Starter Fertilizer

[Eric_Phillips]

Now that I have gotten the low down on spreading my grass seed for the pasture what about starter fertilizer. Do people use that for their pastures, does it help? If it is a good idea do they make a liquid form or just dry? Calibrating the sparyer is so much easier than a broadcast spreader. Also I can see where I have sprayed better than where those little granuals have fallen.

 

[KaiB]

Eric, you may be throwing good money after bad without a soil test. It is well worth the time and little effort to grab samples and run them off to your extension for analysis.

Its hard to sit on the sacks of seed and look longingly at the tractor and the field, but...proper prep will pay you back in spades. Of course, you'll do all of this and it won't rain for two months (if I say that, you get perfect rain!!!)

 

[rifflerunner]

Second the motion on the soil test. It will also tell you how much lime you will need which is also important if the pasture hasnt been limed in a few years. Starter fertilizer may be better than nothing at all, but its just a guessing game without a soil test. A soil test is cheap compared to the amount of fertilizer you may need on a few acres. Last year I renovated a pasture and needed approx. 1.5 tons of fertilizer per acre. Cheaper to go to a farm supply center that can mix the fertilizer in the proportions you need.

 

[Luremaker]

... Last year I renovated a pasture and needed approx. 1.5 tons of fertilizer per acre...

Was that all fertilizer or fertilizer and lime? I recently spread 165lbs per acre of 19-19-19 no lime and my pastures are looking real good right now. I was told some farmers are now putting micro nutrients like boron, iron etc on their pastures.

 

[rifflerunner]

Was that all fertilizer or fertilizer and lime? I recently spread 165lbs per acre of 19-19-19 no lime and my pastures are looking real good right now. I was told some farmers are now putting micro nutrients like boron, iron etc on their pastures.

That was all fertilizer, plus I had to add approx. 3-5 ton of lime per acre. Cant remember exactly on the lime. But, this pasture hadnt been used for a long time and was overgrown with hawthorne, goldenrod and multi-floral rose. Also, some of it was woodlot that I cleared, so it was basically starting a new pasture. This portion of land also had no drainage system set up either, so any nutrients that may have been there probably washed away.

 

[Luremaker]

That was all fertilizer, plus I had to add approx. 3-5 ton of lime per acre. Cant remember exactly on the lime. But, this pasture hadnt been used for a long time and was overgrown with hawthorne, goldenrod and multi-floral rose. Also, some of it was woodlot that I cleared, so it was basically starting a new pasture. This portion of land also had no drainage system set up either, so any nutrients that may have been there probably washed away.

WOW, what do you pay per tonne (2200lbs) for your fertilizer. I paid a little over $500 CAD per tonne for 19-19-19 bagged in 55lb bags. I'd go broke putting that much on my pasture at the price I paid.

 

[rifflerunner]

WOW, what do you pay per tonne (2200lbs) for your fertilizer. I paid a little over $500 CAD per tonne for 19-19-19 bagged in 55lb bags. I'd go broke putting that much on my pasture at the price I paid.

Honestly, I had so many projects going on at the time(land clearing, pasture renew, drainage, and barn building) and money was going out faster than coming in, I cant really recall the exact price I paid. I do believe that it was less than $300/ton, but this was from a bulk fertilizer plant that actually mixes it to your soil specifications and I hauled and spread myself. I would have gone broke also, if I would have used the prepackaged bag stuff

 

[Coyote]

Can't beat plain ole 10-10-10 If you go too high on the nitrogen, you are feeding the weeds more than the good seed