Nutrient Management Practices
Fertility management is particularly important in the quality and maturity of horticultural crops. For example, in vegetables, soil tests were conducted on at least 24% of the acreage and dry fertilizer was broadcast and incorporated on 92% of acres. Manure was used on 1% of the crops, mostly from beef feedlots, at the rate of 7 tons per acre. Fertilization practices are summarized below, with some comparisons with soil test recommendations from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (recommended applications are emphasized).
| Crops | Average Number of Applications | Nitrogen | Phosophorous | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of Acres | Pounds applied per Acre | Percent of Acres | Pounds applied per Acre | |||
| Vegetable crops | ||||||
| Broccoli | 1.1 to 1.9 | 100 | 80 to 150 | 85 | 95 to 140 | |
| Cabbage | 1.1 to 2.1 | 98 | 90 to 130 | 90 | 100 to 115 | |
| Carrots | 1.1 to 2.1 | 98 | 90 to 130 | 85 | 90 to 175 | |
| Corn – sweet recommended | 1.1 to 2.4 | 99 | 120 to 140 120 | 86 | 40 to 60 85 | |
| Cucumber recommended | 1.4 to 1.6 | 96 | 80 to 170 80 | 90 | 60 to 100 85 | |
| Onions recommended | 1.7 | 100 | 90 to 200 100 | 80 | 80 to 100 105 | |
| Peppers – bell recommended | 1.6 | 98 | 80 to 160 120 | 75 | 85 to 110 85 | |
| Spinach | 1.0 | 96 | 110 to 170 | 90 | 90 to 160 | |
| Watermelons | 2.2 | 97 | 65 to 90 | 94 | 50 to 70 | |
| Tree crops | ||||||
| Grapefruit | 1.1 | 99 | 100 to 120 | 26 | 30 to 40 | |
| Peaches | 1.4 | 74 | 80 to 100 | 60 | 70 to 80 | |
| Pecans (improved) | 1.7 | 46 | 120 to 160 | 23 | 40 to 60 | |
