Need to fertilize

[Egbert]

I could see a downturn in my hay quality this year. The pastures have not been fertilized in at least 10 years, so I thought I'd give it a go in the spring. I've not had the soil analyzed as yet, so the exact mix is still an unknown. I have access to a 500 gallon pto sprayer, so that will be my application method.

My questions are:

Where do you buy/order your fertilizer in quantities for a farm? I have 110 acres, with 88 in hay pasture.
Will I need to sell a kidney to pay for the chemicals?

 

[StanR]

First is get the soil test.

You need to get the PH in the correct range first.

I use dry fertilizer from the local feed store.

They either spread of I rent the spreader from them.

Lime to get the PH in the correct range can be expensive.

 

[Smallplot]

Is this grass hay or alfalfa hay?

Get soil test ASAP and add lime and P & K this fall. Don't wait until next spring . Use the winter to get the nutrients down into the soil where they will be useful at green up in the spring. If grass hay and you feel N is needed, apply the N in the spring right before a good rain.

Most coops that sell Ag Fertilizer will also be able to send off soil samples. They have crop specialist who can help with the mix to meet local conditions and soil types with the best product for your area.

Forget applying liquid fertilizer. Most are starter types containing a high N value. Use dry fertilizer for better P and K values. If the hay is alfalfa test for micro-nutrients as well.

 

[Egbert]

The hay is a mix of bermuda and tall fescue.

The Oklahoma Extension office is nearby and they will do my soil testing whenever I can get the samples to them.

I hadn't considered doing anything this fall but I guess I need to get moving on this, just in case I need more than the nitrogen.

One of the reasons, the main reason, I opt for spray is the ease of process and the large coverage per load. I don't currently own a 3pt dry spreader and it looks to me like they have to be refilled frequently to cover large acreage.

 

[Ed of all trades]

The co-op here will loan out a small pull behind trailer spreader if you buy from them. You would need a truck to get it to the farm and a tractor to pull it. (I don't know haw big a dk 50 se is) Bulk is cheaper than bagged.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Not to hijack, but what is the best method to apply lime?

Brett

 

[cowski]

get the coop to spread it,most fertlizer spreaders won't spread lime.your going to need a lot of potash to keep bermuda going.any chicken houses near buy?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Last time I was at my co-op and looked at the board for fertilizer, I think they wanted about $650 per ton. 300 -400# per acre would be a minimum I would think that your soil analysis will come up with if it has been 10 years since last fertilization. Lime is likely needed also and without it, your fertilizer isn't going to do as much good.
I would bet that proper fertilization is going to cost close to $100 per acre and lime at least $50 per acre minimum. Most co-ops will furnish a spreader for each of these for free if you buy from them. Cost to fertilize and lime has gotten outrageously priced in the last 5 years.

 

[Mud Mechanik]

I agree with the other replies about costs of doing it properly...but the yeild will thank you as well as your livestock. You will certainly be better off with a spreader buggy or getting a coop to spread it, fertilizing and liming 88 acres with a 3 ph spreader would be a lot of effort and not as accurate on spread rates.

 

[Deerherd]

Here's some very good info on Bermuda grass in your state: http://npk.okstate.edu/documentation/factsheets/PSS-2263web1.pdf

The quickest and easiest way to spread lime is to hire the guy with the spreader truck. It's a whole lot cheaper too if you don't already own the equipment. Remember, depending on the micron size it can take from 1-4 years to work. Liming materials differ widely in their neutralizing powers due to variations in the percentage of calcium and/or magnesium. Usually, liming materials with a high calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) tend to neutralize soil acidity faster than those with a low CCE. The coarseness of the liming material will also influence how fast the lime will react. In other words, the finer the liming material, the greater the surface area, resulting in faster reactivity.

Lime applied on the soil surface does not react as fast as lime incorporated by tillage, but what other option is there in perennial pasture systems?

Surface-applied lime moves into the soil at a slow rate. It is similar to non-mobile nutrients in its movement in the soil. However, there are a few crops that have roots that feed close to the soil surface, such as bermudagrass and alfalfa. It has been documented that correcting pH in the top two to three inches of the soil has a positive effect on forage production. Even though it is best to incorporate lime whenever possible, it is still important to surface-apply lime to correct the soil acidity problem in established pastureland and no-till cropping systems.

A soil with a low CEC does not require a lot of lime to correct soil pH, but may need to be limed frequently. A soil with a high CEC requires a large amount of lime to initially correct pH, but it may be several years before another lime application is needed due to its high buffering capacity. The level of production also dictates how often lime will be needed. As fertilizer is applied to enhance forage or crop production, the removal of essential plant nutrients from the soil also increases. As a result, lime may be needed more frequently to replenish removed nutrients. For example, the rate of nutrient removal from a pasture being hayed is much greater than a pasture being grazed. Therefore, the hay field may need to be limed more often.

 

[AGRIMAN]

If nothing has been done in nearly 10 years, you may want to be seated when you get the cost. But you really never know, I have leased a little over 200 additional acres this year.... 25 of it was back in the spring of the year and I know nothing had been done to it in nearly 10 years. When the samples came back I was totally surprised as they weren't that bad. Part of it didn't need any lime and what did only needed a 1/2 ton and P & K was all in the mid range.

Get your sample sent off and then let the local fertilizer guys quote you a price. Remember it pays to shop around. If it's too much for you to handle at one time, then split it up. Stay away from the 3 pt spreads, you are just killing yourself and probably just making a mess. I have a dry fertilizer buggy and I'm building a liquid applicator so I'm trying to more self-sufficient. Mine works good with lime, but if you're putting out a lot of tonnage, you really need to have in dumped in the field or you will spend most of your time driving back and forth. Check into using their buggy or have them spread it for you.

As far as dry ver liquid, it just depends on what I'm doing. I use dry for the majority of my P & K, but sometimes I will add some pop up in row crops. For just N (with a little surfer) on grass, whatever is cheapest at the time.

 

[Egbert]

Having just retired, I'm trying not to make all of this a J O B It's supposed to be Fun!

Looks as though, if I tackle this fertilizer issue correctly, it IS going to cost me a kidney - lol.

I've done 2 years of treating some briar and sprayed the entire acreage with Remedy Ultra in late spring of this year. It helps greatly with the briar, and some other things, but that set me back about $1200. As for thistle, I remove it by hand ... one plant at a time ... and spray the root. With a few neighbors that do very little in thistle control, this has been a major challenge. But, I am glad to say, you won't find a single thistle in my pastures - unless it's just a rosette hiding somewhere. So far, weed control is financially manageable and allows me to turn a nice profit on the hay. Dropping multiple thousands on fertilizer will most certainly put me in a hole.

I'll get my soil test in the next few weeks and that will give me the story on just what is needed. Then a shopping I will go E I E I O It sounds like I may have to break this up into 3 or 4 parcels to keep from busting the budget.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I used GRASSHOPPER fertilizer a powder that is water soluble(30-8-10). Advanced Liquid Nutrition | Grasshopper Fertilizer They also have liquid lime,never used it MOJO.

 

[bigbull338]

i dont know what fert cost in your area but i can give you some rough figures.you need 11 tons of fert at a time.thats about $5500 or more.lime if needed 1 ton to the ac roughly $3000.an if you need 3tons to ac your at $9000.

 

[Egbert]

Do you mind sharing the approximate cost of the grasshopper fertilizer? From a quick read, it says about 10-15 lbs per acre on hay.

Did you get this in 25lb bags or some larger size?

 

[foreman Etexas]

Do you mind sharing the approximate cost of the grasshopper fertilizer? From a quick read, it says about 10-15 lbs per acre on hay.

Did you get this in 25lb bags or some larger size?

25lbs is $52bag,I have found it for 51 but wasn't worth the longer drive. I like it cause can add the weed killer and spray both at same time. Its not a lot only equal to about 150lbs of the dry but its better than putting nothing. I let the co-op but the dry lime out,this year done 2tons an acre. 50tons was around 2,000 put out.

 

[Paul N]

I've been reading lately on some other ag sites that we can expect potash to drop at least $100/ton, many are expecting an even bigger drop. This is because of the break up of a Russian fertilizer cartell. You might want to re think fall application.

 

[slowzuki]

I'll add, you likely won't want to add all the soil test recommendation in one shot. A good rain will send a lot of it into ditches and down the road money wasted. Ag advisor can tell you how much per application.

 

[Utopia Texas]

Do not consider adding lime to your soil until you have a good soil test run. Many soils, like mine, are extremely alkaline with a pH of 8.5 already. Adding more lime to my soil would be disastrous. In fact I add a lot of sulphur to lower the pH and generally use a lot of ammonium sulfate, 21-0-0, for a temporary drop in pH. When I need more calcium in the soil I use Gypsum which does not generally change the soil pH.

 

[Tx Jim]

25lbs is $52bag,I have found it for 51 but wasn't worth the longer drive. I like it cause can add the weed killer and spray both at same time. Its not a lot only equal to about 150lbs of the dry but its better than putting nothing. I let the co-op but the dry lime out,this year done 2tons an acre. 50tons was around 2,000 put out.

What type of production in tons per acre of hay do you get from Grasshopper Fert? Have you ever heard of Vitazyme?