There are a few plots on property in northern wi that we had some soil tests done last year. The main one I was concerned about was at a ph 6.5 amazingly. However all plots were very low in potash. So my question is that if I want to start the tilling process now with lime... can I add 0-0-60 now with the lime and plant later or should I mix that in with other fertilizer when tilling/planting date comes?
0-0-60 question
- Thread starter Vandy
- Start date
Satguy
Active Member
Thats a question that will garner many different answers. I would add the potash at the time of planting and I would lightly till it in after you do your final till but just before you put down seed. Good luck.
Charlieyca
Active Member
The best time to lime or fertilize plots (in most cases) is yesterday. Only exceptions I can think of would be not fertilizing trees or crops late fall so they go dormant instead of putting out new growth. Urea I believe needs rain soon after spreading to be affective, but I have never used it personally.
j-bird
Well-Known Member
Lime takes much longer to have an impact than fertilizers do.....so the sooner you get it in the soil the better. Fertilizer on the other hand will be made available to any and all plants that are actively growing......so if you spread early and then wait to plant.....your just feeding the weeds.
sagittarius
Active Member
Potassium is rather immobile in the soil, it does not leach down like Nitrogen does. Yes, till the 0-0-60 in with the lime, then it will be in the root zone where the plants can utilize it as it breaks down. You could also till in some gypsum as a sulfur source.
Your nitrogen and phosphorus you can put down at planting time.
X-farmerdan
Well-Known Member
Some soils leach potassium fairly readily. Others do not. I think those that do not far outnumber those that do. You lime and fertilizer when your soil test says you should, when there are extra dollars or availability on the credit card, and when the time is on your side.
Charlieyca
Active Member
My soils are fairly fertile and balanced so I have not done a lot of research on the science behind the parts of fertilizers. After doing a little reading, I understand what j-bird is saying and agree with him now. Lime isnt used up so there is not risk of it being "wasted" on weeds. NPK can all be used up before our target plants can use them. If It was more convenient to fertilize now instead of at planting, I would make sure I limited weeds as best as possible, either through spraying or disking them under.
j-bird
Well-Known Member
Like was stated some components of fertilizer are more mobile in the soil than others (and its rate of mobility is impacted by the soil type you have).....Nitrogen for example is very mobile for me. As such I don't apply ANY fertilizer until it's time to plant....I want as much of that fertilizer (regardless of component) to go towards my plot plants and not the weeds. I try to spray (if needed), fertilize, till and plant all in consecutive days IF mother nature cooperates. I have only a few small plots and I live on the property so I have that luxury.
MarkDarvin
Well-Known Member
You really need a complete soil test to know. If your CEC is below 10, you'll likely see some K leaching. However, I've got a plot that's 8.5 CEC but showing some signs of poor drainage. Not sure if my K will leach or not, but I'm pushing 350 lbs/ac this year to jump my K up where I want it. I'll test again next spring to see how much I retained.
