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer, NPK 12:12:17 fertilizer and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer here.