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Abstract
Vegetables in west‐central Florida are grown with full‐bed polyethylene mulch culture, wherein all the fertilizer is applied pre‐plant. Recently, a liquid fertilizer injector wheel was introduced which allows the application of a precise amount of fertilizer mechanically at any time during the season for the main crop or for the second crop. Research was conducted on the optimum timing and rates of fertilizer for some vegetable crops with the injection wheel. In double cropping studies with zucchini squash, Cucurbita pepo L. ‘Seneca Zucchini’ and muskmelon, Cucumis melo L. FL8502M’ grown after tomatoes, early yields were highest (P<0.05) with 168 N, 30 P and 140 K kg ha‐1, applied 50% pre‐plant and 50% at mid‐growth. Late season yields were highest with 252 N, 45 P and 209 K kg ha‐1 applied in 3 equal amounts during the season as 33% pre‐plant, 33% mid‐growth and 33% just prior to first harvest. Increased fertilizer rates resulted in corresponding increases in residual soil total soluble salts (TSS). Split fertilizer applications, 2 or 3 times during the season, also increased residual soil TSS concentrations.