| Many vegetable crops benefit from a side-dressing of | | | | tomato and again one month later. The cole crops |
| nitrogen fertilizer after making considerable growth or | | | | (cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) should be |
| starting to fruit, unless a slow-release fertilizer was | | | | side-dressed three weeks after setting out plants, |
| applied at planting time. | | | | onions about one to two weeks after bulb formation |
| In a side-dress application, the nitrogen fertilizer is | | | | and peppers after the first fruit sets. |
| applied along the sides of the plants, about six inches | | | | Side-dress cucumbers one week after blossoming |
| away from the stems, either along the row or | | | | begins and three weeks later; peas and beans, after |
| around individual plants, such as tomatoes. | | | | heavy bloom and set of pods; and sweet corn when |
| A Purdue publication on vegetable gardening, | | | | plants are 8-10 inches tall and one week after tassels |
| HO-32-W, suggests using ammonium nitrate, which | | | | appear. It's important not to apply more than the |
| has an analysis of 33-0-0, as the fertilizer material. | | | | recommended amount of nitrogen or damage to |
| However, it's not readily available, and other forms of | | | | plant roots can occur. |
| fertilizer can be used on an equivalent basis. | | | | The third week of June is the time to ... |
| One is urea, which has an analysis of 46-0-0. It can | | | | *Obtain a copy of the publication, 'Home Gardener's |
| become volatile, escape into the air and burn the | | | | Guide', from an Extension Service office in Indiana for |
| leaves and should be incorporated immediately by | | | | details on fertilizing vegetable crops. |
| lightly tilling it into the soil or watering it in with | | | | *Deadhead or remove spent blossoms from |
| irrigation. | | | | early-blooming perennials to prevent seed formation |
| The general application rate for ammonium nitrogen is | | | | and encourage re-bloom later this season or next |
| about one pound, or about one pint, per 100 feet of | | | | year. |
| row. For three feet of row, that's one tablespoon | | | | *Remove vegetable crops such as lettuce, which |
| (one teaspoon per foot). When urea is used, apply | | | | have bolted (formed seed stalks), and replant the |
| slightly less, or about 1 1/2 cups per 100 feet of row, | | | | areas with bush green beans. |
| 2 1/4 teaspoons per three feet of row or 3/4 | | | | *Thin fruit from apple trees after the June drop of |
| teaspoon per foot of row. For example, if you | | | | excess fruit. Space remaining fruit about 6 inches |
| side-dress tomato plants, spaced four feet apart, | | | | apart (one per cluster on the average), to obtain |
| you should use one level tablespoon (three | | | | larger and higher quality fruit. |
| teaspoons) of urea around each plant. | | | | *Plant seeds of cole crops (cabbage, broccoli and |
| The time for side-dressing depends on the crop. | | | | cauliflower) to obtain transplants to set out in late |
| Side-dress tomatoes about two weeks after the | | | | July for a fall harvest. |
| first fruit sets, two weeks after picking the first | | | | |