Climate change
According to the KNMI (the Dutch meteorological institute) the growing season has increased by 12 days in the past 40 years. At the same time, the number of months with precipitation of more than 60 mm has increased significantly. In addition, winters are less cold and summers are becoming warmer.
This means that grass must be fertilized much earlier in the season, with the risk of washing out the nutrients, so the proper choice of nitrogen in artificial fertilizer or manure is very important. Nitrate is easy to wash out, so when the weather is wet, lots of nitrogen will flow into the environment.
Particularly in the spring and autumn, when the temperature of the soil is below 12 degrees Celsius and the luminous intensity is too low to transform nitrate in the leaves of the plant efficiently into amino acids and proteins, nitrate is less effective. Grass, as well as many other plants, start their growth as early as in March. That time of year is often very humid, and therefore an ammonium nitrogen is much more effective for plants. Additionally, the washing out of ammonium nitrogen is significantly slower.
Especially in spring and in autumn, when the temperature of the soil is below 12 degrees Celcius and the luminous intensity is too low to transform nitrate in the leaves of the plant efficiently into amino acids and proteins, nitrate is less effective. Grass but also lots of other plants start their growth already in March. Mostly at that time of year it is very humid, using an ammonium nitrogen is much more effective for the plant. Besides, the washing out of ammonium nitrogen is significantly slower.
Long working fertilizers can be subdivided in a number of species:
Organic bound nitrogen in manure: is working under the influence of humidity and organisms in the soil and is hardly to be influenced. Organic bound nitrogen can give peaks in the growth process on the wrong moments and, in the period the grass starts growing, in spring, there can be too less nutrients for the plant to grow.
More complex nitrogenous compounds: These are being found in manure treated with Agri-Mest. It is the complex compound that causes that the nitrogen will be gradually converted into ammonium, influenced by the demand for nitrogen of the plant. The grass will be fed with ammonium for a longer time. An additional advantage of this form of nitrogen is; the concentration of salt at the roots of the plant is low, the need for sprinkling is less necessary.
To tackle the problems at the roots means choosing the right form of nitrogen!
Artificial fertilizers prevent an active root process.
Artificial fertilizers feed the plant mainly with nitrate nitrogen. Nitrate and phosphate can not be absorbed at the same time and because nitrate is easier available for the plant , phosp hate, which is necessary for the rooting, will hardly be absorbed and rooting is barely happening. Moreover it is known, nitrate nitrogen has a bad influence on the organisms in the soil. Because of this the biodegradation of de ad vegetable material will decline and felting of the soil can happen. After heavy rainfall this felting can have as a result a thick impermeable layer of dead vegetable material, which deprives the roots of oxygen. The root system can hardly develop by a lack of oxygen and nutrients; the grass will easily die.
Traditional artificial fertilizers containing nitrates, cause a strong growth of the grass over ground level. Because of the high amount of nitrogen which is given ( mostly in the form of nitrate) the grass is pushed on to grow, especially the leaves of the plant. This growth is caused by nitrate salt in the cytoplasm. With nitrate also water is absorbed to limit the concentration of salt. The cells will strech out because of large amount of salt solution and are becoming weaker.
Ammonium nitrogen starts in manure treated with Agri-Mest.
There is an other method which is working via the roots. This method makes the gras absorbing the nitrogen as ammonium. Ammonium is converted into amino acids in the roots of the plant, and are the building stones of proteins.In this condition, these acids are available for the cell division in the whole plant.
Because of the fact that proteins are made in the roots of the plant, they can also be used for the development of the leaf at the points of growth. Amonium is absorbed by the roots of the plant, acids are secreted by the plant. These acids activate other nutrients, like phosphate or iron, to be easier available for the plant.
So why should you use amonium nitrogen:
* Less washing out
* It is transforming in the roots into building stones for the cell division
* It is not mowed before it is used.
* It is working at low temperature and low luminous intensity.
* It activates a better resprouting and increases the breadth growth.
* It reinforces the growth of the roots
* It reinforces the absorption of other (micro-)nutrients.
* It gives a stronger and more compact cell structure in the leaves, this causes a higher resistance against illnesses.