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Potatoes

N-xt Fertilizers has a complete fertilization strategy in all potato crops. The main focus here is to dose the required minerals in the right place and continue to optimize the cooperation with the soil processes. The properties of the N-xt liquid fertilizers are unique in its kind; no salts, not leaching sensitive, plant absorbable, soil friendly and useful for soil life.
Result: a controllable crop with efficient use of minerals, where an active soil biology with the nutrients from the soil form a perfect combination for a healthy and sustainable potato crop.

N-xt crop strategy potatoes

The N-xt crop strategy for potatoes improves root growth, tuber setting and size grading,
with increased natural resilience leading to higher quality and yields.

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Minerals
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Grain fertilizer
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N-xt Soil Fertilizer
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N-xt FertiPhos
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N-xt Calcium
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N-xt Leaf (start)
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Grain fertilizer
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N-xt Sheet (continued)
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N-xt NKS
Biology
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Ferti-Soil
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Ferti-Release
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Ferti-Vital
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Ferti-Life

Applications in potato cultivation

The above strategy provides the minerals that are crucial for a healthy potato crop at each stage. N-xt liquid fertilizers have been specially developed for this purpose. Liquid dosing during planting requires the right application equipment (feel free to ask us about this). The high efficiency saves you a lot of minerals. N-xt Calcium after planting can be applied with the field sprayer (advice: use a fertilizer cap). N-xt Foliar Fertilizer and N-xt NKS can be sprayed very practically and efficiently with the field sprayer. Mixes with most GBM agents are possible.

Download potato crop strategy (pdf)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best application technique for N-xt fertilizers in potatoes?

For potato cultivation, there are actually 4 techniques;

  1. Spraying an N-xt soil fertilizer in the furrow; (often phosphate or calcium)
  2. Dosing an N-xt soil fertilizer in the row next to the tuber; (often nitrogen)
  3. Spray an N-xt Calcium over the back with a 7-hole nozzle; (often calcium)
  4. A N-xt Leaf over the crop with a fine spray nozzle; (often nitrogen and trace elements)

Below are the pictures of what this looks like:

What are the attention points for spraying with N-xt Leaf Fertilizer?

N-xt Foliar Fertilizer is a very gentle formulation that will cause virtually no burning. It can be mixed with various fungicides (be careful with oleaginous agents!). It is best to spray the foliar fertilizer with as little water as possible (150-200 ltr) with a fine nozzle. This ensures a good distribution on the leaf and also keeps everything nicely on the leaf.

Do not spray with too much pressure (max 2.5 bar) and air support, good coverage is important. Absorption takes place within 4-5 hours after spraying. At crucial moments it is sometimes better to spray a pesticide you want to penetrate separately from a foliar feed!

CLICK HERE for a list of dosages and points of interest for N-xt Foliar Fertilizer in various crops.

Also read our news item on the right spray timing in potatoes to create even tuber setting.

Home Crops Potatoes
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Grain fertilizer

Calcium, magnesium and potassium are essential minerals for both soil structure and potato growth. Via an Albrecht soil analysis, Healthy Soil BV (part of N-xt Fertilizers) can map out exactly how these elements are distributed in your soil. On this basis, you will receive a targeted fertilization recommendation to bring soil life into balance and to optimally feed the crop.

In practice, growers often fertilize based on NPK requirements, matched to the variety. But the actual soil condition is at least as decisive for a successful crop. It is therefore important to make the switch from just 'crop nutrition' to an integral approach with soil nutrition and crop nutrition.

Advice: Know the ratios in your soil

Understanding your mineral ratios helps to identify deficiencies and blockages in time. So you can choose: correct for one season (e.g. on a rental plot), or improve structurally for the long term.

Common example:
On clay soils in northern and southwestern Netherlands, we often see high calcium and low magnesium levels. This makes both elements poorly absorbable for the potato plant. A targeted use of the right Ca and Mg sources is then crucial, for both current cultivation and long-term soil health.

Tips:

  • Always use a sulfate form to supplement these minerals during cultivation:
    • So Kierserite (magnesium sulfate)
    • and Potassium sulfate (as potassium supply (Kali50))
      • Also always spread this preferably in 2x (before/after planting and before closing the crop)
  • Gypsum does NOT contribute to the aforementioned skewed proportions in such a soil, but only worsens it in the long run!
    • Use a calcium source that is effectively plantable (see point 4) during the season and/or a calcium source that does contribute to an optimal balance in the long term.

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N-xt Soil Fertilizer

Nitrogen, phosphate and trace elements can be dosed during planting via the right application technique. In this application; dosing next to the tuber through a knife coulter, an N-xt nitrogen formulation is commonly used. for example, an N-xt N23 S B Zn.

This is a perfect way to dose an amount of nitrogen to the tuber in both seed and table potatoes. Depending on the total nitrogen requirement, 60-80% can be given in this application. The rest follows through the N-xt Foliar Fertilizer schedule (points 5, 7 and 8). Phosphate is very important in these crops for initial development and tuber setting and here the best results are achieved by applying it in the veur with N-xt FertiPhos (see point 3).

For consumption and french fry potatoes, there is often a higher nitrogen requirement and an NP formulation can be chosen with this application, for example a N-xt NP22-5 B Zn. This will also directly meet the total phosphate requirement, something that works adequately (and better) with the N-xt FertiPhos in shorter cultivation.

Advice:

Feel free to ask us about the possibilities and which application and formulations will work best for your situation.

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N-xt FertiPhos

Spraying N-xt FertiPhos with a nozzle into the plant furrow is a very efficient way to get phosphate to the right place for the potato crop. N-xt FertiPhos consists of short organic phosphate chains that are therefore easily plant absorbable. Because of the complexing technique of N-xt Fertilizers, they also remain absorbable, do not wash out and do not connect with free cations in the soil.

Advice and points of interest:

80-100 ltr/ha N-xt FertiPhos (average for all potato varieties and soil conditions).

  • N-xt FertiPhos can be sprayed mixed with gbm, please note that the gbm product should always be dissolved in water first and only then the FertiPhos is mixed in!
  • Spray with at least 1 to 2 water, so 100 liters of product + 200 liters of water (300 liters total).
  • Always flush the pump with clean water at the end of the day.
  • Do not leave FertiPhos in the tank and pump for a longer period of time.

Read more about the various N-xt FertiPhos formulations on our product page.

Ferti-Soil

Ferti-Soil is a biological component of N-xt Fertilizers' Ferti-Line products and can be easily added to N-xt FertiPhos during tank filling. It provides higher resistance to soilborne pathogens (think Rizoctonia, Fusarium etc). As a result, if soil balance is also considered and worked on, a reduction in gbm use can occur over time.

The time and place where this mix of products is sprayed (root and tuber zone) is perfect for optimal results.

Recommendation:

1 ltr/ha Ferti-Soil (mixed by N-xt FertiPhos)

Read more on the product page Ferti-Soil

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N-xt Calcium

Calcium plays a key role in the plant's absorption of all other minerals. This actually makes it an indispensable element for any crop. As discussed earlier for granular fertilizers (point 1), the availability of calcium in the soil is closely related to the ratio to other elements such as magnesium, as well as to the form in which calcium is present (e.g., shells, lime, etc.).

In addition to its function as a "locomotive" for mineral absorption, calcium in the potato plant itself is also important for skin quality, proper starch distribution and overall crop resilience. Especially with potatoes, it is therefore valuable to administer a small, directly absorbable amount of calcium at an early stage. Especially when the natural availability in the soil is (still) insufficient.

N-xt Calcium is ideally suited for this purpose: it contains the right balance of calcium and boron (optionally supplemented with silicon), and is directly available to the plant thanks to the unique complexation technique. Because the nutrients are in a stable compound, they do not react undesirably with other elements in the soil.

Absorption in potatoes takes place in the upper, active root zone. Therefore, we recommend application with a 7-hole cap just before tilling.

Recommendation:

250-350 liters/ha of N-xt Calcium (N9 Ca B).
Standard dosage is 250 liters/ha, good for about 30 kg of urea nitrogen. For slightly higher nitrogen requirements, the dosage can be increased to 350 liters/ha. Several seed potato growers have achieved excellent results with this approach, often with only one application.

Ferti-Release

In the early stages of the season, this addition promotes soil biology and in particular contributes to the uptake of phosphate, potash and trace elements (from the soil and possibly slurry).

Advice:

Dose 0.5 ltr/ha of Ferti-Release.

This can be mixed into the sprayer during filling of N-xt Calcium and sprayed as one application.

Read more on the product page Ferti-Release

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N-xt Leaf (start)

With N-xt Foliar Fertilizer, the grower directs targeted tuber growth and vitality. The stable amide nitrogen is fully absorbed through the leaf and directly benefits the tubers. In addition, the standard N-xt Leaf formulation contains calcium (for structure and balance), magnesium (for photosynthesis) and manganese (for plant resistance).

When to start in potatoes?

Start as soon as all stolons are converted into small tubers ("nodules"). From then on, the plant requires nitrogen to fill the tubers.
Unlike KAS, where nitrate nitrogen primarily stimulates foliage growth, N-xt Foliar Fertilizer provides targeted tuber development. The amide nitrogen is efficiently utilized for underground growth because the plant can convert this form of nitrogen directly to protein (amide-N --> amino acids --> protein). This prevents excessive foliage growth and ensures uniform tuber setting.

Advice:

  • Starting dose: 50 ltr/ha (≈10 kg net amide-N) at start of tuber setting. Spray at least 1x this slightly higher dose, the crop needs a little more in this rapid growth phase.

  • Adjustment: weekly 20-25 ltr/ha

    • Depending on variety and circumstances, determine the frequency of spraying

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Grain fertilizer

As you have read in point 1 of this potato strategy, granular fertilizers are still important, even in potato cultivation. At this stage, we recommend spreading the second part of the Potassium and Magnesium requirements. From here on, the tubers start to fill and potassium, among other things, only now plays an increasingly important role in the transport of all the minerals built up in the plant.

TIP: So don't spread everything at the beginning of the season! Mineral fertilizers are more prone to leaching, so during a wet period your purchased amount of fertilizer will simply be washed away, but it also gives a much greater chance of blocking/ counteracting other minerals which are more important in the early stages. So keep this in mind!

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N-xt Sheet (continued)

Within 1-2 weeks after the first spraying (see point 5) a clear difference in tuber formation is often already visible. This first growth spurt is crucial to start filling all formed tubers evenly. Using the N-xt Foliar Fertilizer at the right time prevents tuber abortion, leading to more tubers and an even size distribution.

When over-fertilized with nitrate nitrogen (often KAS at this stage), the plant focuses primarily on foliage growth and water storage. This is at the expense of tuber establishment and continued growth. N-xt foliar fertilizer, on the other hand, provides nitrogen in a form that can be used directly for tuber growth instead of foliage growth. An additional (major) advantage is that the potato crop requires less water to allow these processes to run properly. Drought-prone soils and/or varieties really benefit from this!

Advice:

  • First spray: 50 ltr/ha at the start of tuber setting

  • Thereafter:

    • Repeat after 10-14 days, or

    • Weekly spray 20-25 ltr/ha with the disease control.

      • It can therefore be easily mixed with various insecticides and fungicides

Did you know:

Spraying 50 ltr of N-xt N18 Ca Mg Mn through the leaf is at least equivalent to spreading 100 kg of KAS!

Ferti-Vital

Ferti-Vital is a powerful biostimulant that activates the natural defenses of plants. It increases resistance to both biotic stress (such as fungi, bacteria and insects) and abiotic stress (such as heat, drought, cold, hail, wind or machine damage). Ferti-Vital is the only foliar fertilizer within the Ferti-Line and works directly through the leaf on the plant.

Advice:

  • Standard 1x application: 2 ltr/ha

  • In a weekly schedule as with potatoes: 1.5 ltr/ha

    • Perfect to combine with N-xt foliar fertilizer

Read more on the product page Ferti-Vital

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N-xt NKS

Potassium deficiencies are increasingly common in crops. Potash is essential for processes such as water regulation, photosynthesis, firmness and resilience. A deficiency not only leads to yield loss, but also affects quality.

N-xt NKS is a foliar fertilizer with potassium, little amide nitrogen and sulfur in directly absorbable form. It improves yield and quality by:

  • Increased sugar and starch content (°Brix)

  • Better color formation (anthocyanins & carotenes)

  • Stronger skin quality (cell wall construction)

  • Resistance effect thanks to the biological sulphur component

  • Directly available amide nitrogen, without nitrate load

Use N-xt NKS from the moment the crop starts to bulb or set fruit.

Recommendation:

  • 3× 5 ltr/ha, spread over the second part of the growing season
  • Do not mix with crop protection products

In a schedule with N-xt N18 Ca Mg Mn, we recommend alternating it with N-xt NKS from the time of bulb or tuber setting. This will ensure an ideal balance of potash, nitrogen and trace elements for maximum yield and quality.

Did you know:

15 liters of N-xt NKS = 100 kg of patent potash.
That means at least 5× higher effectiveness than standard potash granular fertilizers.

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Ferti-Life

An active soil biology also throughout the fall is very important. At this stage, the crop has been harvested and crop growth stops but the activity of your soil does not. Old crop and root residues are broken down, converted and stored in the soil (humification). After which, during the winter period, the soil structure can improve and conversions continue due to the (continued) fungal activity with Ferti-Life.

Advice:

Spray 25 ltr/ha of Ferti-Life with the field sprayer after harvest. This can be done before a green manure crop. Also can be sprayed in early spring (after clamping of green manure) or land unloading; then use 40 ltr/ha Ferti-Life

Ferti-Life creates the right conditions for fungal growth, a highly underestimated soil process that prepares your soil for a good start of the next season.

Did you know:

Soil life is always the first "to the table" in spring! So be aware of How we treat our soils in winter (but also in early spring). make sure that soil life can survive well in winter so that laid down minerals can mineralize nicely again in spring.

Read more on the product page Ferti-Life

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Grain fertilizer
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N-xt Soil Fertilizer
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N-xt FertiPhos
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N-xt Calcium
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N-xt Leaf (start)
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Grain fertilizer
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N-xt Sheet (continued)
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N-xt NKS
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