Best time to fertilize fall planting?

I'm in 6b. What's the best time to fertilize a fall planted cereal grain and clover plot? The plot was planted in September 2018, lime was added but no fertilizer.

Picture from March 10th 2019:

P and K, when ever you till the soil, N at planting time, per soil test. Since it is already planted, just broadcast before a rain.

What if you don’t ever till the soil?

I have heard before rain but I also want the plants relatively dry too right?

What’s the ideal month to fertilize? My options are now, late April or early June.


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weekender21 said:

What if you don’t ever till the soil?

I have heard before rain but I also want the plants relatively dry too right?

What’s the ideal month to fertilize? My options are now, late April or early June.


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Click to expand...

Now...

April to May whenever I have the time. Then some times I do again in Sept. And yes I prefer the plants be dry when spreading.

weekender21 said:

What’s the ideal month to fertilize? My options are now, late April or early June.

Click to expand...

Now, it takes time for the P and K to get into the soil. It takes time for microbes to break it down into a form the plants can actually utilize in the root zone. When the plants take off on a spring growth spurt, you want the nutrients available and ready to go. So if the plot still needs P and K, put it down now.

I break it up into two categories, stuff that leaches, and stuff that doesn't.

Leachables: Nitrogen, sulfur, boron
I put them on when I need them. That may be two weeks after planting, or for the lesser leachables like boron and sulfur, simply once per year, and same time each year thereafter.

Non-leachables: Everything else
Best time was a year ago. In all reality, I've pushed high rates of fertilizer all at once in a broadcast situation right along with seeding and didn't see any issues with burning. Lots of potash, some AMS, and MAP. Never had a problem.

I learned a lot about tree fertility last year. I had no idea that next year's nut and fruit production is already being influenced in August and September of the year before. So that means I will put down gypsum and borax at early summer planting time. Gives it plenty of time to get rained in before things start winding down for the season. Then by the time they need it to finish next year's crop, they'll get another shot.