Got my soil test back....

[warhammer]

I want to put a 5 acre field that has been row cropped for decades into Coastal and then run some cows on it and some adjacent vacant land that can't be farmed.

The vacant land I will leave as unimproved pasture.

I sent soil samples off for test and the results are back.
For establishment I need 10 lbs. Nitrogen and 60 lbs. of Phosphorous per acre. Everything else is over the critical limit.

I have several newbie questions.

My understanding is fields get sprigged with Coastal when there is a likelihood for rain. Even though the row cropped fields all around me have been planted and the seeds have sprouted I have been told that sprigging will be late this year.

Have I missed the time for when the fert should have been put on? If not can it be put on now if sprigging is a month off?
Should it be dry/granular or liquid?
Is this a small enough quantity to use one of the TSC Fertilizer/Seed spreaders pictured below with my tractor?

The field was plowed under last fall and has been disced several times since then by the farmer next door.

Thanks in advance for any help clearing the confusion,

Warhammer

 

[Western]

I would put out my fertilizer just prior to spriging. I would re-prep the field and lightly disc the fertilizer in, no point putting it out to early and encouraging weeds.

As far as the spreader, you could by that one, just make sure you rinse the #ell out of it or it will rust. another option is to get one from your local feed/fertilizer store. they will let you use it and they can load you up with bulk cheaper.

 

[Kfbeal]

I normally purchase my dry fertilizer from the local Farmer's Coop and use their spreader. We put between 100-250 # / acre though on about 30 acres. Just make sure it's going to rain because fertilizer these days isn't very cheap.

Not sure where you are, but down here Southwest of Houston they are predicting rain the next couple of days. I have the same intentions but need to get rid of some mccartney rose and yellow nutsedge. I plan to be breaking out the Weedmaster and Grazon to try and tackle all that.

 

[Kfbeal]

BTW, can I ask what the soil sample cost?

 

[myyaz33]

Soil tests are usually $10-$20 around these parts.

 

[warhammer]

I sent mine off to Texas A&M and it was $20 for a pretty complete set of tests.
The price range was $10-50. They turned it right around because I had the mailed results a little over a week after I sent the samples off via UPS.

Jeff

BTW, can I ask what the soil sample cost?

 

[Kfbeal]

Do you recall what form you chose?

Forms for Texas A&M University Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory

and which test I would choose on the form?

I'd like to get soil tested for planting Alicia Bermudagrass or Jigs in a pasture and hayfields. I may have to do more than one sample.

 

[Western]

I always used the 1st form on the list, had test 1 done every year and test 2 done every other yr.

I always took samples say from a 20 acre field, I would get a sample from the 4 corners a couple near the center and mix it in a 5 gal. bucket remove anything that wasn't dirt, and took the sample from the "blend".

At the time I was fertilizing around 380 acres and you would be surprised at the subtle differences. I also burned my fields off most every spring, so I didn't need potash much.

The first fertilizer for me every year, I had liquid put out with broad leaf weed killer, then I put out the rest every 6 weeks or so during cutting time.

Just make sure you put on your form what your growing and the purpose so they can give you the best recommendations for it.

 

[Kfbeal]

Thanks for the reply, that really helps. I've never handled this, so I didn't even know where to begin.

 

[warhammer]

It was the soil submittal form and I got test #6.
As a previous poster indicated the sample is a blend from a dozen or so spots in the area your are testing. When I had all my spots samples mixed together I spread it out and let it dry for a few days before sending it off as I have read that moisture can affect some of the findings.
Warhammer

Do you recall what form you chose?

Forms for Texas A&M University Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory

and which test I would choose on the form?

I'd like to get soil tested for planting Alicia Bermudagrass or Jigs in a pasture and hayfields. I may have to do more than one sample.