Many vegetable crops benefit from a side-dressing of nitrogen fertilizer after making considerable growth or starting to fruit, unless a slow-release fertilizer was applied at planting time.
In a side-dress application, the nitrogen fertilizer is applied along the sides of the plants, about six inches away from the stems, either along the row or around individual plants, such as tomatoes.
A Purdue publication on vegetable gardening, HO-32-W, suggests using ammonium nitrate, which has an analysis of 33-0-0, as the fertilizer material. However, it’s not readily available, and other forms of fertilizer can be used on an equivalent basis.
One is urea, which has an analysis of 46-0-0. It can become volatile, escape into the air and burn the leaves and should be incorporated immediately by lightly tilling it into the soil or watering it in with irrigation.
The general application rate for ammonium nitrogen is about one pound, or about one pint, per 100 feet of row. For three feet of row, that’s one tablespoon (one teaspoon per foot). When urea is used, apply slightly less, or about 1 1/2 cups per 100 feet of row, 2 1/4 teaspoons per three feet of row or 3/4 teaspoon per foot of row. For example, if you side-dress tomato plants, spaced four feet apart, you should use one level tablespoon (three teaspoons) of urea around each plant.
The time for side-dressing depends on the crop. Side-dress tomatoes about two weeks after the first fruit sets, two weeks after picking the first tomato and again one month later. The cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) should be side-dressed three weeks after setting out plants, onions about one to two weeks after bulb formation and peppers after the first fruit sets.
Side-dress cucumbers one week after blossoming begins and three weeks later; peas and beans, after heavy bloom and set of pods; and sweet corn when plants are 8-10 inches tall and one week after tassels appear. It’s important not to apply more than the recommended amount of nitrogen or damage to plant roots can occur.
The third week of June is the time to …
*Obtain a copy of the publication, ‘Home Gardener’s Guide’, from an Extension Service office in Indiana for details on fertilizing vegetable crops.
*Deadhead or remove spent blossoms from early-blooming perennials to prevent seed formation and encourage re-bloom later this season or next year.
*Remove vegetable crops such as lettuce, which have bolted (formed seed stalks), and replant the areas with bush green beans.
*Thin fruit from apple trees after the June drop of excess fruit. Space remaining fruit about 6 inches apart (one per cluster on the average), to obtain larger and higher quality fruit.
*Plant seeds of cole crops (cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower) to obtain transplants to set out in late July for a fall harvest.
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