Fertilizing a week before planting? Any downfalls? LC brassica

[Crimson850]

Planting the LC brassica mix in ground that the PH is 5.8. Seeds will be here next week, was wondering if it would be alright to go ahead and spread my urea for nitrogen and my triple 19 fertilizer one week or so before planting seeds. I will not disc into the soil because the brassicas are planted so shallow.

 

[X-farmerdan]

It wouldn't bother me, but, if you do, you will most likely lose a little of the nitrogen. It's likely urea is the source of most all your nitrogen. Urea left on the surface and given heat and hmidity will turn to gas and drift off into the air. We say it like its a possible catastrophe - and it might be an economic consideration if hundreds or thousands of acres are involved. But, it's food plots. Wait if you can. Go it you can't.

 

[Smallplot]

If applied right in front of a rain event you will be fine.

 

[azeeb]

I would rather spread fertilizer a week or two after planting then a week before. Fertilizing early will give the weeds a week head start on your brassicas.

 

[JDunham]

I have fertilized early and it worked fine. A week early is no problem. I would lightly disc it in though.

 

[Crimson850]

Is it possible to disk the fertilizer in too deep? My thinking was that since the brassicas will be planted so shallow that they may not be able to use the fertilizer if disced very deep. May be a completely silly question, but I'm new!

 

[Smallplot]

Is it possible to disk the fertilizer in too deep? My thinking was that since the brassicas will be planted so shallow that they may not be able to use the fertilizer if disced very deep. May be a completely silly question, but I'm new!

the deeper you disk in something, like nutrients, the more diluted you are making them. Plants will grow and yes they will find nutrients. But nutrients can only go up with plant uptake, nature will be pulling them down further into the ground so lightly incorporating them allows them to stay in the root zone as long as possible. The only reason it incorporate N-P-K is to keep the N from volatilizing and drifting into the air where it will be lost. P and K will sit all happy until a rain event and be Incorporated naturally.

 

[Crimson850]

I did not know that! Thanks for the insight. I will lightly disc everything in, or either cultipack.

 

[sagittarius]

P and K do not move down into the soil with rain like Nitrogen does. You want to disk P and K down into the soil so microbes can break them down into forms the plant roots can utilize. Broadcast the N right before a rain, or disk that into the soil too. A shallow 4" disking is fine for incorporating fertilizers.

 

[Smallplot]

P and K do not move down into the soil with rain like Nitrogen does. You want to disk P and K down into the soil so microbes can break them down into forms the plant roots can utilize. Broadcast the N right before a rain, or disk that into the soil too. A shallow 4" disking is fine for incorporating fertilizers.

If P and K did not move down through the soil you would never have any below the level it was incorporated nor any roots going down that far. P moves less than K but it still moves unless it is matched with opposite charged electrons.

 

[sagittarius]

P and K do not move down into the soil with rain like Nitrogen does.

P and K are somewhat immobile. To gain benefit from applied P and K the first season, it needs to in the soil. Then moisture and microbes can break it down into forms plant roots can actually utilize. Just lying on the surface it will take a long time to become fully utilized.

 

[Jason Broom]

P and K are somewhat immobile. To gain benefit from applied P and K the first season, it needs to in the soil. Then moisture and microbes can break it down into forms plant roots can actually utilize. Just lying on the surface it will take a long time to become fully utilized.

Does the type of soil (sand versus clay) play a role in how slowly or quickly nutrients move through the soil column?

 

[Smallplot]

Depending on soil test results, P and K are usually available in measurable amounts and possibly, again based on soil test results, not necessary. In a lot of cases a big part of applied nutrients are going to be for the next year anyhow.
We also know tillage breaks down our soil, or more importantly causes the present OM to burn up faster allowing good microbes and worm activity to be reduced. Less microbe activity leads to longer breakdown times for anything in the soil. Tillage gets rid of the natural "glues" that bind our soils together leading to water and air infiltration restrictions that can directly impact nutrient movement through soils.

So if we have enough available nutrient, tillage actually sets back our soil health. Using tillage can have a negative impact as living organisms will help breakdown and move nutrients around in the soils. Disking at 4 inches still only gets fertilizers incorporated 2 inches deep, a depth that many nutrients can move on their own.

 

[Smallplot]

Does the type of soil (sand versus clay) play a role in how slowly or quickly nutrients move through the soil column?

Yes. Heavier soils (clays) have more oppositely charged ions which effects how much can be held in the soil. If there are not enough oppositely charged ions there is nothing to keep amendments in place because they will not bind.

 

[Jason Broom]

Yes. Heavier soils (clays) have more oppositely charged ions which effects how much can be held in the soil. If there are not enough oppositely charged ions there is nothing to keep amendments in place because they will not bind.

The guy who runs the store at my local co-op suggested to surface broadcast or VERY lightly disc in fertilizer on my lightest soils (sand) because rain is sufficient to move those nutrients into the soil column. The success we have had with soil amendments, including lime and all macro-nutrients, seems to support his advice. Is it possible that folks on very sandy soils would be better off not incorporating fertilizers and that they may more through light, porous, drought-prone soils quite quickly?