Prosol: Agricultural

FAQ for Agricultural Crops:

1. When is the best time to apply foliar fertilizer?
Optimum time is between 7 and 10 AM or any time after 5 PM, preferably before dark.

2. What product should I use on my crop?
Generally speaking, high phosphate for early stages of plant growth (phosphate being the middle number of our analysis, i.e. 10-52-8), a balanced formula during the growing season and a high potassium ratio during fruiting (potassium being the third number in our analysis, i.e. 3-15-27).

3. Why use chelated micronutrients?
The major reason for using chelated micronutrients is to assure compatibility with other ingredients in the mixture and to maintain availability to the plant.

Irrigation Tips

Irrigation is a method of supplementing rainfall by artificial means. It is essential to maintain soil moisture during the growing season. Whenever plant growth areas receive 20" of precipitation or less (semi-arid), irrigation is necessary to insure continuous plant growth.

Stock solutions: Typically made with a particular injector ratio or PPM (parts per million) parameter in mind. When making a stock solution, you must consider the area to be covered, the crop to be fertilized, the nutrients required, the accuracy of the injector and total amount of water to be applied (click here for charts of injection ratios for constant feeding). Many greenhouse crops are highly susceptible to damage by certain types of nitrogen. Always refer to nitrogen breakdown on the label when deciding which product to use in irrigation.

Injectors can be venturi, positive displacement, and water driven or electrical. The accuracy of injectors varies drastically and should be taken into consideration when used for fertilizer or crop protection chemical injection.

Quality of water is based on many factors, pH, calcium content, sodium content, bicarbonate content, boron level, iron level, etc. Many surface water sources contain algae and fungus, which can effect the success or failure of mixing other ingredients. A representative water sample should be taken from the source to be used for irrigation. Sometimes, water quality concerns can be overcome by injecting small amounts of either phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid. Many times irrigation lines become coated with algae and when a slightly acidic fertilizer is injected, the algae will be stripped from the lines and will accumulate in the filters and emitters resulting in plugged lines. Once these obstructions are cleaned you should have no more problems with stopped emitters unless the algae are allowed to grow again. Periodic cleaning of lines with acid or acidic fertilizers is recommended.

Irrigation Types

Trickle: Same as drip irrigation, but with a larger volume of water. Typically used in greenhouse and hydroponic applications.

Furrow: A method of flood irrigation that minimizes water-loss through evaporation. This results in reduced contamination of crops from soil. Better than overhead for vegetable crops that are packaged in the field because it keeps the crop dirt free.

Flood: For rice, wheat, barley, and other small grains.

Row: For corn, beets, carrots, onions, beans, tomatoes, cotton, soybeans, lettuce and other row crops.

Drip: For flowers, vegetables, and crops of high market value.

Micro-jet: typically used in orchard irrigation. Will apply water to root zone over a wider area than standard emitters and still not contribute to fungi growth in orchard.

Sub-surface: most expensive type of irrigation but also the most effective and efficient. Typical buried lines will last 4-6 years and create a wet zone in normal rooting area with an inverse pyramid shape which coincides with rooting habits of most plants.

Bench top: a modified version of flood irrigation. Water is raised to a 1-2 inch level in greenhouse plant benches allowing water to wick up through media for complete saturation. Water can be withdrawn daily or to create color change in certain crops.

Fertilizing Fish Ponds with Full Stringer

Just as proper fertilization can greatly increase crop yields, fish pond fertilization can increase fish yields 2 to 4 times. In addition to increased yields, the fish will be in better condition. Infertile ponds seldom produce more than 100 pounds of fish per acre, while well-managed, fertile ponds can produce 300-400 pounds of fish per acre.

Fertilization of fish ponds stimulates algae growth. Algae are eaten by zooplankton and insects, which serve as a basic food source for bream and bass. Algae also make the water turn green, which helps shade the pond bottom. This helps prevent the growth of unwanted, bottom rooted weeds and pond moss.

The most common types of fertilizer used today for fish ponds are dry granular 18-46-0 and liquid concentrate 10-34-0. Auburn University research has shown that liquid fertilizers are superior to granular fertilizers in promoting rapid algae growth in fish ponds. Also, the cost of pond fertilization may be reduced, since smaller applications of liquid fertilizers can be used. However, these liquids are very labor and time-intensive to apply, as they require diluting to 1/10 concentration and a slow rate of application to insure proper mixing on the pond water.

FULL STRINGER BENEFITS

Full Stringer 10-52-4 offers the best of both worlds for fish pond management. Full Stringer requires no premixing or agitation because Full Stringer dissolves rapidly on contact with water. Application can be made by hand or aquatic applicator. One man can do in 1 to 2 hours what usually takes two men all day to do with other fertilizers. With Full Stringer Fish Pond Fertilizer, you fertilize the water, not the bottom of the pond.

FISH POND FERTILIZATION MANAGEMENT

Water clarity is a good way to determine when to fertilize. The depth that light can penetrate into the pond is a measure of the alga density. Light penetration can be measured using a Secchi disk, an 8-inch diameter disk quartered with the two opposite quarters white and black, respectively. Attach the disk to a yardstick or to a pole marked at 12, 18, and 24 inches from the disk.

Secchi Disk Reading
Recommended Management

Greater than 24 inches
Fertilize

18 to 24 inches
Good bloom - do nothing

12 to 18 inches
Dense bloom - watch closely

12 inches or less
Bloom too dense - determine source and be prepared to aerate at night

6 inches or less
Oxygen depletion imminent

FULL STRINGER APPLICATION RATES AND INSTRUCTIONS

NOTE: Use at rate of 4 pounds per surface acre of water.
1. Make the first application of fertilizer in late February or early March. Follow with two additional applications at 2-week intervals.
2. Make 3 more applications at 3-week intervals.
3. Continue applications at monthly intervals or whenever the water clears enough that a white disk attached to a yardstick is visible to a depth of 18 inches.
4. Stop applications by the last week in October.

HOW TO DETERMINE SURFACE ACREAGE OF A POND

Multiply the approximate length by the approximate width of the pond in feet and divide by 43,560. This will give the number of acres of surface area.

FISH POND FERTILIZER 10-52-4 WATER SOLUBLE
Product Label

Guaranteed Analysis

Total Nitrogen (N) 10.0%
10.0% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
Available Phosphate (P2O5) 52.0%
Soluble Potash (K2O) 4.0%

PRIMARY PLANT SOURCES: Ammonium Phosphate and Potassium Sulfate

CAUTION: Over-fertilization of fish ponds can cause serious injury to stock. Do not fertilize ponds when the Secchi disk disappears between 12 and 18 inches - the bloom is too dense. If the disk disappears in less than 12 inches, the bloom is very dense, and a severe oxygen depletion could occur.