As a producer, you want to get the most out of your pastures without depleting the soil, or your wallet.
One of the best ways to accomplish this task is by properly timing your fertilizer application to your fields.
There are several factors that come into play when timing this chore, but with some soil tests and a little research, you can get the most efficient results.
Know Your Needs
To make a wise decision when fertilizing your pastures, you first have to understand what your soil needs.
A soil test can tell you everything you need to know. Your test results can show you your NPK and organic matter levels, and more.
Once you know what you lack, you can select the right fertilizer for your pastures.
Have a Plan
Once you know what nutrients your soil needs, the next step is to develop a plan that fits your farm and fields.
Jill Scheidt, agronomy specialist with MU Extension, recommends creating a fertility plan.
“Once soil tests are obtained a fertility management plan should be put in place to economically improve fertility status for optimum yields,” she said. “Lower fertility pastures should be targeted first for fertilizer applications as a greater yield response will be seen from adding nutrients.”
Liming pastures should also be worked into a plan.
“Lime is not a fertilizer, but a soil conditioner that allows nutrients to become available to the plant for uptake,” Jill Scheidt said.
Lime can take up to nine months to fully break down, so it should be applied at least six months ahead of when you really want your forages to absorb nutrients.
Price It Out
Knowing what you need to buy with the help of your soil test ensures that you aren’t just throwing money down the drain.
There are also other ways to make your money go farther when you are buying fertilizer; calculate your fertilizer application rate so you know what you’re paying for, and monitor the market so you can make your purchases when prices are low.
Time It Right
Most farmers and ranchers apply fertilizer in the spring, but University Extension suggests there are a few things to consider about that timing, such as how many head of livestock are present on that pasture, and will they efficiently utilize the increased forage production? If not, consider re-evaluating your grazing plan.
How wet is the soil? If conditions are too dry, wait until moist soil conditions are present.
Are you attempting to get an early graze off your pastures? Bump up the nitrogen on a third of your pastures to get a head start.
Scheidt recommends splitting your application of nitrogen (one of the most common fertilizers needed in pastures) between spring and fall.
“Split applications of nitrogen in the fall and spring help make the growing season more uniform by increasing productivity during less productive times of the season,” she said.
