What fertilizers do pumpkins need (generally when to fertilize pumpkins)

Fertilizer requirements of pumpkin

Pumpkins have different fertilizer requirements at different growth stages. The fertilizer requirement is less during the seedling stage, and gradually increases as the seedlings grow, reaching the maximum during the fruit expansion stage.

There are five nutrients that pumpkin needs in large quantities during the entire growth period, namely nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Among them, potassium and nitrogen are the most needed, calcium is in the middle, and phosphorus and magnesium are the least needed .

Research shows that the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium elements needed to grow 1,000 kg of pumpkin are: 3-5-5.5 kg of nitrogen; 1.5-2.2 kg of phosphorus; and 5.3-7.2 kg of potassium.

Pumpkin fertilization is divided into two parts: base fertilizer and topdressing

1. Pumpkin base fertilizer is mainly organic fertilizer, supplemented by chemical fertilizer

The base fertilizer should provide nutritional support for the pumpkin throughout its growth period, so organic fertilizer with slow-release and long-lasting fertilizer effect is more suitable for use as base fertilizer. At the same time, in order to make up for the lack of nutrition in organic fertilizer, a certain amount of chemical fertilizer can be applied as an auxiliary.

Generally, 3000-5000kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 15kg of urea, 20kg of heavy calcium and 18kg of potassium sulfate are applied per mu of land.

2. Pumpkin topdressing is carried out three times, in the seedling stage, after fruit setting and during the fruit expansion period.

The fertilizer requirements of pumpkin in different growth stages are not the same , so the correct and reasonable fertilization plan should be to use different types of fertilizers for topdressing at different times.

Pumpkin topdressing is carried out in three times:

The first topdressing is during the seedling stage . Its main purpose is to promote the growth of pumpkin seedlings. Topdressing is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, with 5 kg of urea per mu.

The second topdressing is after the pumpkin sets fruit . At this time, the pumpkin has a greater demand for fertilizer, not only nitrogen fertilizer but also potassium fertilizer. Use 15kg of urea and 10kg of potassium sulfate per mu.

The third topdressing is during the pumpkin fruit expansion period , when the demand for nitrogen and potassium is also relatively high, with 15kg of urea and 8kg of potassium sulfate used per mu.