Urea and saltpeter: finding out which fertilizer is better

All plants need nitrogen fertilizers, especially at the initial stage of development. Some of the most popular nitrogen-containing drugs are carbamide and nitrate. What is better to use for feeding garden and vegetable crops? Today we will take a closer look at this issue, and also find out if there is a difference between fertilizers, and which one.

What is urea

Urea is the most nitrogen-rich fertilizer. The content of the specified mineral in it is up to 46%. The drug has the form of white rounded granules. This is a compound that can be absorbed by plants, both in direct form and in decomposed.

The drug is also known as urea. So if you meet her in the store, you can safely buy.

Urea can be used for:

1. Foliar and root dressing. Dissolve 30-50 g of carbamide in a bucket of water and water the crops under the root or feed them on a leaf. Pure granules are introduced directly into the soil in small quantities (up to 15 g per 1 sq. M.).
2. Disinfection. In early spring, trees and shrubs are sprayed on dormant buds with a solution of 500 g of the drug per 10 liters of water. This way you can kill the causative agents of many fungal diseases..

Urea is better absorbed by plants at high temperatures, especially when applied to the soil. It decomposes faster if heat, respectively, and begins to feed crops earlier..

When using urea for top dressing in the spring, it must be applied at least 3 weeks before it is needed. In summer, there are no such nuances and fertilizer can be applied immediately, it will quickly start working. However, you should carefully dose the drug. Excessive dose of urea in solution can cause increased growth of the aerial part to the detriment of fruiting.

Saltpeter – what is it

First of all, it should be noted that in this case, ammonium nitrate is meant as a nitrogen fertilizer. This is the second nitrogen-containing preparation after carbamide, ammonium salt and nitric acid. It is also produced in granular form..

The amount of nitrogen is slightly less – maximum 34%. But it is presented in two forms:

1. Nitrate.
2. Ammonium.

Outwardly, both drugs are very similar. You can distinguish them by color: for nitrate, the granules have a yellow tint, while for carbamide they are snow-white.

Saltpeter is very easily and quickly absorbed by plants, and at lower temperatures. This should be taken into account, because if you fertilize on a leaf, you can cause burns. It is better to fertilize with nitrate in the spring or if you need to cause a quick effect, applying at the root (up to 15 g per square of area). It can also be used in watering solutions, but in small doses. But you should not spray, so as not to harm.

Urea and saltpeter – which is better

Having studied the characteristics of fertilizers, we can conclude that both are good, but each has its own nuances of use. For foliar feeding, it is better to use urea. By the content of nutrients, urea is 3 times higher than saltpeter. It acts softer, does not burn the leaves. In addition, such dressings can be used throughout the growing season..

The main difference between fertilizers is that urea is an organic compound and nitrate is a mineral.

Saltpeter is introduced mainly into the soil and it does not depend on temperature. But at the same time it affects the level of acidity. If it is elevated, it is better to use urea. By the way, it is easier to store the latter, but for saltpeter, as an explosive substance, special conditions are needed..

Video on the differences between urea and urea