Precautions For Handling Ammonium Nitrate

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

What precautions should be taken while working with ammonium nitrate

Ammonium nitrate is an effective fertilizer that is useful for most plants, as well as contributes to long-term flowering of crops and a rich harvest. But while working with it, you should be especially careful and take precautions that will help you save your health, property and garden.

Keep away from fire

Ammonium nitrate should be stored under stable temperature conditions. Sharp changes can provoke a change in the physical properties of the composition. It can become unusable as fertilizer or even become explosive.

The latter is especially dangerous, therefore, only persons who have reached the age of majority, in special protective clothing, who are aware of their responsibility for what is happening, are allowed to work with ammonium nitrate.

Avoid using the mineral supplement in the presence of open flames, people who smoke, or heating appliances. It is also dangerous to store ammonium nitrate together with flammable organic matter: peat, straw and other flammable substances.

Ammonium nitrate explodes at temperatures above 30 ° С, and also easily ignites spontaneously at lower temperatures, if there are additional factors contributing to this. If the fire could not be avoided, it is necessary to use exclusively water to extinguish it, as well as to use personal protective equipment, since the vapors of flammable ammonium nitrate are extremely toxic and easily penetrate the human body through mucous membranes.

Do not spray foliage during the day

Avoid spraying the green mass of plants with the composition of ammonium nitrate, apply root dressing. This will protect your crops from burns that can occur on treated areas when exposed to direct sunlight. Such consequences are dangerous for useful crops and can lead to their complete death.

It is better to treat plants with the composition of ammonium nitrate in the evening or on sunny days to avoid leaf burns.

Use mixed fertilizers immediately

Do not use ammonium nitrate in combination with manure, chalk, dolomite, ash and lime.

Ammonium nitrate mixed with superphosphate must be used immediately. A mixture with potassium chloride, carbamide, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate and sodium or potassium nitrate is suitable for long-term storage, subject to the necessary precautions: constant control of temperature conditions, sealed packaging, air humidity no more than 40%.

Don't fertilize all vegetables

In no case should ammonium nitrate be used as a mineral fertilizer for crops such as zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, eggplant, watermelon and melon. They can build up nitrates. For a person, this is fraught with serious poisoning and even cancer.

It is not necessary to treat sick, weakened, damaged plants by pests with this "mineral water". This will not benefit them, but will only further aggravate their condition.

But the composition of ammonium nitrate is great for healthy shrubs, fruit trees, flowers, root crops. Especially responsive to fertilizing with ammonium nitrate: white cabbage and cauliflower, potatoes, onions, grapes, currant bushes, gooseberries, chokeberry.

Use the right amount of fertilizer

Ammonium nitrate is produced and sold in granular form and in powder form, which is very convenient for the consumer and greatly simplifies the process of its interaction with the mineral composition.

First, mechanized farming can be used to add the additive. This will ensure accurate and even distribution of fertilizer over the entire planting area. Secondly, it is enough to simply calculate the required dosage using the manufacturer's instructions. This point should be treated with special care, since an excess of mineral dressings can negatively affect the yield.

It is imperative to take into account the need for a specific beneficial culture and soil in a mineral additive, as well as the conditions for its use. For example, an excessive amount of nitrogen can slow down the growth of trees and shrubs and negatively affect their frost resistance.

You should refrain from using ammonium nitrate after mid-July, since the nitrogen contained in it will stimulate the active growth of green mass, which will affect the yield.

If you could not avoid an overdose of ammonium nitrate, then try to save your plantings by using the method of frequent watering combined with loosening the soil. Carry out these activities during the week, this will help reduce the presence of the substance in the soil.

Do not use two weeks before harvesting the fruit

It is strictly forbidden to process the plants later than two weeks before harvesting, otherwise there is a risk of getting serious chemical poisoning due to the ingestion of ammonium nitrate into the body.