Top 30 Chinese Fertilizer Factory 18-18-18 Mixed Fertilizer Sulfur Based

• Basic definition

·NPK: Represents three macronutrients essential for plant growth, namely nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). 

·18-18-18: This indicates that the total nitrogen (N) content in this fertilizer is 18%, the available phosphorus (P₂O₅) content is 18%, and the water-soluble potassium (K₂O) content is 18%. This is a typical high-concentration balanced compound fertilizer. 

· Blended fertilizer: Also known as BB fertilizer, it is made by physical mixing methods, where two or more base fertilizers with similar particle sizes and higher nutrient contents (such as urea, monoammonium phosphate/diammonium phosphate, potassium chloride/potassium sulfate, etc.) are mixed in specific proportions.

A simple summary: NPK 18-18-18 blended fertilizer is a compound fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients in an equal ratio of 1:1:1.

• Main Features

· Balanced nutrition: The proportions of the three core elements are the same, which can provide balanced nutrition simultaneously, meeting the simultaneous demand for multiple nutrients in the middle growth stage of crops and avoiding the deficiency of a single element. 

· High concentration and high efficiency: The total nutrient content is as high as 54% (18+18+18), which belongs to high-concentration fertilizers. The effective components per unit dosage are high, and the transportation and application costs are relatively low. 

· Flexible formula (for blending processes) : The types of basic fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium sources can be flexibly adjusted according to different soil conditions and crop requirements. For instance, for chlorine-sensitive crops, potassium sulfate can be used instead of potassium chloride as the potassium source. 

· Physical properties: Usually granular, with color varying depending on the raw materials (grayish white, light yellow, etc.). The hardness and particle size of the particles should be well matched to prevent separation or caking during transportation and storage. 

· Quick effect: The raw materials are mostly water-soluble, dissolving quickly. Nutrients are easily absorbed by crops, and the fertilizer effect takes effect relatively fast.

Packaging

Granular

Packaging

• Applicable crops and periods
  

• Due to its balanced nature, it is not suitable for the entire growth period of crops, but has specific optimal application scenarios:

Applicable crops:

· Field crops: Top dressing for wheat, corn, rice and other crops during their vigorous growth periods (such as jointing stage and panicle differentiation stage). 

· Economic crops: Top dressing for cotton, rapeseed, peanuts, soybeans, etc. during the concurrent period of vegetative growth and reproductive growth. 

· Vegetables: The entire growth period of leafy vegetables (such as spinach and lettuce), as well as the initial flowering period to fruit setting period of fruit vegetables (such as tomatoes, peppers, and melons). 

· Top dressing for fruit trees such as apples, citrus fruits, and grapes during the spring shoot growth period and the period when young fruits expand. 

· Flowers and lawns: General-purpose top dressing during the vigorous growth period.

Critical application period:

· Top dressing as the main method: It is most suitable to be used as top dressing during the stage when crops grow most vigorously, have the greatest and most balanced demand for nutrients.

·It is not recommended to use 18-18-18 as a dedicated base fertilizer: many crops require a relatively high amount of phosphorus and less nitrogen and potassium during the seedling stage. Directly applying 18-18-18 May not be economical, and phosphorus has poor mobility in the soil. Base fertilizer should be applied near the root system.

·It is not recommended to use it as a special fertilizer for the later stage: In the later stage of crop growth (if it is the mature stage), the demand for potassium usually increases and the demand for nitrogen decreases. At this time, using a balanced fertilizer with high nitrogen content may cause excessive greenness and late maturity.

Vegetables

Wheat

Vegetables

• Precautions for application
  

· Soil testing and fertilization: The most ideal prerequisite for application is to conduct soil testing. If the soil is already rich in phosphorus and potassium, long-term application of 18-18-18 will lead to an excess of phosphorus and potassium, which is not only a waste but may also cause soil compaction or element antagonism, affecting the absorption of trace elements such as zinc and iron. 

· Adapt to local conditions and crop types: During the critical growth periods of potassium-loving crops (such as potatoes, tobacco, and sugarcane) or nitrogen-loving crops (such as green leafy vegetables), it may be necessary to use fertilizers with more specialized ratios (such as high-potassium or high-nitrogen types).

•  Application method:

· Deep application and soil covering: Especially for nitrogen fertilizers, covering soil after deep application (hole application, furrow application) can reduce ammonia volatilization and rainwater erosion, and improve utilization rate. 

· Avoid direct contact with the root system: When used as seed fertilizer or top dressing during the seedling stage, a certain distance should be maintained to prevent seed and seedling burning. 

· Reasonable dosage: Calculate the dosage based on the target yield of the crop and the soil fertility level. Generally, the dosage for top dressing per mu is about 15 to 25 kilograms.

• Summary

NPK 18-18-18 blended fertilizer is an efficient and balanced top dressing option, especially suitable for the simultaneous demand of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium during the vigorous growth period of crops. Its core advantage lies in the flexibility of the formula. However, "balance" does not equal "omnipotence". The key to scientific application lies in: determining whether the crop is at a stage that requires balanced nutrients, and combining the basic fertility status of the soil to avoid blind application. For crops with special nutrient requirements or plots with severely imbalanced soil nutrients, it is recommended to use or select more targeted formula fertilizers under the guidance of agricultural technicians.

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