Soil has large and small spaces. The small spaces take in water, while the large spaces take in oxygen.
For the plants to grow as expected, the soils must have all the nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK).
Other nutrients are magnesium, calcium and sulphur, required in small quantities. Iron, copper, manganese, zinc, chlorine and sodium are required in minute amounts. All these contribute to the growth of crops.
-There is a misconception among farmers that NPK is a single fertilizer or nutrient for the soil, whereas not. NPK is a combination of three nutrients needed by plants for the different stages of growth.
-When planting, the first interest is root formation, so farmers should apply phosphorus.
-When leaves start to show, nitrogen should be applied and when it comes to fruiting, that is when potassium can be added to make a complete set of NPK.
