Each bushel of corn harvested per acre removes approximately 0.43 lb of P2O5 (phosphorus oxide).

Use 2 to 3 pounds of fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, for every 100 square feet of garden area. Spread the fertilizer evenly over the soil and work it into the soil 3 to 4 inches deep. Rake the soil to smooth the surface.

Corn plants use large quantities of nitrogen to grow and yield. Corn removes 1 pound of nitrogen for every bushel of grain produced, so a 250 bushel per acre yield goal requires 250 pounds of nitrogen available to be used by your growing corn plants.

Corn on the Cob: 1 small ear of corn (5.5-6.5 inches long) contains 63 calories, 2 g protein, 1 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, about 5 g sugar, about 195-220 mg potassium and 67 to 92 mg phosphorus.

Using more than the recommended amount of nitrogen-based fertilizers on corn is a waste of money and could pose environmental risks, two Purdue Extension agronomists say in an updated report. Nitrogen is the most expensive nutrient used in corn production. …

Sidedress applications allow growers to maximize profits. However, each growing season has varying precipitation and different environmental conditions that can prohibit producers from applying nitrogen in-season. For each bushel of corn removed, 1.5 pound of nitrogen is required.

Fertilizer makes plants grow fast; but too much fertilizer results in weaker plants, not stronger ones. The key to assuring adequate but not excessive fertilization of corn plants is to understand the specifics of the crop’s nutrient needs and meet them, when possible, with natural products.

To sidedress, apply the fertilizer in a trench alongside the row of corn. Lightly cover and work the fertilizer into the soil. Apply the additional high-nitrogen fertilizer a total of two to three times during the growing season and be sure to follow all package instructions.

Growing Corn When they are about 10″ tall, scatter a slow-release nitrogen based fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Shake ‘n Feed Continuous Release fertilizer, or a specialty high nitrogen fertilizer for corn. Gardeners must be diligent about watering and fertilizing!

It has been proven to positively affect the harvest growth, crop yield and overall plant health of a wide variety of agricultural crops, including apples, berries, citrus fruits, corn, pineapples, potatoes, tomatoes and rice. …

As the Sprouts Grow

1. Fertilize the plants with a 16-16-8 liquid fertilizer when the corn plants have reached a height of 4 inches, but before it reaches 8 inches tall.
2. Also add a few inches of organic mulch when the corn is 3 or 4 inches tall.
3. Fertilize the plants again when they are about 10 inches tall.

Plants in overly watered soil can also exhibit development and growth issues and appear stunted. Another possible soil problem is nitrogen deficiency. Corn demands a lot of nitrogen. Adding a nitrogen fertilizer to soil to replenish this nutrient may help corn that appears shorter than expected.

A short, daily watering period will only soak the first few inches of soil and may not reach the corn roots at all before it evaporates. On the contrary, if you water deeply on a daily basis, you will overwater your corn, which is just as harmful as not watering enough.

“For 150 bushels, we recommend 180 pounds of nitrogen per acre. For 200 bushels, you go up to 240 pounds, and for 250 bushels, go to 300 pounds. For 300 bushels per acre, we recommend more than 360 pounds of nitrogen per acre,” he says.

Johnson says 240 units of nitrogen are required to achieve 200 bushels per acre of corn. At $180 per ton of urea, the price for fertilizer is $48 per acre. At a cost of $240 per ton, an acre will run over $62. And if prices for urea climb to $300 per ton, an acre of fertilizer on a corn crop will cost a shade over $79.

Ideally the N should be applied just prior to this period of high N demand. For most corn hybrids N uptake is complete shortly after pollination. So, most of the N should be applied prior to the 10 leaf stage, with any supplemental applications complete by or shortly after tasseling.

A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphate and 10 percent potash. Fertilizer grades are made by mixing two or more nutrient sources together to form a blend, that is why they are called “mixed fertilizers.” Blends contain particles of more than one color.

Best Overall Fertilizer: Miracle-Gro Water-Soluble All Purpose Plant Food. Miracle-Gro is a well-known and trusted brand among gardeners, and its All Purpose Plant Food is a versatile and wallet-friendly mineral fertilizer that you can use on vegetables, trees, houseplants, and more.

Choose a fertilizer that has a balanced ratio of the three major elements, such as 10-10-10, or where the middle number (phosphorus) is larger than the first number (nitrogen), such as 2-3-1. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and usually do need fertilizer unless your soil is very rich.

However, complete fertilizers sold for flowering plants (including roses and bulbs) such as 15-30-50 or 10-30-20 contain higher amounts of phosphorus (the second number) than nitrogen or potassium and are often labeled as “blossom or bloom booster”. All three of the major nutrients are necessary for plant health.

Broadcast an N-P-K commercial fertilizer blend. Choose a blend that has at least as much phosphorus and potassium (the second two numbers) as nitrogen (the first number), such as 10-10-10.

Because phosphorus does not form strong multiple bonds with itself, elemental phosphorus consists of tetrahedral P4 molecules in which each atom forms single bonds with three neighboring atoms, as shown in the figure below.

Organic Phosphorus Fertilizers

The nutrient value of Epsom salts is 0-0-0, meaning they contain no traces at all of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium. If you do choose to use Epsom salts on your plants, it’s important that you are aware that Epsom salts are not a substitute for fertilizer.

The average eggshell contains about . 3% phosphorus and . 3% magnesium and traces of sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, iron and copper.

urea