N on stubble turnips

[Jellyfarm]

How much are you using?
Apologies if this has been done to death but...
We have well grown ( I think for us ) st this year after winter barley (straw baled) but wondering if we should have pushed harder with n.
Is this covered by restrictions in RB209 etc etc?
J

 

[Derrick Hughes]

60 units acre here but they also need potash for big roots

 

[Chae1]

As above 60 units N. I gave one bit 90 when I'd fert leftover one day and can't see any difference.

 

[spin cycle]

i followed @Derrick Hughes advice 3 bags 20/10/10.....worked well

 

[JD-Kid]

if going in to crop ground would there not be left over N they would be sucking up to hold in plant form over winter
out of grassland diffrent story there could be a lack of N in the first place or tired up with old turf breaking down ..

 

[neilo]

if going in to crop ground would there not be left over N they would be sucking up to hold in plant form over winter
out of grassland diffrent story there could be a lack of N in the first place or tired up with old turf breaking down ..

I always consider that there shouldn’t be much leftover N after a decent arable crop, but the catch crop will mop up surplus P&K from soil reserves (assuming indices aren’t on the floor) and return them in a handy pellet sized capsule.

I don’t think I’ve ever handled a bag of the ubiquitous 20:10:10, or heard of any adviser that has recommended it’s use from soil test results.

 

[michael N123]

Always give it 50kg acre but a lot of the time I think muck makes a bigger difference with stubble turnips and kale

 

[deleted user 837354]

I always consider that there shouldn’t be much leftover N after a decent arable crop, but the catch crop will mop up surplus P&K from soil reserves (assuming indices aren’t on the floor) and return them in a handy pellet sized capsule.

I don’t think I’ve ever handled a bag of the ubiquitous 20:10:10, or heard of any adviser that has recommended it’s use from soil test results.

There may well be some N left after an arable crop on fertile soils. Judging by the way the grass grows after a wheat crop around here I would say there has to be a fair amount of N, P and K left. Grass leys on arable only fields seem a lot less growy.

I always saw great crops of stubble turnips if a dose of chicken muck was put on once the straw from the previous crop was off. Worked wonders.

 

[spin cycle]

I don’t think I’ve ever handled a bag of the ubiquitous 20:10:10, or heard of any adviser that has recommended it’s use from soil test results.

3 bags 20/10/10 is an old fashioned thing really......put a crop in the ground....give it that......it'll do alright

 

[Derrick Hughes]

3 bags 20/10/10 is an old fashioned thing really......put a crop in the ground....give it that......it'll do alright

Thats why muck works so well good balance of nutrition including Potash - we used to apply over 100 units of Potash acre on Swedes and had massive crops, roots wont grow without plenty of Potash

 

[Jellyfarm]

Thanks for the replies - seems I could have put a bit more on here. We did 40kg N
J

 

[deleted user 837354]

Thanks for the replies - seems I could have put a bit more on here. We did 40kg N
J

There is no perfect answer. Much will depend on the fertility of the soil, previous cropping and any other nutrient applications. Particularly where manures are used, all the nitrogen in that material is not available in the same season it was applied. It gives it up and makes it available to crop plants over time. Fertiliser recommendations are a guide, not a target. There will be people out there who do not apply nitrogen to forage crops and still get good results.

 

[neilo]

Thanks for the replies - seems I could have put a bit more on here. We did 40kg N
J

For stubble turnips after winter barley, I would normally apply 2 cwt/ac of AN (in old money), or 86kg N/ha. I was only born in 1968, so I have no idea what 'units' that may be.

Any less and the crop appears hungry after about a month IME, so missing out on growth potential. I'd put less on later drilled crops, and that I drilled last weekend will probably only get half that.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Thanks for the replies - seems I could have put a bit more on here. We did 40kg N
J

You can never put to much, just hurts you pockets thats all, but a poor crop after spending on seed and such like can hurt you even more

 

[hally]

Just had a customer with a pretty poor crop of stubble turnips on the phone wondering what the problem is, he mentioned his phosphate index was 3 but his potash index was zero and had just put on a couple of cwt of 27.5.5 , would this cause the failure or will there be more to it. Hill farm.

 

[neilo]

You can never put to much, just hurts you pockets thats all, but a poor crop after spending on seed and such like can hurt you even more

That’s just the attitude that gets NVZ restrictions imposed on all!

Any N not taken up by the crop is leached out, rapidly in the winter, ending up in watercourses. So you most definitely can put on too much, just as you can put on too much muck.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Just had a customer with a pretty poor crop of stubble turnips on the phone wondering what the problem is, he mentioned his phosphate index was 3 but his potash index was zero and had just put on a couple of cwt of 27.5.5 , would this cause the failure or will there be more to it. Hill farm.

To much rain on poorer ground will stunt them or kill them even
It should have had 45 units acre not 15

 

[Derrick Hughes]

That’s just the attitude that gets NVZ restrictions imposed on all!

Any N not taken up by the crop is leached out, rapidly in the winter, ending up in watercourses. So you most definitely can put on too much, just as you can put on too much muck.

Be in big trouble if crop fails then

 

[David.]

Surprised nobody has mentioned sulphur, they love it. Always give ours 247kg of Double Top ha.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Surprised nobody has mentioned sulphur, they love it. Always give ours 247kg of Double Top ha.

Surprised no one mention slag -the godfather of root crops . Sulphur and Boron - like candy to a child