Chelated fertilizers: how they differ from salt forms, benefits and application for plants

Chelated fertilizers – what they are: these are the same metals found in conventional mineral fertilizers, but contain a chelating agent – an organic shell that does not chemically react with the soil.

Such dressings are constantly ready for assimilation by plants. They are not affected by the acidity of the soil or the ambient temperature. Microfertilizers are absorbed in a chelated form by 90% in comparison with salt, the digestibility of which does not exceed 40%.

For garden and indoor crops, several especially important trace elements are distinguished, which take part in the development, growth, flowering and fruiting:

• boron, with a lack of which there is a cessation of the growth of young leaves and shoots;

• molybdenum – with its deficiency, the leaves and inflorescences are deformed and fall off, spots or holes appear on the leaves;

• iron – iron deficiency chlorosis is known, when the leaves turn pale;

• copper – with its lack, seeds suffer and lose germination;

• zinc affects fruit shape and overall shoot growth;

• manganese – a deficiency promotes early shedding of foliage, the color of which changes to gray or yellow.

These microelements are in the chelated form in the soil. This is facilitated by bacteria that process organic matter and earthworms, which pass plant residues through their digestive tract, thereby creating that chelating agent, which is a pass into the plant root system.

Chelating agent – what is it

The chelating agent is nothing more than humic acids. Humus is an indicator of soil fertility.

With intensive farming, its amount is reduced to a minimum, if you do not add organic matter, which is a breeding ground for soil bacteria and earthworms. Mineral complex fertilizers do not have such an effect, therefore they only affect the fruiting and appearance of crops.

Humates contribute to the accumulation of the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals in the fruits. This makes fruits, berries and vegetables highly nutritious, unlike those grown on salt fertilizers. Outwardly, they look good, but they are not of value in terms of nutritional characteristics.

Humic acids are used for medical purposes to normalize human metabolism, to recuperate after surgeries or long periods of rehabilitation. It is impossible to artificially create humates – this is done only with the help of microorganisms and animals that live in the soil layer, since their enzymes produce humic acids.

Benefits of organic-coated fertilizers

The main advantage of micronutrient fertilizers in a chelated form is that the fruit and vegetable products are environmentally friendly and absolutely harmless to humans. It is stored for a long time and does not deteriorate during transportation.

In the West, from environmentally friendly raw materials, baby food is produced for the little ones – mashed potatoes, cereals. Animals fed with organic food give healthy milk and meat. Such products cost 2 – 3 times more.

Due to the fact that chelated fertilizers are completely absorbed, they are applied in small doses, in contrast to mineral fertilizers, which are required more, after which the soil inevitably deteriorates.

Of the shortcomings, only one can be named – high cost. It is important to understand here that micronutrient fertilizer in chelated form is five times better in digestibility, but it costs only twice as much, so the price of fertilizer in chelated form with micronutrients is not so high.

What plants are suitable for

Organo-mineral fertilizing is used for all types of plants – greenhouse, garden, indoor. They are used for pre-sowing soaking of seeds to accelerate germination. Especially useful for young plants.

It is necessary to know for which soil with what acidity top dressing is bought, because the chelating agent is used differently in order to maintain stability in the soil, for example, with high acidity.

Video: Chelated fertilizers – benefits and income

There are the following types of chelates: EDTA, OEDF, DTRA, EDDN. The instructions indicate for what type of soil this type of fertilizer is suitable in a chelated form.

There are one-component micronutrient fertilizers with one nutrient for plants. If an iron deficiency is constantly observed on the site, then you need to buy only iron concentrate. For periodic feeding of plants once a season, a complex preparation is suitable.

Quantity and timing of application to soil

How to properly dilute the chelated form of fertilizers is indicated on the packaging or in a plastic bottle if the solution is liquid. And you need to make such food in the following cases:

• when preparing seeds for germination;

• at the stage of transplanting seedlings into open ground to support the plants;

• before flowering to form more ovaries;

• after treatment with chemicals from the fungus to relieve stress;

• during the ripening of fruits – in this case, the products gain more nutrients and are stored longer.

Preparations for growing ornamental plants for sale are widely used. After cutting, the flowers retain their presentation longer.

Examples of dressings available on the market

The names of the chelated fertilizers available in stores are: Zeovit, Quantum, Arkop, Reakom, Uniflor, Helatin, Yara Mila Complex, Agrorise Pro, Crystalon, Omex, Ecoline, Activin and many others. In one brand you can find both single-component and complex types of chelates. It is recommended to read the instructions in order to choose the right top dressing for the type of soil.

At home, you can make chelates with your own hands. Various organic substances act as a chelating agent – ascorbic or citric acid, vitamins of group B. The difference between homemade mixtures and purchased ones is that they do not need to be diluted, but they cannot be stored for a long time, since they lose their beneficial properties.

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