Vegetable Crops

Average values and critical levels for vegetables

Vegetable
%
N
%
S
%
P
%
K
%
Mg
%
Ca
%
Na
ppm
Fe
ppm
Al
ppm
Mn
ppm
B
ppm
Cu
ppm
Zn
ppm
Mo
Cabbage
3.30
1.05
0.63
4.80
0.36
2.10
0.07
185
180
70
40
8
38
  
Celery
4.00
1.15
0.75
5.00
0.45
2.80
0.18
125
105
90
40
11
36
3
Cucumbers
2.90
0.30
0.52
2.90
0.54
2.20
0.08
140
90
115
45
16
35
  
Lettuce
4.30
0.48
0.55
5.40
0.42
1.50
0.15
120
85
120
32
14
45
0.8
Peppers  
0.55
0.52
5.80
0.56
1.50
0.10
245
150
115
46
17
43
  
Potatoes,
Irish
5.80
0.33
0.70
4.50
0.48
1.50
0.05
200
500
120
35
18
44
5
Critical Level
3.10
0.18
0.36
2.20
0.20
0.55
  
75
  
30
9
6
15
  
Tomatoes
 5.10
0.80
0.65
3.20
0.41
2.90
0.06
160
115
130
52
20
36
1.0
Critical Level
2.20
0.24
0.18
1.10
0.17
0.90
  
40
  
40
20
3
15
  
Turnips    
0.80
3.80
0.24
2.30
0.14
230
450
140
45
13
65
2.4
Source of information:  Product Manual and Nutrient Deficiency Guide.  Stoller Chemical Company, Inc.  8705 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, TX 77024  (713) 461-2910
 

Desired Tissue Nitrate Nitrogen Levels for Two Pepper Types

 
Desired NO3-N Level (ppm)
Desired NO3-N Level (ppm)
Growth Stage
Chili (Anaheim)
Bell
First Buds
5,000 - 7,000
8,000 - 12,000
First Flowers
5,000 - 7,000
8,000 - 12,000
Early Fruit/Pod Stage
2,500 - 3,500
3,000 - 5,000
Late Fruit Stage
500 - 1,000
1,000 - 1,700
Source of information:  Peavy, William S. Feb. 1982.  Tissue Testing - A New Management Tool.   American Vegetable Growers.
 

Greenhouse Tomato Petiole Analysis

Conc.
levels
%
N
%
P
%
K
early*
%
K
late*
%
Ca
%
Mg
ppm
Zn
ppm
Fe
ppm
Mn
ppm
Cu
Excess
> 3.0
> 0.80
> 12.0
> 10.0
> 2.5
> 0.80
> 140
> 190
> 160
> 16
Normal
2.0-3.0
0.55-0.80
7.0-12.0
5.0-10.0
1.5-2.5
0.30-0.80
40-140
45-190
60-160
6-16
Borderline
1.9-2.0
0.45-0.55
6.5-7.0
4.5-5.0
1.3-1.5
0.28-0.30
20-40
35-45
50-60
5-6
Deficient
< 1.9
<0.45
< 6.5
< 4.5
< 1.3
< 0.28
< 20
<35
< 50
< 5
*Early = up to 6 clusters, Late = 7 or more clusters.
Source of information:  Soil Testing Laboratory, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
 

Common nutrient ranges found in plant tissue of various vegetabel crops

Vegetable
growth stage
Part sampled
%
N
%
P
%
K
%
Ca
%
Mg
ppm
Fe
ppm
B
ppm
Cu
ppm
Zn
ppm
Mn
Asparagus
mature fern
Fern from
45-90 cm up
2.4-
3.8
0.30-
0.35
1.5-
2.4
0.4-
0.5
0.15-
0.20
  
50-
100
  
20-
60
10-
160
Beans (snap)
bud
Young mature
trifoliate leaf
3.0-
6.0
0.25-
0.50
1.8-
2.5
0.8-
3.0
0.25-
0.70
300-
450
40-
60
15-
30
30-
60
30-
300
Beet
mature
Young mature
leaf
3.5-
5.0
0.20-
0.30
2.0-
4.0
2.5-
3.5
0.30-
0.80
  
60-
80
  
15-
30
70-
200
Broccoli
heading
Young mature
leaf
3.2-
5.5
0.30-
0.70
2.0-
4.0
1.2-
2.5
0.23-
0.40
100-
300
30-
100
1-
5
45-
95
25-
150
Brussels
sprout
Upper leaves
2.2-
4.2
0.26-
0.45
2.4-
3.4
0.3-
2.2
0.23-
0.40
  
30-
40
      
Cabbage
1/2-grown
Young
wrapper leaf
3.0-
4.0
0.30-
0.50
3.0-
4.0
1.5-
3.5
0.25-
0.45
30-
60
30-
60
  
20-
30
  
Cabbage
1/2-grown
Midrib, young
upper leaf
    
4.0-
6.0
1.4-
2.0
0.30-
0.50
          
Cabbage
mature
1/4 sections of
mature heads
    
3.0-
4.0
0.4-
0.6
0.14-
0.20
40-
100
      
25-
50
Cantaloupe
Petiole-young
mature leaf
    
6.0-
8.0
3.0-
5.0
0.7-
1.0
          
Cantaloupe
Blade
2.0-
3.0
0.25-
0.40
1.8-
2.5
5.0-
7.0
1.0-
1.5
  
30-
80
  
30-
50
  
Carrots
midgrowth
Young mature
leaf
 1.8-
3.5
0.20-
0.35
2.0-
4.3
1.4-
3.5
0.43-
0.53
120-
335
29-
60
4.5-
7.0
20-
50
190-
325
Cauliflower
at heading
Young mature
leaf
  
0.50-
0.70
  
2.0-
3.5
    
30-
60
5-
10
  
50-
80
Cauliflower
buttoning
Leaf blade
3.0-
4.5
0.54-
0.72
3.0-
3.7
0.72-
0.79
0.24-
0.26
      
43-
59
  
Celery
half grown
 Young mature
leaf
2.5-
4.0
0.30-
0.60
3.5-
7.0
0.4-
3.0
0.20-
0.50
20-
40
30-
60
5-
8
20-
50
200-
300
Cucmbers
Young mature
leaf
            
50-
80
  
20-
40
  
Kale & collards
almost mature
Young mature
leaf
4.0-
5.0
0.30-
0.60
3.0-
4.0
3.0-
4.0
    
50-
80
      
Lettuce, heads
half size
Wrapper leaf
2.5-
4.0
0.40-
0.60
6.0-
8.0
1.4-
2.0
0.50-
0.70
  
25-
45
      
Onion
midgrowth
Young mature
leaf
1.5-
2.5
0.25-
0.40
        
30-
45
  
10
15
  
Peas, bud to
full bloom
Entire top
growth
3.1-
3.6
0.30-
0.35
2.2-
2.8
1.2-
1.5
0.27-
0.35
  
20-
60
      
Peas
midgrowth
Young mature
leaf
2.7-
3.5
0.25-
0.35
1.5-
3.0
1.5-
2.5
0.25-
0.40
  
30-
60
      
Peppers (Bell)
midgrowth
 Young mature
leaf
3.0-
4.5
0.30-
0.70
4.0-
5.4
0.4-
0.6
1.0-
1.7
  
40-
100
10-
20
    
 Potatoes, tubers
half growen
 Young mature
leaf
3.0-
5.0
0.20-
0.40
4.0-
8.0
2.0-
4.0
0.50-
0.80
70-
150
30-
40
  
20-
40
30-
50
Potatoes, tubers
half growen
Petioles, young 
mature leaf
2.0-
3.0
0.20-
0.40
5.0-
9.0
1.5-
2.5
0.5-
1.5
          
Potatoes, 30 cm
tall plants
Young mature
leaf
4.0-
5.0
0.20-
0.40
3.5-
5.0
0.60-
0.90
0.8-
1.1
          
Spinach, 30-50
days old
Young mature
leaf
4.2-
5.2
0.48-
0.58
3.8-
5.3
0.6-
1.2
1.6-
1.8
220-
245
42-
63
45-
65
50-
75
50-
85
Spinach
mature
Young mature
leaf
4.0-
6.0
0.30-
0.50
3.0-
4.0
0.6-
1.0
1.6-
1.8
220-
245
40-
60
5-
7
50-
75
30-
60
Sweet corn
after silking
Ear leaf
2.8-
3.5
0.18-
0.30
1.8-
2.8
1.6-
2.5
0.4-
0.8
60-
160
40-
70
8-
12
20-
40
100-
140
Sweet corn
80% silking
Ear leaf
2.9-
3.3
0.30-
0.80
1.5-
2.6
0.9-
1.3
0.3-
0.8
    
10-
15
15-
45
50-
106
Sweet corn
silking
Ear leaf
2.6-
3.5
0.20-
0.30
1.8-
2.5
0.15-
0.30
0.2-
0.3
  
20-
30
      
Sweet Potatoes
midseason
Mature leaf
3.2-
4.2
0.20-
0.30
2.9-
4.3
0.73-
0.95
0.4-
0.8
        
40-
100
Turnip
midgrowth
Young mature
leaf
3.5-
4.5
0.35-
0.60
  
3.0-
5.0
    
30-
60
    
60-
80
Tomatoe (MH)
1st mature fruit
Young mature
leaf
3.0-
6.0
0.50-
0.80
2.5-
4.0
4.0-
6.0
0.6-
0.9
  
40-
80
4-
8
15-
30
60-
100
Tomatoe staked
1st mature fruit
Young mature
leaf
4.0-
6.0
0.80-
1.00
3.0-
5.0
1.4-
1.8
0.4-
0.6
          
Tomatoe trellised
1st mature fruit
Young mature
leaf
2.5-
4.0
0.30-
0.60
3.0-
4.0
0.5-
2.0
0.6-
1.0
100-
300
30-
100
5-
10
  
50-
100
Watermelon
midgrowth
Young mature
leaf
2.0-3.0
0.20-
0.30
2.5-
3.5
2.5-
3.5
0.6-
0.8
    
4-
8
    
Source of information:  Geraldson, Klacan, and Lorenz.  1970.  Plant Analysis: Vegetable Crops.