Nutrient Management for Commercial Fruit
& Vegetable Crops in Minnesota

Carl J. Rosen and Roger Eliason, Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota*

Copyright ©  2012  Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Taking a Soil Sample
• Interpreting a Soil Test
• Fertilizer Analyses and Calculating Fertilizer Rates
• Soil pH Modification
  • Liming
  • Soil Acidification
• Soluble Salts
• Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers
  • Using Animal Manure
  • Sewage Sludge (Biosolids)
  • Using Green Manures/Cover Crops
• Fertigation
  • Overhead Irrigation
  • Drip Irrigation
• Foliar Fertilization
• Selecting a Yield Goal
• Primary Macronutrients
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
  • Potassium
    • Lima Beans
    • Peas
    • Potatoes
    • Snap Beans
    • Sweet Corn
    • Vegetable Crops
    • Fruit Crops
• Secondary Macronutrients
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Sulfur

• Micronutrients
  • Boron
  • Chlorine
  • Copper
  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Molybdenum
  • Nickel
  • Zinc
• Procedures Used in the University of Minnesota Soil Testing Laboratory
  • Sample Preparation
  • Texture and Organic Matter
  • Soil pH and Lime Requirement
  • Extractable Phosphorus
  • Exchangeable Potassium
  • Soluble Salts
  • Extractable Sulfur
  • Extractable Zinc, Copper, Iron, and Manganese
  • Nitrate-Nitrogen
  • Hot Water Extractable Boron
  • Exchangeable Calcium and Magnesium
• Diagnosing Nutrient Deficiency and Toxicity Symptoms in Fruit and Vegetable Crops
• Plant Analysis for Fruit and Vegetable Production
  • What and When to Sample
  • Sampling and Handling Procedures
  • Interpretations
• Tissue Nitrate Analysis for Vegetable Crops
• Farm/Field and Commercial Horticultural Crops Soil Sample Information Sheet

Introduction

There are 17 essential nutrients required for plant growth: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), chlorine (Cl) and nickel (Ni). Of these 17, all except carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are derived from the soil. When the soil cannot supply the level of nutrient required for adequate growth, supplemental fertilizer applications become necessary.

Recommendations for fertilizing fruit and vegetable crops in Minnesota are based in part on soil test results. Soil testing provides information on lime and fertilizer needs prior to planting and is particularly well calibrated for nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, zinc, and boron. Soil testing prior to planting takes the guesswork out of making fertilizer recommendations and leads to more efficient nutrient management. Fertilizer recommendations in this bulletin are intended for field-grown fruit and vegetable crops. For container-grown crops, such as transplants or vegetables grown in the greenhouse in pots, different soil tests should be used. Contact the University of Minnesota Soil Testing Laboratory (612-625-3101), for the appropriate form to fill out for container-grown crops or check http://soiltest.coafes.umn.edu/

For fertilizer requirements of established perennial crops and for fine-tuning fertilizer needs of annual crops, a combination of soil testing and tissue analysis should be used.

Carl J. Rosen is an extension soil scientist and Roger Eliason is a scientist and laboratory director in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota.