Fall fertilizer Fall fertilizer is best applied as close to freeze up as possible to balance two objectives: (1) To allow soil to seal over the band (frozen soil may not seal). (2) To reduce losses due to high microbial activity in warm soils.   The key strategy of fall fertilization is to store nitrogen […]

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Question: After a couple of bad years, cash flow is tight. How can a farm reduce fertilizer costs while still keeping the door open for a good rebound yield?
Answer: (1) Soil sampling is often more valuable after a bad year because reserves could still be high. A soil test may show higher than expected carryover. Note that after a dry year, soil nutrient reserves may be concentrated a little deeper so test to at least 12” and probably to 24”. …

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Despite some wintery weather, we can hope for (and expect) good harvest weeks to come. Don’t rush into pre-winter jobs just yet.

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Dry conditions throughout the summer and heading into winter could have ramifications for field management decisions this fall and rotation planning for next year.

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In-crop fertilizer applications can rescue a deficiency situation. But what nutrients are deficient? Look for these symptoms.

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Generally, small-seeded crops such as canola are more sensitive to seed-placed fertilizer, especially nitrogen and potassium.

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A quick test for the safety of seed-placed fertilizer is to turn off the fertilizer feed for about 100 feet, mark the spot, and go back and compare stand establishment in treated and untreated areas.

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What are safe seed row fertilizer rates for phosphorus (P), sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N)? With lower seeding rates than in the past, this concern is greater than ever. Growers need to keep all seed viable to hit plant population targets. Therefore, the best practice is to put up to 20 lb./ac. of phosphate (max 40 lb./ac. of MAP) in the seed row – if P is needed – and put all other fertilizer in a band outside the seed row.

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Canola generally needs nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur fertilizer each year. A small percentage of fields will also benefit from a potassium application. The following article suggests what canola needs and what soil and crop residue could provide. The rest will come from fertilizer.

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Winter is a great time to review yield results, fertilizer rates and potential fertilizer shortcomings evident over the growing season. Winter provides the time to look at soil test results from the fall (and even sample fields that weren’t done sooner – albeit with specialized equipment for frozen soil) and make plans to pre-buy and maybe even take delivery of fertilizer – if the farm is set up for that.

But winter is not the time to apply fertilizer.

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