Fertiliser quandary on perm pasture

[Classichay]

We’ve got a new block of grass come available, we usually hit with 125kg/a of fert in the spring, it was mucked reasonably heavy last back end, I’m getting a SNS test done, but rough idea for my fert order. It’s being cut for hay or haylage. Last year was diabolical and were wondering if any fert may be residual over the winter now as we did spread on it last year for them.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

If your not testing then 3 cwt acre 20 10 10 . I'm betting though its low in potash

 

[Classichay]

If your not testing then 3 cwt acre 20 10 10 . I'm betting though its low in potash

So if I can get a blend, 40kg/a potash ?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

So if I can get a blend, 40kg/a potash ?

Hard to say without history . But if you have been cutting every year and not putting much back then each cut will remove Approx 60 units per acre of potash, although your muck may have put some back , is there much clover about, this usually gives you an indication if fertility status

 

[Classichay]

Hard to say without history . But if you have been cutting every year and not putting much back then each cut will remove Approx 60 units per acre of potash, although your muck may have put some back , is there much clover about, this usually gives you an indication if fertility status

Thanks Derrick!

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Thanks Derrick!

Dont thank me see what the others say first [emoji23
I would add Sulphur as well

 

[Sid]

We’ve got a new block of grass come available, we usually hit with 125kg/a of fert in the spring, it was mucked reasonably heavy last back end, I’m getting a SNS test done, but rough idea for my fert order. It’s being cut for hay or haylage. Last year was diabolical and were wondering if any fert may be residual over the winter now as we did spread on it last year for them.

But if you have been cutting every year

Are you FACTS qualified?
Its new to him so hasn't been doing anything to it.

How much muck is reasonable?
125kg of what?

Really need a soil test to see where you are with indices.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Are you FACTS qualified?
Its new to him so hasn't been doing anything to it.

How much muck is reasonable?
125kg of what?

Really need a soil test to see where you are with indices.

Depends if you call 40 years of intensive livestock farming a qualification. If someone don't have a soil test then we can only go in the facts presented and go for the best option which is not chucking 80 units an acre of straight N on ,
He said last year was diabolical, so I assumed he had some history
If the op would like to give us some more history then I'm sure a better conclusion can be given

 

[Sid]

Depends if you call 40 years of intensive livestock farming a qualification. If someone don't have a soil test then we can only go in the facts presented and go for the best option which is not chucking 80 units an acre of straight N on ,

Things have changed a lot in 40 years!

 

[Classichay]

Sorry, 20: 10 : 10 we did use + S last year for some ground which has been used grazed heavily.generally use 125kg / a of 20 : 10 : 10, I’ve tried speaking to the wynstay rep but I’m not sure if their facts qualification was a photocopy of someone else’s, scary clueless.

pasture is approx 20 years down always grazed with livestock and occasional hay cutting, I’ve taken two lots of hay off it in the last two years, I did muck it last year 5/t / a just to get rid of excess muck we had.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Things have changed a lot in 40 years!

Yes . I'm still here I've not desolved like a prill of Nitram [emoji23]

 

[N.Yorks.]

We’ve got a new block of grass come available, we usually hit with 125kg/a of fert in the spring, it was mucked reasonably heavy last back end, I’m getting a SNS test done, but rough idea for my fert order. It’s being cut for hay or haylage. Last year was diabolical and were wondering if any fert may be residual over the winter now as we did spread on it last year for them.

Wouldn't bother with an SNS test as that's something that can be worked out ok from a book once you know soil type, annual rainfall and previous cropping and N fert/muck history.

You need a basic soil test done on a representative sample(s) of the area: P, K, Mg and pH.

That'll tell you what the plant available P & K reserves are in the soil. If they are low then you'll need to add more if they are too high then you don't need to waste money on any P and K.

If P and K in soil is too low then it doesn't matter how much N you bang on the grass won't use it as it will be limited by lack of other nutrients.

The whole lot has to be right to get the output and ensure you're not wasting money one way or another.

If P and K too low and you put loads of n on then you're wasting money on N that won't be used.

If P andf K is too high and you put P and K on then that's a waste of money.

If you get it wrong either way you're wasting money.

 

[deleted user 837354]

As above, fudge the SNS test. Get a basic plus soil test done by Lancrop to establish what need there is (if any) for P and K before you go buying expensive blends and compounds.

If no P or K needed just go with N + S. Save your £££'s.

 

[C.J]

Whats the pH like on your part of the Moon ?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

At the risk of repeating myself , cutting will remove a lot of potash, so it is hardly wasteful putting some on and you have to be careful if grazing when you put that on, so now is as good time as any, I would sooner gamble a bit than risk an almost crop failure if its low in K , in an ideal world you would have a soil test but time is not on your side

 

[N.Yorks.]

At the risk of repeating myself , cutting will remove a lot of potash, so it is hardly wasteful putting some on and you have to be careful if grazing when you put that on, so now is as good time as any, I would sooner gamble a bit than risk an almost crop failure if its low in K , in an ideal world you would have a soil test but time is not on your side

With grazed grass stick K on in June i(f it is K index 0 or 1) avoid spring (hypomagnesaemia risk otherwise). If it's K index 2 and over then no need for any K........

If a lot has to go on in front of silage then a chunk should be put on in the back end of the season before.

 

[Princess Pooper]

If your not testing then 3 cwt acre 20 10 10 . I'm betting though its low in potash

I'm also going with pH. check as essential. No amount of fertiliser will help if pH is wrong.

I doubt it is low on potash - or at least not to affect the crop this spring - if it was mucked heavily. High K silage/haylage can cause a lot of problems. Will more muck be available later this year? We haven't bought K ferts for decades as muck and potash releasing clays are giving us enough to keep indices up, despite heavy silage cutting.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Just get a soil test done ffs, you'll get the results in 3 days.

 

[deleted user 837354]

It really couldn't be simpler, you dig samples, post them to Lancrop and they will email back in 3 days with a fertiliser recommendation as a rough guide which will be in units and kilos. Ring your fertiliser supplier, explain your results as a final check and get the stuff ordered. It's not rocket science.