Idiots guide to Liquid Fert

[warksfarmer]

Is spreading to 24m accurate enough for cereals?Answer yes. Are liquid application 100% accurate especially at wider boom widths? Answer no. Any boom bounce or yaw effects evenness of spread. I will concede that liquid is better at the edge of the field but one pays a big premium for the material.

You don’t pay a price premium though and boom auto levelling stops any wild movements.

 

[Clive]

Is spreading to 24m accurate enough for cereals?Answer yes. Are liquid application 100% accurate especially at wider boom widths? Answer no. Any boom bounce or yaw effects evenness of spread. I will concede that liquid is better at the edge of the field but one pays a big premium for the material.

liquid has cost me less than solid for the last few years

 

[Andrew K]

liquid has cost me less than solid for the last few years

And auto section control means far less waste.

 

[Clive]

And auto section control means far less waste.

and less pollution !

 

[Wheatonrotty]

One of my main reasons for swapping was logistics after a member of staff left. With several 100 to 300 acre blocks I can drop a bowser somewhere handy and and get on with it on my own rather than needing to run a loader about as well. It also meant I could happily go out to 36m and didn't swap the spinner as I had planned to.
Yes it's dearer than urea as I haven't got set up to mix my own yet, but overall I'm pleased with the swap.

 

[warksfarmer]

One of my main reasons for swapping was logistics after a member of staff left. With several 100 to 300 acre blocks I can drop a bowser somewhere handy and and get on with it on my own rather than needing to run a loader about as well. It also meant I could happily go out to 36m and didn't swap the spinner as I had planned to.
Yes it's dearer than urea as I haven't got set up to mix my own yet, but overall I'm pleased with the swap.

What are you buying spec wise and how much?

 

[fudge]

liquid has cost me less than solid for the last few years

What proportion of product do you mix yourself though?

 

[Clive]

What proportion of product do you mix yourself though?

all of it the last 4 years, we have some ready made liquid bought in as well this year though for the first time in a while

 

[fudge]

I see. For me one of the aspects of buying the ready mixed, realistic option for us, is that over the years the best offers on granular product have been current in May. Very often at that time of year liquid suppliers are unwilling to give firm quotes for their products. Consequently I buy the urea since I prefer a bird in the hand.

 

[Brisel]

I agree. It has been irritating that while the early season deals have been going for urea & AN, the liquid suppliers have sat on the sidelines. My liquid N order was submitted to the buying group in May last year but didn't get ordered until June, missing the bottom of the market.

 

[spikeislander]

Yes I agree as above.... I was getting gbh of the ear from partners as I wanted to go liquid and the price of solid was out and we were buyers , had to wait until they decided to release prices....
Could anyone explain why the delay? I’m happy to pay up front to get best prices, justification for delay please? @BFSfertilisers

 

[fudge]

It is a captive market with a very small number of suppliers. Omex have always been profitable and their strategy is to match the blue bag price. Granular urea is the global product that other parts of the market benchmark themselves against, they always charge a premium. That’s my experience anyway.

 

[Andrew K]

Yes I agree as above.... I was getting gbh of the ear from partners as I wanted to go liquid and the price of solid was out and we were buyers , had to wait until they decided to release prices....
Could anyone explain why the delay? I’m happy to pay up front to get best prices, justification for delay please? @BFSfertilisers

I think the only justification for delay could be that liquid fert manufacturers themselves may often be caught waiting for price confirmation from raw input suppliers.Either that or they like to play a game called "I wont show you my price till you show me yours"
Its all a bit silly and causes them to lose market potential, despite the fact that there is considerable interest.
Its the main reason I have home mixed for 27 yrs now.

 

[Billboy1]

Are all suppliers similar in price Omex/ Yara etc ?

 

[Brisel]

Are all suppliers similar in price Omex/ Yara etc ?

I rent tanks from Yara so I always ask my buying group if they are competitive with Omex, Frontier, Koch/Bunn etc. They always have been, so no problem.

 

[Oldmacdonald]

Thread resurrection.

I intend putting 50 units per acre (I know) of liquid on all my WB, WW and grass as soon as I can.
The next two days have gales forecast of 50mph. Thursday is sunny spells with winds down to 18mph.

Will Thursday be safe enough, or will the previous two days winds have damaged the leaf too much?

 

[Renaultman]

Thread resurrection.

I intend putting 50 units per acre (I know) of liquid on all my WB, WW and grass as soon as I can.
The next two days have gales forecast of 50mph. Thursday is sunny spells with winds down to 18mph.

Will Thursday be safe enough, or will the previous two days winds have damaged the leaf too much?

My forecast has rain on Friday. I'm going to go, if it's raining enough to wash it off the leaves

 

[Minesapint]

Thread resurrection.

I intend putting 50 units per acre (I know) of liquid on all my WB, WW and grass as soon as I can.
The next two days have gales forecast of 50mph. Thursday is sunny spells with winds down to 18mph.

Will Thursday be safe enough, or will the previous two days winds have damaged the leaf too much?

I have been on today, in much stronger winds than I have applied before, but crops are going backwards, and forecast not great. I am going to go again on Thursday to finish the last 300 acres. I’m sure there will be some scorch due to de-waxing of leaf, but better than not getting it on for another 2 weeks (I hope!).

 

[warksfarmer]

Thread resurrection.

I intend putting 50 units per acre (I know) of liquid on all my WB, WW and grass as soon as I can.
The next two days have gales forecast of 50mph. Thursday is sunny spells with winds down to 18mph.

Will Thursday be safe enough, or will the previous two days winds have damaged the leaf too much?

Scorch isn’t a problem with young crops so the weather doesn’t really matter at this stage.

 

[Fish]

Push on, leaves are pretty tough at this time of year.
i’ve been spraying liquid AS for a day or two, rape, wheat and barley, no scorch so far.