August 2006

General Fertilizer Recommendations Without a Soil Test

Fallow or
Legume*
Breaking

Cereals

Spring-seeded cereals - For most efficient use, place phosphate, potash and nitrogen in the seed row when possible. Refer to Table 3 and Table 6 for safe rates.

Fall-seeded cereals - Between 20 and 30 lb./ac of nitrogen can be applied with the seed to encourage early growth if soils are very low in nitrogen. The required phosphorus and potassium should be placed in the seed row in the fall for optimum efficiency and promotion of winter survival. Total seed placed fertilizer should not exceed (175 lb.acre). High rates of nitrogen in the fall may decrease winter survival of the stand. Preplant banding may also lead to seed bed damage, reduce seedling establishment, and reduce the amount of snow trapping which may reduce winter survival. Additional nitrogen may be more safely applied as a broadcast application in the spring.

Barley - Depending on soil moisture conditions feed barley cultivars will yield up to 24% more than malt barley cultivars at equivalent nitrogen supply.

Oilseeds

Fallow or
Legume*
Breaking

Canola/rapeseed and mustard - refer to Table 3 and Table 6 for safe see placed rates.

Flax - All fertilizer material should be placed away from the seed to avoid seed injury.

Sunflowers - Germinating sunflower seeds are sensitive to fertilizer placed with the seed.
Row equipment - when sunflowers are seed with row equipment, all phosphate and potash should be sidebanded 2 in. beside and below the seed at time of seeding. Some or all of the nitrogen may also be sidebanded. The total amount of fertilizer material side-banded should not exceed 300 lb./acre.
Discer Seeder - When sunflowers are solid-seeded with a discer seeder in 12-24 in. row spacing, up to 25 lb./acre. P2O5 can be applied provided all fertilizer runs are left operating. If all phosphate must be placed with seed, the amount of phosphate should not exceed 15 lb./acre P2O5 for 12 in. row spacing, 10 lb./acre P2O5 for 18 in. row spacing and 5 lb./acre P2O5for 24 in. row spacing.
Nitrogen requirements not side-banded should be placed away from the seed as a band or broadcast application.

Special Crops

Fallow or
Legume*
Breaking

Buckwheat - Any nitrogen in excess of 6 lb./acre, phosphate in excess of 20 lb./acre P2O5 and all potash and sulphur should be placed away from the seed to avoid injury.

Corn - When possible, phosphate, potash and nitrogen should be banded 2 in. beside and below the seed at time of seeding. The total amount of fertilizer mater side-banded should not exceed 300 lb./acre. Nitrogen requirements not side-banded at time of seeding should be side-dressed before the corn is 6 in. high. Excessive nutrient levels may occur when high rates of fertilizer are used on continuous corn. Soil testing to a depth of 24 in. is strongly recommended to monitor nutrient levels and avoid over-fertilization.

Potatoes

Potatoes - Side-banding 2 in. beside and below the seed at time of seeding is the most efficient use of fertilizer. Leaching loss of N can be reduced by a split applications. In-season N may be top-dressed prior to hilling, side-dressed or fertigated.

Canary Seed

General fertilizer recommendations for rye or triticale may be used.

Pulse Crops

Fallow or
Legume*
Breaking

Field Peas

Inoculate seed

30-40

30-60

20

Pulse Crops - Nitrogen is not recommended for most crops. Add proper inoculum to seed so that nodules will fix nitrogen requirements.
Field beans may require 20-40 lbs nitrogen/acre, or up to 100 lb./acre in some cases.
All phosphate in excess of 20 lb./acre P2O5 and all potash and sulphur should be placed away from the seed to prevent seed injury.
Where field beans or soybeans are seeded in wide rows, all fertilizer should be placed away from the seed. Applying seed placed fertilizer to beans and soybeans in wide rows may cause stand reductions.

Forage Crops

Fallow or
Legume*
Breaking

Phosphorus fertilizer can be applied most effectively by banding the materials 1 in. to the side and below the seed. If phosphorus cannot be banded, incorporate it and all other fertilizer materials into the soil before seeding.

An economic return to the application of nitrogen fertilizer on established grass stands is questionable when the selling price of hay is low and the yield potential is low due to dry soil moisture conditions. When the prices are high and soil is moist, apply 70-110 lb./acre of nitrogen. (refer to Figure 2)

Response of grasses to applied nitrogen depends on the type of nitrogen fertilizer, time of application, amount applied, species of grass, age of stand, number of cuts and climatic conditions. Annual broadcast applications of phosphorus, potassium and sulphur fertilizer on established grass crops may be in late fall or early spring. Do not apply fertilizer to frozen soils subject to water run off.

Phosphorus fertilizer can be applied most effectively by banding the materials 1 in. to the side and below the seed. If phosphorus cannot be banded, incorporate it and all other fertilizer materials into the soil before seeding.

Annual applications of fertilizer on established legume crops may be done in the fall or early spring. Do not apply fertilizer to frozen soils subject to water run off.

If the mixed stand contains more than 25% legume, fertilize as for a pure legume stand. If there is less than 25% legume in the stand, use the recommendations for pure grass stands.