any calphos users out there

beaconsboy

Member
Location
south powys
Many people using this product, we had 3artic load. And the results are not very encouraging. There are fields tested before and 6 month's after the product has been applied.
 

beaconsboy

Member
Location
south powys
Ok that's a fair point, if that's the case how do you know if the product is any good and is it available to the crop. If someone come along and said they use it on a 1000 acres with pleasing results I'd be a bit happier using it again.
 

beaconsboy

Member
Location
south powys
No its on ploughed ground. Well we spread 300 kg per acre in the autumn . The p was 1.5 and lime was 5.5, we tested again in the spring after the crop of stubble turnips were grazed and the p was 1 but the lime had increased to 5.8.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
No its on ploughed ground. Well we spread 300 kg per acre in the autumn . The p was 1.5 and lime was 5.5, we tested again in the spring after the crop of stubble turnips were grazed and the p was 1 but the lime had increased to 5.8.

300 kg/ac of a product with a nv (22.5%) less than half that of lime, isn't going to alter the pH much. I'd have thought that was a decent pH lift considering.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
Did you apply it and plough it down, or was it applied on top of the ploughing?

Either way your P and pH still need a few more years of 'something' to take them up to decent levels.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Your P and pH levels are still below where they ought to be & will cost you yield of anything you plant. Try doubling the dose. For fixing the problem split it, putting some on top after ploughing or you'll be turning up acid & deficient soil.
 

Joe Boy

Member
Location
Essex
I thought calcium was responsible for locking up phosphate.

I would have though plough in a normal calcium lime or limex then spread phosphate on top. I have had good results from Fibrophos. Lifted a fields from 0 to 2+ in 6 months. I used a high p version and spread some manure as well.

Fibrophos Needs to be spread off a belt spreader though. Some contractors use a slatted floor spreader which puts it out unevenly.
 

Joe Boy

Member
Location
Essex
If you can raise the ph the phosphate already in the soil will become more available anyway. Better financial return on sorting the ph out rather than the phosphate I would have though.
 

clemmo

Member
@Joe Boy
Was it p grow you used or Fibrephos? What grade was it? As you said ph is fundamental and imo should be the first thing to be improved, it is my understanding phosphate will bond to iron and aluminium in a lower ph situation by adding calcium it will bond to this and is a weaker bond therefore being more plant available I'm sure some one will be along to correct me!
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Soil pH & nutrient availability.jpg
 

Joe Boy

Member
Location
Essex
Yes it was P grow. I cant remember the grade exactly, but what I like about these products is that they have already been through a plant and animal once before. This makes them more available than a source of nutrients that has just been mined out of the ground.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
The availability of phosphate from various sources is always a source of debate. A decent dose of most products should provide enough nutrient to be sufficient to the following crop. The rest can be locked up or slow release. Even rock phosphate has a role on low pH soils or where it can be bought cheaply enough to take a long term view on building reserves slowly.
 

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