Liquid back to granular fertiliser?

[Beefsmith]

I’m thinking of making the move back to spreading fertiliser instead of using liquid. Anybody done it and regretted it?
We can’t put on liquid P & K so have to use a contractor and as we are 36m spread pattern is hit and miss.
We’ve had scorch last year and this year with this year in particular being bad.
We’ve only done N1 and N2 this year because we couldn’t get on with the sprayer due to it being so wet where as I think a fert spinner on a small tractor on flotations would of gone 4 weeks earlier.
My liquid tank needs an internal sand down (it’s metal) and a repaint which is t cheap.
The sprayer is showing it’s age due to the liquid fert even though it’s washed off every day.
Liquid seems to be around 25% more expensive than granular and in particular urea.
We dropped area due to SFI so no longer need a bowser which means loading bags isn’t an issue as the yard is central.
I can pick up a decent used spinner for under £10,000 and retire the sprayer to just chems to make it last longer.
My only issue would be storing the bags of fert but 1 tonne bags would ease this and I don’t mind buying a big sheet for outdoor storage if needed.

 

[Goffer]

We keep our hand in on both fronts . We bought a shop soiled yr old amazone with weight cells for 15k. Will get 10 years out of it hopefully at a cost of £4/ ha for the ability to be flexible. You struggle to beat liquid for accuracy

 

[Wigeon]

I have done this, though still do some liquid.

Tbh I massively miss the ability to go in the wind and rain, particularly this yr.

Also I'd be lying if I said I had no stripes.

Urea has been miles cheaper tho. Can't really argue with that.

You can get free fibreglass tanks off one of the suppliers..

 

[Chae1]

We do both. Majority is granular. I prefer granular to be honest. Liquid much more expensive and don't think any more effective than granular.

 

[Heathland]

I don't regret going back at all too solid,tried liquid for a couple of years its over rated.
This had been discussed many times on here,people either fantasise about liquid or for me its was a nightmare.

 

[Devil's advocate]

What happed to those super fertilizer spreaders with booms. Air powered I think.

 

[Flatlander]

I have a trailer 18m pneumatic spreader. All my fertilizer goes on pre seeding so width doesn’t have to match the sprayer. It’s paid fir itself in two years from the savings over liquid. Less product to move around and as said not wind dependant compared to a spinner.

 

[Chae1]

What happed to those super fertilizer spreaders with booms. Air powered I think.

Rusted away

 

[Boysground]

What happed to those super fertilizer spreaders with booms. Air powered I think.

Chap i know has one think it’s a Horsch. It is absolutely massive with 32m booms. No idea how much it holds but it could easily be 10t. He has done avadex for me with it, worked a treat (back to 24m)
Dread to think how much it cost

Bg

 

[FMF74]

Was it definitely the liquid N that scorched
I do hundreds of thousands of litres through dribble bars every year and never have scorch remotely as bad as from some of the fungicides we use.

 

[T Hectares]

I changed 8 years ago

Don’t miss it a bit, some big savings, new Kuhn spreader is excellent on headlands with section control and ace spreading up the boundary accurately, last one was 14 years old when it went
Sprayer is 10 years old and will do many more

I like the flexibility of putting two high output machines out, in the same field if needed, instead of putting everything through one machine

I like the flexibility to buy what ever is good value from Urea, AN, Polysulphate, kieserite or whatever and not be tied up to a liquid manufacturer

 

[Jsmith2211]

What have you chaps seen the difference to be per acre between liquid and solid (urea/AN)? Considering it myself, currently everything applied by contractors, we have our own spreader and will soon have our own sprayer. Spreader only goes 18/21M and we will be on 24M so will potentially require a new spreader to do solids for N.

 

[T Hectares]

What have you chaps seen the difference to be per acre between liquid and solid (urea/AN)? Considering it myself, currently everything applied by contractors, we have our own spreader and will soon have our own sprayer. Spreader only goes 18/21M and we will be on 24M so will potentially require a new spreader to do solids for N.

It’s difficult to put a figure on savings as they vary from year to year

In 22 if you bought Urea early compared to paying a top of the market Spring fill liquid price the savings were huge

Liquid prices will vary between autumn and spring fills, tank size, usage etc

Generally, liquid is a slight premium over AN and Urea is cheapest, but not always….

With solid you have more flexibility with purchasing I feel

 

[warksfarmer]

What have you chaps seen the difference to be per acre between liquid and solid (urea/AN)? Considering it myself, currently everything applied by contractors, we have our own spreader and will soon have our own sprayer. Spreader only goes 18/21M and we will be on 24M so will potentially require a new spreader to do solids for N.

Something like a 28% N and 7% So3 around £285/t in Oct 23. In March 23 46% urea £430/tonne so it all varies a lot depending on the time of the year.

 

[principal skinner]

Something like a 28% N and 7% So3 around £285/t in Oct 23. In March 23 46% urea £430/tonne so it all varies a lot depending on the time of the year.

What was the liquid in March ‘23? Compare apples with apple

 

[KB6930]

I’m thinking of making the move back to spreading fertiliser instead of using liquid. Anybody done it and regretted it?
We can’t put on liquid P & K so have to use a contractor and as we are 36m spread pattern is hit and miss.
We’ve had scorch last year and this year with this year in particular being bad.
We’ve only done N1 and N2 this year because we couldn’t get on with the sprayer due to it being so wet where as I think a fert spinner on a small tractor on flotations would of gone 4 weeks earlier.
My liquid tank needs an internal sand down (it’s metal) and a repaint which is t cheap.
The sprayer is showing it’s age due to the liquid fert even though it’s washed off every day.
Liquid seems to be around 25% more expensive than granular and in particular urea.
We dropped area due to SFI so no longer need a bowser which means loading bags isn’t an issue as the yard is central.
I can pick up a decent used spinner for under £10,000 and retire the sprayer to just chems to make it last longer.
My only issue would be storing the bags of fert but 1 tonne bags would ease this and I don’t mind buying a big sheet for outdoor storage if needed.

Get a good spreader 36m isn't an issue with decent fert .

 

[Worsall]

I’m thinking of making the move back to spreading fertiliser instead of using liquid. Anybody done it and regretted it?
We can’t put on liquid P & K so have to use a contractor and as we are 36m spread pattern is hit and miss.
We’ve had scorch last year and this year with this year in particular being bad.
We’ve only done N1 and N2 this year because we couldn’t get on with the sprayer due to it being so wet where as I think a fert spinner on a small tractor on flotations would of gone 4 weeks earlier.
My liquid tank needs an internal sand down (it’s metal) and a repaint which is t cheap.
The sprayer is showing it’s age due to the liquid fert even though it’s washed off every day.
Liquid seems to be around 25% more expensive than granular and in particular urea.
We dropped area due to SFI so no longer need a bowser which means loading bags isn’t an issue as the yard is central.
I can pick up a decent used spinner for under £10,000 and retire the sprayer to just chems to make it last longer.
My only issue would be storing the bags of fert but 1 tonne bags would ease this and I don’t mind buying a big sheet for outdoor storage if needed.

Do it....i've got a lovely nick Amazone ZA-TS 3000 i'm about to trade in for a new one

 

[Billboy1]

wouldn't go back to solid i love the accuracy of liquid and my p&k goes on with fym and green covers now

 

[yellow belly]

i went from liquid to urea solid in 2014 my liquid tanks needed replacing

the first year the an amazone zats spreader cost the saving over liquid paid for the spreader

the reduced wear on the sprayer and the ability to spray and fert at the same time is also a big gain

the accuracy of a gps controlled spreader is comparable to liquid if not better

a set of trays supplied with the spreader for pattern testing leads to no stripeing and are as accurate as scs

the polution risk from carting liquid is also a big factor the fines and compensation from a spill are very big

 

[deleted user 837354]

wouldn't go back to solid i love the accuracy of liquid and my p&k goes on with fym and green covers now

Had a few clients who had the exact same thinking. Any P and K they needed was bought and applied by contractor as fibrophos or similar. Liquid N for everything else. No bags, no building needed to store the stuff, just had a posher sprayer to cope with the added workload. No bags, no dust, no lumps.