Status quo of fertilization strategies and nutrient farm gate budgets on stockless organic vegetable farms in Germany

Summary

This survey of 12 organic vegetable farms in Germany characterises the status quo of fertiliser management in stockless horticultural systems, where high nutrient demands necessitate substantial external inputs. Although average farm nutrient budgets were nearly balanced, substantial individual-farm imbalances were identified, suggesting that balanced nutrient management requires deliberate integration of base fertilisers, low-phosphorus commercial products, and biological nitrogen fixation strategies rather than reliance on single input sources.

UK applicability

The findings are broadly relevant to UK stockless organic vegetable production, where similar nutrient management challenges exist; however, differences in climate, soil type, crop portfolio, and availability of approved organic inputs may affect the applicability of specific fertiliser recommendations to UK farms.

Key measures

Nutrient farm-gate budgets (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium in kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹); fertiliser input categories and ratios; nutrient balance status across farms

Outcomes reported

The study quantified fertiliser inputs, nutrient flows, and farm-gate nutrient budgets across 12 organic vegetable farms, identifying three main fertiliser categories used and calculating average yearly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium balances. Large imbalances were found on individual farms, indicating variable risks of nutrient accumulation or depletion depending on fertilisation strategy.

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