Autumn fertilization: where, how, when and why

Still a couple of weeks useful for autumn fertilization. It suggests it Enzo Gambin, director general of the interregional association of olive producers of Verona (in the picture), on the basis of the feedback received throughout the peninsula and in the awareness that the nutritional contribution could be particularly useful for the vegetative recovery after the winter.
“We are now in a large part of Italy in the post-harvest phase – points out Gambin – e the precipitation that has come in recent weeks they moderately hydrated the plants and even the soil a little. Still lacks water to reach the expected annual levels, however that fall is already sufficient for restore vigor to plants. In fact, there has been a slight recovery in the autumn vegetative activity, which in some cases leads to formation small new shoots.
It should not be forgotten, however – recalls Gambin – that temperatures are dropping: at a depth of 30 cm, in this week, we have achieved values ​​that oscillate between 11 degrees Celsius in the north and 16 degrees in the south, therefore the olive tree, in all probability, within ten or fifteen days it will go towards one stage of winter dormancy.
We therefore still have some time which would be sufficient to go and make, if not already done, some autumn fertilizing, particularly phosphorus and potassium, in order to give the plant the possibility to go and reconstitute the reserve substances which will be very useful for the vegetative restart. We have to give approximately per hectare – suggests the director of Aipo three quintals of mineral superphosphate, on average to 18% as title e two quintals of potassium sulphate about to 50% of active substance present, in order to give the possibility in these last periods to be absorbed by the plant".