How to Increase Nitrates in Soil

Increasing Nitrates Chemically

• 1

  Select a chemical fertilizer that contains a large percentage of nitrogen. Fertilizer formulas have three numbers on the package label; the first number represents the amount of nitrogen, in total percentage, in the fertilizer, while the other two numbers represent phosphorus and potassium, respectively. For example, a fertilizer with a formula of 46-0-0 is composed of 46 percent nitrogen with no phosphorous and no potassium.

• 2

  Prepare the nitrogen-based fertilizer according to the instructions on the package. Several types of nitrogen fertilizer contain mostly nitrates in the chemical formula. Nitrate of soda and ammonium nitrate are common solid fertilizers that can be spread over the soil surface to immediately increase the nitrates in the soil, while liquid fertilizers that contain soluble nitrogen may require special applications to inject or spray the fertilizer over garden soils.

• 3

  Apply the nitrate-based fertilizer to the garden soil and till the soil thoroughly to incorporate the fertilizer into the soil to make it available for plants.

• 4

  Reapply nitrate-based fertilizers, as needed, to encourage healthy plant growth.

Increasing Nitrates Organically

• 5

  Spread organic livestock manure, such as cow or chicken manure, over the soil surface. Distribute the manure evenly over the surface to increase the nitrates in the soil.

• 6

  Mix the compost into the soil with a shovel to encourage soil microorganisms to break down the manure and increase the amount of available nitrates in the soil.

• 7

  Water the compost and soil thoroughly to settle the soil and prepare the garden for planting.