spreading fertilizer

[ric]

hi i want to spread a little fertilizer on my existing hay fields is there a certain pound per acre i could use and get by okay.i know your supposed to do soil samples but i dont really want to do all that thanks

 

[usetob]

Sorry but there's no accurate way to know without good soil samples, fertilizer is to costly to guess at in my opinion
plus you need to know the correct PH
Good Luck

 

[paul]

You need to know your ph. If the ph is low, forget fertilizer & spread lime. The soil binds up fertilizer if it is acidic, so it doesn't matter what you add, plant won't get it. Ph is important.

After knowing that, you could look at what your crop removes in a year, and add that amount. It will not improve things, but it will keep things in their current state.

Our problem is, we'd need to know a few things. Like, what hay - all grass, all alfalfa, or a mix, or some clover in it? What is 'hay' to you?

Are you in light ground, or heavy wet ground, or...

How much tonnage (or how many bales of what size) do you get off an acre?

A person can kinda guess, if you understand your soil ph, and if you know what crop you are growing and how much you get off the ground.

Would be nice to have a soil test tho just as a start. Sometimes you have way too much P, not enough K, and you don't know that without just a test.

--->Paul

 

[GordoSD]

What? You are willing to spend $1000 on fertizer, fuel, labor and you don't want to take 15 minutes, put some soil in a sack and mail it off? Ever hear the saying. "Anything worth doing is worth doing right?"
Stop by your ASCS office and talk to the agronomist. MNaybe even Goggle up your state ag college and get some info.
Please don't think this board is the only answer to your very broad question.

Gordo

 

[Aaron SEIA]

Nothing like a little abuse for a simple question, is there? Generally, the people selling you the fertilizer will also do a soil sample. If all you have is a few acres, they might charge for it, but when I was doing it full time our cost was something like $7 per sample. One sample will probably cover a single field up to 30 or 40 acres. The more the better, but one is better than none. You can also work strictly off of removal rates. It has been documented that X tons of hay removed require Y lbs of NPK for optimum growth. pH is also important, especially if you have any alfalfa, it like a lot of calcium. Have sonmeone take a soil sample and use that to tell you what you need to add. Look at your removal and calculate how much fertilizer you need to maintain the soil levels you have. Sit down, cause it's gonna cost way more than you thought. Some is better than none and what is called for is best.
AaronSEIA

 

[c.w n.y]

200Lbs a acre of 34-0-0 {ammonium nitrate) will get you buy, crop quality will be lacking if soil is low in other nutrients. best to take a 20 dollar soil sample and see.

 

[jhilyer]

Just had this conversation with another hay producer. I'm part-time, but this guy, it's ALL he does - about 10,000 small squares per year.

I've never put down fertilizer, but I'm going to this year.

I was asking this other guy about what he does. Soil sample? No. Pounds per acre? Didn't really know. Buys 3 tons, keeps laying it down until it's gone. What to use? Whatever they have at the local store - 10-20-20 or triple 15, usually.

I was kinda suprised, but it sure is working for him.

Point is - do we sometimes overthink this? What do you think about my friend's methods?

 

[jhilyer]

Oh, yeah, and he doesn't lime, either.

 

[stan jefferies]

I actually do think you can "eyeball" this but what kind of hay are you talking about? If its alfalfa or clover just forget the N, and get by on the P&K. I would advise spreading in the fall however or if its grass hay bring N into the equation and apply it within 5 days after baling as to not injure the crop any further. I just dont think its a must to soil test every inch of a field all the time for average expectations. I also dont think that its a good idea to never test or know what your soils makeup is. If your kids are hungry do you do a blood test to see if they need meat or fruit? no, you just feed them.

 

[ric]

they are grass hayfields