Plan Your Fertilizer Program!

The current emphasis on nutrient management plans underlines the importance of planning when and where fertilizer and other nutrients should be applied. Let's use these plans to put more profit on your bottom line!

The first step in planning your fertilizer program is finding out the total nutrients that need to be applied. Use the crop to be grown, and your soil test, to determine these amounts for any particular field. Applying more nutrients than the soil test calls for may occasionally increase crop yield slightly, but the yield increase is not usually enough to pay for the extra fertilizer.

The second step is to account for any on farm sources of nutrients. Legumes, especially forage legumes, can provide a large amount of nitrogen to the next crop. Manure provides all three major nutrients. Think about applying manure to the fields where it will give the greatest benefit. On many farms, manure has been applied at the front of the farm more often than the back, so it is the back fields that can really benefit from the nutrients.

When the on-farm nutrients have been subtracted from the total nutrient requirements, you know how much additional fertilizer is required. This amount should be split between fertilizer that will be applied with the planter or drill (starter fertilizer), and broadcast fertilizer. The proportions of each will depend on the crop, and how much needs to be applied. Both corn and cereals respond very well to a high phosphorus starter, with or near the seed, so as much of the total phosphorus requirements as possible should be applied through the planter. The starter band should include nitrogen at a ratio of one part N to four parts phosphate. A little potash can be included in the band, but be careful that the total nitrogen plus potash does not exceed safe rates. The balance of the fertilizer can be either broadcast and worked in, or if nitrogen is the only nutrient required, it could be side-dressed in corn.

Unlike the grass crops, soybeans show very little if any response to a starter. If the fertilizer requirements are low, they can be applied in a band with the planter but not right with the seed. Otherwise, broadcast fertilizer will give a much greater margin of safety against fertilizer burn.

These simple steps will provide a solid foundation for a profitable fertilizer program. Only once these basics are in place can you begin to further build your management strategy, fertilizer placement, micro nutrients, tillage. etc.

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