Liquid Fertilizer on Vegetable Cultivation
“NutriGrow”, a Brand name of humic acid and carbon based liquid fertilizer, is a product based on American technology, produced in China. The product complies with China Ministry of Agriculture Industry Standard NY1106-2006, with China National Fertilizer Registration Certificate“ Nongfei Zunzi #1662.” The basic technical specifications are: humic acid ≥ 40g/L; N+P₂O₅+K₂O ≥ 280g/L.
The humic acid in NutriGrow humic acid and carbon based liquid fertilizer acts as chealating agent , the nutrients required for healthy crop growth such as NPK and trace elements are chealated to humic acid to form a stable chelation structure. Fertilizer with such structure could be effectively consumed and utilized by plant root system, leaves and soil. There is no run-offs hence no pollutions. Fertilization is convenient, both root-watering and foliage spray are workable. The advantages are: economical, environmental-friendly, high fertilizer efficiency, cost effective and usage of chemical fertilizer can be reduced to minimize harmful pollution on crops products and soil environment. This results in not only lowering the agricultural production cost, but also enhancing the crop quality and improves yields of crops.

A. The Fertilization Method for Vegetable Cultivation
1. Leafy Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, small Chinese cabbage, cabbage, wild cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, green rape , and three coloured amaranth etc.
a) Suitable fertilizer formulation: high nitrogen formulation (N≥ 120g/L).
b) Dosage:
　Root-watering: 60 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 50 times with water.
　Sprinkle with water: 30 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 200 – 300 times with water.
　Foliage spray: 3 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 400 – 500 times with water.
c) Entire Vegetation Life Period:
　Root-watering: 1 – 2 rounds
　Foliage spray: 2 – 3 rounds

2. Fruit-type Vegetables: egg plant, pea, tomato and chilli etc.
a) Suitable fertilizer formulation:
Balanced formulation (N+P₂O₅+K₂O≥280g/L), high potassium formulation (K₂O≥120g/L), and high nitrogen formulation fertilizer.
b) Dosage:
Root-watering: 60 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 50 times with water.
Foliage Spray: 3 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 400 – 500 times with water.
c) Root-watering: 1 -2 rounds during seedling stage; first with balance formulation, but sue high N formulation on the second application.
Foliage spray: Use high K formulation spray 2 -3 rounds during flowering and full fructification period.

3. Melon Types: cucumber, water melon, pumpkin, winter melon and bitter gourd etc.
a) Suitable fertilizer formulation:
Balanced formulation (N+P₂O₅+K₂O≥280g/L) and high potassium (K₂O≥120g/L) formulation fertilizer.
b) Dosage
Root-watering: 60 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 50 times with water.
Foliage Spray: 3 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 400 – 500 times with water.
c) Root-watering: Use balance or Hi- N formulation during seedling stage;
Foliage spray: During seedling and melon vine creeping stage use balance or Hi-N formulation, to use Hi-K formulation during flowering period and melon fruit dilation stage. Spray weekly until harvest is completed.

4. Root-type Vegetables: mustard tuber, yam (taro), Chinese yam, ginger, carrot, potato etc.
a) Suitable fertilizer formulation:
High phosphorous (P₂O₅≥100g/L) and high potassium (K₂O≥120g/L) formulations.
b) Dosage
Root-watering: 60 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 50 times with water.
Foliage Spray: 3 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, diluted to 400 – 500 times with water.
c) Root-watering: Use Hi-P during seedling stage, and when the dilation of fleshy root starts. Root-watering once again but use Hi-K formulation.
Foliage spray: Use Hi-K formulation 2 – 3 rounds.

B. Application Timing & Dosage

Best timing for application: critical timing in need of fertilizer for vegetables: seedling stage, flowering period, fructuous stage, dilation stage of fleshy roots.
Best Dosage:
Root-watering: 60 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, dilute to 50 times with water.
Foliage Spray: 3 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer, dilute with 400 – 500 times of water.
During spraying, the atomization of the sprayer should be adjusted to the highest possible level. 1 -3 rounds of spraying will be enough during the vegetation life of ordinary vegetables; but it should be 2 -4 rounds of spraying for the entire vegetation life of 1 – 2 - year perennial vegetables.

C. Points for Attention

1. Application should be done after sufficient base fertilizer being applied. Normally, NutriGrow liquid fertilizer is not to be used as basal fertilizer, but a small amount (7.5 – 15 Kg/Ha) could be added on during the application of basal fertilizer. NutriGrow is suitable for top-dressing application and could be carried out by root-watering or foliage spray.
   
2. Suitable NutriGrow formulation should be chosen according to different types of vegetables, their vegetation stage, growth status and the purpose of application.
   
3. Leaf-type vegetables: More nitrogen is needed during various vegetation periods, and it is, therefore, high nitrogen formulation should be chosen.
   
4. Fruit-type Vegetables: NPK are equally needed, so, balanced formulated NutriGrow fertilizer should be utilized for the application.
   
5. Root-& Bulb-type Vegetables: Require more phosphorous and potash, high phosphor and high potassium formulated NutriGrow fertilizers should be chosen for the application.
   
6. No. of application of NutriGrow humic acid based liquid fertilizer should be increased for fruit-type veggies with multiple harvests such as cucumber, bitter gourd, kidney beans; No. of application and fertilizer quantity should be increased for crops which require more nutrients like tomato, egg plant, chilli and water melon. As for extremely short vegetation cycle veggies like small Chinese cabbage, celery, three-colored amaranth and lettuce, the no. of application should be considerably reduced according to actual situation.
   
7. Perennial Vegetables: Use less fertilizer during seedling stage and gradually increase fertilizer quantity as veggies grow.
   
8. Concentration of NutriGrow liquid fertilizer for application should be reasonable; root-watering or foliage spray should only be carried out after the liquid fertilizer is being dissolved completely and evenly in water. The concentration level for spraying should be appropriate, low concentration generates poor effect and high concentration may cause harmful result.
   
9. On the application of fertilizer on Chinese cabbage or cabbage, if cones of furled leaves appear and there is no way of performing root-watering, then dilute NutriGrow with more water, say 300 times to sprinkle over the veggies. If needed clean water could be used to sprinkle all over the veggies few hours after fertilization to wash out fertilizer left over in the cones. It could be harmful for furled leaves if there is too much fertilizer stays in the cones
   
10. Foliage spray application is to be carried out on cloudy days or in the morning or evening of sunny days, avoiding days with hot and burning sun. Supplementary spray should be done at a right time after raining. The best timing to do foliage spray is from 4 pm till evening as the temperature is low with higher humidity, fertilizer nutrients could be easily absorbed by leaves. Spray could be performed throughout a cloudy day, but not right before or after raining.
    
11. It is better to spray the whole pant upwards on to the back side of leaves and not to miss out new leaves, and flourishing leaves. Stomas are at the back side of leaves , nutrient absorbability on back side of leaves is double than that on leave face.
    
12. Not advisable to mix liquid fertilizer with alkaline insecticide/pesticide on application.
    
13. Concentration level of humic acid based liquid fertilizer should be strictly controlled on the application in greenhouse or plastic sheeting shelters.