Liquid starter fert

[Matt77]

What are people using, been gearing up to this over a few years, just had a rep say it’s really expensive, limited blends and way more money than solid, currently chuck a bit of TSP about each year, and liquid N+S

 

[Farmer Roy]

And what was the rep selling ?

 

[Brisel]

N and P together are ideal. I just use N and S liquid because that's what I have in stock for top dressing. Got to be sensible about what you're really paying for.

 

[Ian01]

P in the liquid form is fully soluble and far more available than tsp/dap etc, so alot lower rates are needed. Although it is a higher cost per nutrient qty. What crop are you refering to?

 

[Matt77]

And what was the rep selling ?

Liquid and solid, normally a good honest chap

 

[Matt77]

P in the liquid form is fully soluble and far more available than tsp/dap etc, so alot lower rates are needed. Although it is a higher cost per nutrient qty. What crop are you refering to?

OSR and spring crops if I’m to stay legal, so it can have N in it, which I was told it would definitely have in it, I’ve spoken to few people over past few Cereal trips, I thought there was something out there but no one wanted to give prices until on farm trying to fill up the tank, which I’ve not got yet, I think I saw a 7N 18P 0K or something like that the other year. I just want to use a front tank on tractor and blast it down the drill legs into the seed zone.

 

[D14]

Liquid and solid, normally a good honest chap

They generally use granular in the USA and Canada for a reason. Liquid fert ruins equipment.

 

[Farmer Roy]

They generally use granular in the USA and Canada for a reason. Liquid fert ruins equipment.

not so sure about Canada, but they use a hell of a lot of liquid in some parts of the US

 

[Brisel]

not so sure about Canada, but they use a hell of a lot of liquid in some parts of the US

UAN based material or anhydrous ammonia?

 

[Farmer Roy]

UAN based material or anhydrous ammonia?

well yes, both, depending on location, for their N
However, I was replying in the context of the thread title, liquid starter fert.
They certainly use a lot of NPK type starter liquid ferts, especially in the row crop / maize / cotton growing areas
Practically every precision planter you see there is set up with liquid, they manufacture a lot of aftermarket liquid gear & you can order brand new precision planters from John Deere, Kinze etc fully set up with liquid tanks / pumps / lines etc, from the factory

 

[Brisel]

Thanks. Is liquid much more expensive than solid? The broadacre boys seem happy enough to use big seed carts with multiple bins. Is liquid more of a row crop fashion?

 

[Matt77]

They generally use granular in the USA and Canada for a reason. Liquid fert ruins equipment.

Yes that is a down side of it, been using it for 5 years and wash sprayer every night after liquid N and it’s still found places to rust. My drill is not a grain and fert drill though so plan is to use a front tank I already have plus I’ve all the pipe work kicking about off various things, only thing I won’t have is a fancy rate controller yet, I will just use the N+S I’ve about the place if there isn’t a sensible blend, he just came out with silly figures, like £50/ha more than solid apparently. I’m wondering if he’s thinking I want suspension fert ?

 

[robs1]

Yes that is a down side of it, been using it for 5 years and wash sprayer every night after liquid N and it’s still found places to rust. My drill is not a grain and fert drill though so plan is to use a front tank I already have plus I’ve all the pipe work kicking about off various things, only thing I won’t have is a fancy rate controller yet, I will just use the N+S I’ve about the place if there isn’t a sensible blend, he just came out with silly figures, like £50/ha more than solid apparently. I’m wondering if he’s thinking I want suspension fert ?

Cant you melt down some dap and use that, it's what I'm planning do

 

[Matt77]

Cant you melt down some dap and use that, it's what I'm planning do

Wouldn’t know where to start with that but I like the sound of that idea, DAP would be perfect, I broadcast that in front of the drill this spring, just time consuming, (I’m pretty much on my own) and I’d like it placed in the right place, right under the seed!!

 

[robs1]

Wouldn’t know where to start with that but I like the sound of that idea, DAP would be perfect, I broadcast that in front of the drill this spring, just time consuming, (I’m pretty much on my own) and I’d like it placed in the right place, right under the seed!!

It's going to be of trial and error, we have an old bull tanker with agitators to mix it in a front tank we use fir spraying and a pump, plus some stainless pipe to fix to the seed counters, just need to source the manifold and jets

 

[Matt77]

I know people are doing it, I’m sure I’ve seen Clive mention it on Twitter before but he’ll be on a slightly larger scale than me! The kit for the drill I’ve pretty much got, unless I want a rate controller, which I will if it all goes well.

 

[Ian01]

I dont believe you can melt dap into a clear liquid because i dont think it is fully soluble

 

[Brisel]

MAP is much more soluble but quite expensive for what it is.

 

[ajd132]

I’m converting my drill to granular fert after 5 years of liquid. It just gets absolutely everywhere and I want to keep the drill for 15 years more. Also means I can double the amount of seed when not using fert.

 

[Matt77]

What blend were you using, I guess as your sticking with starter fert, all be solid now, that you believe starter fert is worth while, I’ve seen enough to think so but not used it on farm yet.