LIQUID FERTILIZERS

[Anonymous-0]

I was wanting to try some liquid fertilizer this year on oats and wheat for grain. I have never used it before I was going to put it on through my sprayer as a top dress and going to try to mix 2-4-D with it to get the herbicide and the fertilizer in the same application. I was told by my coop that there is no way to make it work but I talked to another farm supplier and he says it is a great idea and another farmer says it works, the local crop duster said it works. I asked someone else about it and they said they mixed the fertilizer product with water but the product immediately seperated and plugged the sprayer pump. Anyone have some suggestions for me? I think it is a neat idea but I don't want a big mess either Also, what is a surfactant or an E-Z mix? read it in a previous post, Never heard of either one. Also, I have a 28% product available and a 32% product available, which one should I look into? and, what is a typical price for this product? Thanks a bunch guys

 

[JMS/.MN]

Regarding the mixing properties...mix up about a gallon in the right proportion to see how it works. don"t need to find out the products are incompatible after loading the sprayer. Some are, some are not. Might be time to find another co-op as well.

 

[Jared M]

I know of guys that do it so it must work. I wouldn't think that you'd plug the sprayer pump because guys spray 28% all the time. My crops prof said 32% is just the Canadian version of 28% so I would just go with the one thats cheapest per unit of N. Surfactant which stands for Surface Acting Agent helps break the surface tension of the water in the spray mix so the droplet on the leaf spreads out over more area and can get into the plant easier. EZMix is an adjuvant that helps increase compatibility of the components of the mix, like helping polar and nonpolar substances stay in solution. Hope this helps. Jared

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks for the advice. I am stuck with our coop they own the only three within 75 miles What works good for a surfactant? IS EZ mix the brand or the product or what? What do I ask for to obtain these things to use them. The liquid fertilizer here is about $8 a gallon is this high or is this the normal price?

 

[SC Farmer]

Bought a 3 loads of 25% last week for $189 per ton.Thats around $1 per gallon.As far as the 2-4D goes, just make sure you get the one that mixes with liqiud nitrogen and you'll be fine.Very common practice around here.

 

[Seth_ia]

I can't tell you the exact difference between 28 or 32 aside from the apparent fact that 28% is 28% nirogen and 32% is 32% nitrogen. The desiding factor should be price per unit of N. Generally 32% will be slightly cheaper(lower transport cost). Atleast around here 28% is hard to find anymore. 32% is a good carrier for many chemicals. 2,4D comes in a bunch of formulation by a ton of manufactors so check the label. Theoretically water and 32% mix. 32% weighs 11.1#/gallon and water 8#. So seperation is going to be a problem and that makes me very skeptical. 10 gallons of 32% per acre will give you 35 units of nitrogen. I have very limited experience in small grains, but 10 galloms seems like a realistic amount nirogen and 10 gallon is an ample amount of carrier for 2,4-D. My complaint with a weed & feed program like your talking is volatilization. I'd suggest a stabalizer product like Nutriphere or Agrotain. Basically a surfact makes the the product cover better, thus work better. Depending on the product 32% may lessen the need for a surfactant - READ THE LABEL! Hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I greatly appreciate the advice it sure clarifies my plans I bet I could figure it out now. I calibrated my sprayer for the fertilizer so I will research the 24d to see what will mix with the fertilizer I am going to give it a try in the next few days. The $8 a gallon is a little high though it sounds like.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I also have had no luck finding a 2,4,D in my area that says it will mix with liquid fertilizer all of them say that they are not compatible and not to mix them except for one brand that said to mix the two, and spray immediately with constant agitation does anyone have any leads on where to get some better 2,4,D that will mix OK I work full time and don't really have time or money to buy all kinds of herbicides and mix them up until I find a solution that works. Thanks for the help so far.

 

[Jared M]

The coop should have some sort of non-ionic surfactant that all you should have to do is ask for. EZ Mix is a brand name for a spray adjuvant. Talk to the guys at your local coop about what they have to offer to improve the sprays effectiveness and maybe talk to a few other farmers about what they add and base your decision. You shouldn't need anything special to obtain them.
Jared

 

[Anonymous-0]

well OK that solves that but I doubt my local coop will have any of this if it is incorporated into farming since they say that you arent supposed to mix anything with spray but water they are a really poor esablishment that I no longer use if I can avoid it but there are some other stores that cary stuff that might have this stuff. Thanks for the input.

 

[Nathaniel Watts]

Here we use 30% mixed with ester formulation 24d. It is labeled for this as is the amine formulation. But with the amine you need to do a compatability test. I have used both with great success. With the amine it works best to premix the 24d with a little nitrogen in a bucket befor you put it in the sprayer. Not sure what your coops problem is. You could also use banvel of clarity which are both dicambas. They will have a lower rate.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Oats- I use 24D ESTER in 30%. Works great. 24D amine can be troublesome mixing. Local coop does not recommend using banvel(even though it's labeled) on spring grains as it's so hot it's hard to get the rate right without burning the crop. I sprayed spring barley with it once and it did hurt it.
Wheat- coop sprays that for me early with same 30%. A couple years ago they used 24D and banvel. Through a combination of events(dry weather, variety differences, etc.) it STERILIZED one variety. Nothing appeared wrong until it was harvest time- the heads formed but didn't fill. There won't EVER be any of either put on any of my wheat again. Harmony is used now. (soft winter wheat)