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Crop Corner – Considerations for a Fall Fertilizer Program 2016

September 01, 2016

There are many reasons for growers to be thinking about fertilizing some of their cropland this fall for the 2017 growing season. Many of you are working up wheat stubble and should be incorporating fertilizer at the same time especially P and K. This operation will help make the fertilizer much more available to your roots next crop year, rather than just spreading it on the soil surface in the spring. Phosphorus will only move a quarter of an inch into the soil by natural means and potash only an inch. If your soybeans and corn seed are planted deeper than the fertilizer, the roots may not get access to it during the growing season, therefore incorporation of fall fertilizer is critical.

Crop safety and fertilizer burn is becoming much more common especially on our lower organic soils as we apply heavy rates of nitrogen and potash for corn. Applying potash in the fall will greatly reduce the salt levels in your seed zone and prevent seed and root burn in a dry spring.

 The biggest advantage to fall fertilizing is reducing your workload in the busy spring planting season, you can be planting on those nice days rather than be out bulk spreading fertilizer. Remember those busy spring days waiting for a fertilizer spreader!

Call your Clark Sales Agronomist for more information and to plan your fall fertilizer program.

This Crop Corner has been written by Jerry Winnicki, Agronomy Manager at Clark Agri Service.  Jerry can be reached by email jwinnicki@clarkagriservice.com or by phone 905-736-1426