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Questions tagged [nitrogen]

An essential element required by all life

Nitrogen is essential for all life on Earth. Although molecular nitrogen makes up most of the atmosphere, virtually all organisms are incapable of using it in this form. Most plants can only absorb nitrogen in the form of ammonium or nitrate ions. Specialist organisms (eg. some cyanobacteria, and legume root nodules) are capable of "fixing" atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be used by other plants.

Much of the green revolution came about due to the widespread use of artificial nitrogen fertilizers. The nitrogen content of an artificial "NPK" fertilizer is given by the first value.

Use this tag for all questions about the nitrogen content of soils and the relevant behavior of legumes.

Nitrogen input and content are important aspects of compost heap management, but this is usually relative to carbon. Consider using the tag for these questions, instead.

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Do legumes provide nitrogen to their companions?

It's common knowledge that legumes (clover, beans, etc) can (with the help of Rhizobium bacteria) fix nitrogen from the air and hold it in the soil. Much is made of this fact -- advice that we should plant clover in our lawn to give the grass a…
bstpierre
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Which plants/trees will benefit from using urine as a fertilizer?

We know that urine can do a plant good. Certain plants (like citrus trees) will absolutely do well if you add urine to their intake. But urine is very high in nitrogen and could potentially "burn" the plant. What are some common plants/trees that…
Eight Days of Malaise
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Is spent cat litter an appropriate source of nitrogen for compost?

Is spent cat litter an appropriate source of nitrogen for compost? The cat litter used is made of recycled paper pellets so is rich in carbon. It doesn't contain the cat faeces because that is fished out once or twice daily with a net to make the…
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Managing Cover Crops

I put some fava beans in my vegetable raised bed during the winter months to add nutrients to the soil. The seeds have sprouted and I have some healthy plants growing. Question I have is what next? As I understand it, the roots will provide…
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Do wattles have the same ability to fix nitrogen from air as other legumes?

Do wattles (roughly Australian Acacia species) have the same ability as other members of the Fabaceae (legume) family to fix nitrogen from air via symbiosis with soil bacteria? For instance, it's well known that peas and beans do, but what about the…
Lisa
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What's a nitrogen-fixing ground-cover that grows on very little rainfall?

Here in the desert southwest (Northern New Mexico, zone 7B, heavy clay soil, 7 inches of annual rainfall), clover doesn't seem to grow well due to lack of enough moisture. What's an alternative that will improve my soil over time the way clover…
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How do you figure out if you have Rhizobia bacteria in your soil?

I have prepared a leaf-rich garden patch (see here). To promote decomposition of the leaves I have planted a lot of beans and peas to promote nitrogen fixation in the soil. However, I don't know if there are any Rhizobia bacteria in the soil. How…
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What are the main benefits and cons of using manure?

Manure is often part of a prescription for hot composting, and soil enrichment. But why? Is it just for nitrogen? Is that why people go and get the excrement of vegetarian mammals to add to their gardens? If it's nitrogen, why not use locally…
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Scorpion Pepper growth

Backstory Hey everyone, first post in this stack, so sorry if I didn't see an answer to these questions (I did check though). So I have a Scorpion Butch T plant that I bought about 2 months ago (63 days). It was already grown to ~9 inches tall, but…
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Junipers and Fertilizer times and Nitrogen

Reading around the web, many say the exact opposite of another 'expert'. Specifically pertaining to Junipers, I'm reading don't use nitrogen or use high fertilizers high in nitrogen. When is the best time to fertilize and what fertilizer do you…
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Can I use greens, such as grass, as a fertilizer for tomatoes?

In my country I don't have fertilizer products, but I know that I can get nitrogen from any greens. I already knew that I can soak them in water to make liquid fertilizer, but what if I want to make slow release fertilizer? Someone told me just to…
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Is rotten fish emulsion safe for plants?

I have a many year-old supply of Charlie Carp (fish emulsion) fertilizer that has "gone off". Namely, it has a strong ammonia smell. It's "commercial strength", meaning it's very concentrated. Is it a good idea to use this? I've tried it on a few…
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Raising Nitrogen in Hops

I have some hops growing and their leaves are starting to turn yellow, my research tells me that it is probably a nitrogen deficiency. What ways can I naturally add nitrogen to the soil of an already growing crop? I was thinking a compost tea, or…
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Placing nitrogen fixers around established trees?

I have several young (1-4 years old) fruit trees and am considering planting nitrogen fixers around/underneath: white clover (ground cover) lupine (herb layer) siberian pea shrub (shrub layer) It seems intuitive that the N-fixers will only provide…
bstpierre
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How much nitrogen per bale in a straw bale garden?

I recently read a NY Times article about straw bale gardening. It says that you should add about 2 1/2 cups of 20% N fertilizer or three pounds of blood meal and feather meal per bale. Add water, wait for the temperature to decrease, and then…
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