Got Soil Test Back...Need Advice

[SkylineAcres16]

I am just a small hobby guy who makes some orchardgrass/bluegrass/fescue square bales on the side. For the last several years I have just been fertilizing with 19-19-19 and had been putting off getting a soil sample taken. I finally did a sample this fall and got it back and now I need some direction on interpreting and also what to use as the fertilizer since I am used to just using triple 19. This would be done using a 3pt broadcast spreader. A buddy of mine recommended using DAP for my phosphorous and muriate of potash for the Potassium. Can these be bought in bags? Being new to this, if I went this route would I apply 1 product on the entire field and then apply the 2nd product afterwards since I would be buying in bags and have no way of mixing? Thanks in advance.

 

[duffer]

You can in fact, buy bags of Phosphorous by itself. I think the formulation is 0-46-0. On the potassium side, none of my suppliers around here sell potassium by itself, so I use a 15-0-15.

Also, pay attention to the ph level of your soil. It should be around 6-7. If it's below 6, you would likely need to add some lime to your soil to get the ph up. There should be a recommendation on your soill test results if you need lime.

If you have a good size broadcast spreader, you simply make multiple passes over your acreage. Once per each chemical you need. Doesn't take that long at all. I wouldn't even think about trying to mix it in a single batch. I always try to time the application before a rainy period (<2") to get it into the soil.

Getting your soil balance is important to letting the plants soak up the nutrients you'll put down later. Otherwise, you're just wasting money on triple 19. Wouldn't hurt to do another soil test in Jan-Feb to see how much more correction (if any) you need, and if you should change your fertilizer ratio at all.

 

[SkylineAcres16]

Thank you for your reply. I figured 1 pass per chemical would be the way to do it but wasn't sure.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Thank you for your reply. I figured 1 pass per chemical would be the way to do it but wasn't sure.

Funny. I was just reminded that I sent soil samples off to the great state of north carolina 4 months ago.

At the time I looked the gal in the eye and said, what are the odds I ever get these back, and smiled.

She gave me the bad eye. I never got the results back. Maybe she just tossed them?

Again, another example of govt. incompetence and no downside on their side.

 

[duffer]

I use Clemson University. Pretty quick with the results, and they give you a pretty detailed analysis, with graph, and specific recommendations on how much of what formula fertilizers/chemicals/lime to use. Used them for 3 years now. Not disappointed at all.

 

[DJ54]

Check locally where farmers buy their bulk fertilizer. Depending on how much you need, they will blend it, and you can spread all in 1 trip. I usually only need around 850 lbs to do my 4 acres of hay ground,but a local supplier will gladly blend it, and load it on my 1 ton dump truck. Takes me about 15 minutes to shovel it into my cone spreader, but sure beats making 3 trips over the field.

If you don't have a truck/trailer suitable to haul it in, they have spreaders you can use. Not sure what additional cost would be though.

You might want to consult with your extension agent, as to when to apply. I made the mistake one year applying in April, and with a wet Spring, I wasn't able to cut until late June. I had a bumper crop, but, using the MoCo, had to mow in 1rst gear, and in the low side on my IH 656. The reel was literally pulling out Rye Grass by the roots, before it got to the cutter bar. Lesson learned, I don't spread it now, until after making first cutting.

 

[powerscol]

My local COOP will blend too. I get my 1000lbs in a bulk bag. Bag is just 15$

 

[fishheadbob]

Check locally where farmers buy their bulk fertilizer. Depending on how much you need, they will blend it, and you can spread all in 1 trip. I usually only need around 850 lbs to do my 4 acres of hay ground,but a local supplier will gladly blend it, and load it on my 1 ton dump truck. Takes me about 15 minutes to shovel it into my cone spreader, but sure beats making 3 trips over the field.

If you don't have a truck/trailer suitable to haul it in, they have spreaders you can use. Not sure what additional cost would be though.

Great advice. My local mill can blend up about anything. I have often used one of their spreaders which had the proper blend in it, nice flotation tires, and I don't think they even charged for it if I got it back quickly. It beat shoveling or even opening and poring 20 or 30 bags into a cone spreader. If I ever wanted to go bigger they would show up with one of their very specialized spreader trucks and bang out a lot of acreage in no time. It helps if you are flexible about when you want to do it. I recall that a big dairy was fertilizing several hundred acres tieing up a lot of the mill capabilities, could I please do it a few days later..

 

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

If this was my field, and if it was in Ky, and if I was to use all of my 30 years of experience in the fertilizer business I would recommend 100lbs of Urea(46-0-0) 100 lbs of (Dap) 18-46-0 and 100 lbs of muriate of potash per acre. That would give you a blend of 64-46-60.Your soil sample calls for 70-39-60. I used 100 lbs of each just to keep it simple. Or plan B would be 300 lbs of bagged 19-19-19 per acre which gives you a 57-57-57 blend and if the filler in the triple 19 is lime that may help with your pH. Some other things to consider. If you can find Potash in bags or can can locate a drawbar pull fertilizer buggy/spreader apply some Potash/DAP in the fall (Sept/Oct). Most drawbar pull spinner type spreaders will not spread less than 100 lbs or product per acre very well. if you are in a area that has limestone quarries you might find someone to haul you out some ag lime(crushed limestone rock). Much more cost effective them pelleted lime but much more difficult to spread. Let me finish by saying I'm not trying to tell you what to do. It's your place you do as you please. All of my experience is in KY and Indiana but may be helpful in your situation. Holler back.

 

[Bearsixty7]

Good timing on this thread! I was just looking to do some food plot prep and was considering buying a used 3pt cone spreader (They sell fast around here these last few weeks!) and figuring up bags of lime and all.
Then remembering back on the farm, dad had a company just do the fertilizing of our hay fields so I decided I should see if I could buy in bulk cheaper and actually found a place that on their website it states they rent a 4 ton spreader. I need to call and get prices and availability.