Ever heard the description "February fill dyke?"
Urea (soluble) is reduced by the urease enzyme to ammonia (highly soluble) then to ammonium ions. Which are stable & bind to soil particles. The problem occurs after nitrification when ammonium is converted to nitrate which is highly susceptible to leaching and denitrification into nitrous oxide which is lost. If one part of this happens how are you going to stop the nitrification unless using inhibited urea?
Needs to get some livestock.I think he is bored out of his brain and winding everyone up!
Needs to get some livestock.
Agree there is denitrification risk. But little leaching risk here, with big surface notill residues and deep clay soils. Plants are actually still growing. And I want urea in the soil by the time the days draw out and stem starts extending. NOT when one sees a bit of extension, no ammonical N boost for 3 weeks and then your wishing the crop was branching from lower down, and don't get a shower to wash it in till mid April. So will get the spreader out last few days of jan unless we get some serious weather
I hate looking at bolting hungry OSR
I wish second wheats had some more N available at the moment too (again if it wasn't a no till system perhaps not)
Nice looking crop of wheat. It looks as though it has had some soil disturbance - how did you establish it?
Urea doesn't take long to convert to nitrate. 2 - 3 days in late March, maybe a week or so now.
That's compost ! (Some good research on compost take all suppression but I think it has taken N away from the crop up to now)
JD750 straight in
And also that pikeys will dump stuff anywhere.
Shhhhhh!
Just thinking a bit really. I want a chunk on before Valentines day, as otherwise I will be on holiday. Its going to be raining and windy this week and early next. So by the time it is settled its going to be ten days time. Then how long before the urea is actively taken up by the plant? Is it really a terrible thing to have N in the soil waiting for warmer times, rather than a) warmer times also being wet and delaying N, or b) applying the fert on the optimum day only for it to turn cold again?
I attach two pics of Valentines 2012, and mid March 2012 to show how quick this stuff grows. And also that pikeys will dump stuff anywhere.
@static I live in East Anglia...have done ALL my life. We have farm rainfall records going back over 50 years. I can categorically tell you that February is definitely not the driest month!! That accolade goes to April with approximately 5% of total rainfall. February on the other hand receives about 8% of annual rainfall. It is the 6th driest month of the year!!
Not really because other months have lower 5% and others higher 11%
I am astounded that people are finding Feb the driest month of the year! Part of living in a maritime climate i guess.
What rate? 100t/ha?! + when we did 30t you could hardly see it!That's compost ! (Some good research on compost take all suppression but I think it has taken N away from the crop up to now)
JD750 straight in