# Soil Stabilization



## chaded (May 13, 2018)

We bought our farm last Fall and it has a 30 acre hayfield that has not been fertilized in quite awhile, several years. I took soil samples and got my report back and after taking it to the fertilizer guy, it is going to cost $4100. That is lime included which is around 9 ton.

Soil report recommends doing this for 3 years and retesting to see where we're at. My question is, will this amount of fertilizer input be reduced significantly after this build up or not that much? I know there are probably a lot of 'depends' but I am asking in general just trying to get an idea of what maybe to expect.

I have to admit, as much as I really want to do what is best for the field, I don't think I want to spend that kind of money every year given my situation. If you seen my other thread I have even entertained turning it into a pasture but then I have some pretty big costs there also with fencing, water, etc.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

If it's pasture or hay it still needs to be fertilized to produce since its been depleted.

Get your lime applied first.

have access to manure?Could be cheaper then commercial fertilizer.It would be a good way to build up the soil before you seed it working it in.

If it hasn't seen fertilizer for 20 yrs and the has been hayed the $4100 is prly not out of line.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I would see if could find a nearby source of chicken or beef manure and get it spread.

Another thing you could do to buy some time and get a decent crop is to spread Triple 19 fertilizer in the spring. It will run out pretty quick, but you can at least get a decent first cutting and maybe a second cutting if you get normal rainfall.

If you can locate manure, I would have it spread in late summer/early fall. If using chicken litter I would probably spread 2 tons to the acre.

Be sure and do like Cy suggested in getting your lime down asap.

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I agree, if manure is available that's what I would use on fallow ground.....I would use it on my ground if it wasn't so expensive and smelled better


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

It is hay, I know I will have to always fertilize due to nutrients being mined but was wondering if since it has been awhile if it wouldn't "level" off somewhere with lower than what it is now as long as I maintained it every year after building it back up?

The hay is mixed with a lot of fescue, a lot of johnsongrass, a good bit of red clover, and then very small amounts of orchard and other things. We did come close to the 3 ton yield goal but probably a little short.

I don't have access to manure. Also, the fertilizer place was recommending using pelleted lime in with the rest of the fertilizer.


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

Here’s soil sample report


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

Here’s recommendation


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I would reach out to other farmers for manure. A lot of guys don't have much place to go with manure in the summer because they are all row crops and their fields are planted. Manure if your best bang for your buck right now. As far as the lime, get some damp ag lime dumped then use a pull behind spreader. Way cheaper than pellitized. Often the litter spreader that the big chicken guys use will also spread lime.


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

People don’t do row crops around here much. In fact, hardly at all.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

chaded said:


> It is hay, I know I will have to always fertilize due to nutrients being mined but was wondering if since it has been awhile if it wouldn't "level" off somewhere with lower than what it is now as long as I maintained it every year after building it back up?


 Yes, it will do better than level-off once you build it up. Inputs THEN will be based upon removal. I observed that your P and K numbers are quite low (for my type of soil) and will cost a pretty penny to get them productive. Once they become productive, fertilizer will cost @ $25 per ton of dry matter removed. In other words, once you have your build-up built up, you can figure 3 ton hay per acre would cost you $75 in maint. fertilizer per year (not counting N and lime needs) .

Mark

PS...I used "fuzzy math" and used generalized removal-numbers for a wide variety of crops and soil types.


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

glasswrongsize said:


> Yes, it will do better than level-off once you build it up. Inputs THEN will be based upon removal. I observed that your P and K numbers are quite low (for my type of soil) and will cost a pretty penny to get them productive. Once they become productive, fertilizer will cost @ $25 per ton of dry matter removed. In other words, once you have your build-up built up, you can figure 3 ton hay per acre would cost you $75 in maint. fertilizer per year (not counting N and lime needs) .
> 
> Mark
> 
> PS...I used "fuzzy math" and used generalized removal-numbers for a wide variety of crops and soil types.


Exactly what I was needing to know. Thank you!


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Gotta, agreed with PaMike on the lime, you should be able to get ag lime a lot cheaper (around $20 a ton from NW Ohio delivered to me, about 100 miles).

And agree with Mark, my fertilizer bill is $7,619, for about 85 acres, 4 ton yield ($89 per acre or $22.40 per ton).

What might be important (IMHO) is to weight a few bales to get a more accurate tonnage removal rate. Verses just using the SWAG method.

Remember, that 4 ton removal is at DM rate, so with 15% moisture hay, I will take off 9,411 pounds of 15% moisture hay, per acre. (9411 times 85% = 8,000 pounds DM). BTW, this 4 tons of crop is my combined total production for all cuttings.

Larry

PS even horse manure could be on option.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

r82230 said:


> Gotta, agreed with PaMike on the lime, you should be able to get ag lime a lot cheaper (around $20 a ton from NW Ohio delivered to me, about 100 miles).


I just ordered 100tons here, the closes place for pickup is somewhere in TN so it's not close... my quote was 35.50 per ton delivered and dropped by a local trucking company... wish I could find it for 20$...


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

Lime here is $45 a ton delivered but that is spread also.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

I have a friend with a spreader truck, he will spread it for a little cash.. Local fertilizer plant also sells & spreads lime but it's higher than having it trucked in here..


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

glasswrongsize said:


> Yes, it will do better than level-off once you build it up. Inputs THEN will be based upon removal. I observed that your P and K numbers are quite low (for my type of soil) and will cost a pretty penny to get them productive. Once they become productive, fertilizer will cost @ $25 per ton of dry matter removed. In other words, once you have your build-up built up, you can figure 3 ton hay per acre would cost you $75 in maint. fertilizer per year (not counting N and lime needs) .
> 
> Mark
> 
> PS...I used "fuzzy math" and used generalized removal-numbers for a wide variety of crops and soil types.


I'm surprised they suggest lime--your PH (6.6) is about right.

But, your phosphorous and potassium are reeeeaaallllly low! Phosphorous should be around 70 and potassium around 300.

A good fertilization program consists of build-up and maintenance. Build-up is what it takes to get the soil to the optimal production level. Maintenance is what is required to replace what was remove each year.

The 3 year program seems low to me for build up to get you to the optimal level.

Ralph


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

I agree with Ralph about the lime suggestion; I seen the first soil results on my cellular telephone and didn't look at the recommendations to see the lime suggestion. You will probably (since you are throwing a wad of cash at the problem right now and may need to triage what needs what worst) be OK to skip the lime for a year or two or three, but the PH will drop with added N and other factors. The lime recommendation MAY be a maint suggestion to offset the PH-lowering effects of the other factors such as nitrogen? ...or they see a cash cow?

I can't offer much advise on lime (especially pelletized) other than a general suggestion of tons to add of ag lime to reach a certain level FROM a certain level. If it were MY ground, I wouldn't add lime at this point. The fact that *low* PH ties up nutrients is common knowledge as it is a common problem that plagues poor dirt farmers in my area, but *high* PH also ties up nutrients. You are in (in my opinion) in the sweet spot as far as PH goes. (See attached chart). Dr Vincent may chime in and redirect me and I would dang-sure yield to his knowledge on lime and its effects.









Another thought, since I have looked at the recommendations (pretend that your soil-type is similar to mine), I would not personally follow their recommendations...they seem to be that of a fertilizer salesman...they are not necessarily wrong; just not what I would do.

Your P is 18 and is suggested to be is 45-60 (again, here and my type of soil) . It takes 9# P to raise the number by 1. So, you need 28 soil points to be in the low side of the sweet spot. 9X28= 252#. Since you need 252# and your supplier supplies P that is 52% (11-52-0), you need 484# of actual fertilizer. Divided out over 4 years (not the three years recommended by your company...just my preference) 121# of actual fertilizer yearly for 4 years.

Your K is 70: (again, my soil type) K is recommended to be 250-350, so you need 180 to catch up to the low side of the sweet spot. Since you are putting on 0-0-60 and it takes 4 pounds of P to move the soil numbers by 1, you need 300# of actual K (actual K in the red potash is only 60% actual K) to hit the goal of 250. To get the 300# (actual) you need, you will apply 125# of 0-0-60 (300/.6/4)per year for 4 years to hit the goal.

Now, bear in mind, my numbers do not take into consideration the removal of 3 tpa of crop. I do that on-purpose when bringing up my fertility. First and foremost, you will play hell taking 3tpa off of those soil numbers in the first year. Probably won't hit it on the second year, either; but, you will get a lot of benefit of the first year's application and will notice a substantial yield increase (all things such as rain etc being equal). My little pea brain likes to spread fertilizer twice per year on buildup. One dose gets the buildup (as above) and the other dose gets the maintenance for tonnage removed (your recommendations provided to you roll it all into one year after year not taking into account a lesser or greater yield) . The benefit of splitting the applications and figuring maint and build-up separately is two-fold: first off, I see they recommend 438# of 0-0-60; here, 300# per topdress application is MAXIMUM recommended. I would not put 438# on at once and would rather apply the buildup rates during the first application. Next application would get the maint (or replacement for removal) for what I took off. I replace what I remove instead of applying in anticipation. It is really a moot point whether you are applying in advance or after takeoff after the first year.

For removal rates, I would apply 25# of 11-52-0 and 85# of 0-0-60 per ton of dry matter (hay) removed.

Larry was spot on about not taking including the water when figuring dry matter (hay that is 15% moisture level is only 85% dry matter), but I don't take that into account and fertilize the whole weight of the hay removed as it applies a little bit (15%) of extra fertilizer and I could use buildup anyhow.

Once you get your head wrapped around it, it will click together. If anything is confusing, I can explain it differently...that's just how I find it easiest to understand.

Mark

Again, fuzzy math was used/abused in the above yammering and applied as though it was my class C soil in my region.


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

glasswrongsize said:


> I agree with Ralph about the lime suggestion; I seen the first soil results on my cellular telephone and didn't look at the recommendations to see the lime suggestion. You will probably (since you are throwing a wad of cash at the problem right now and may need to triage what needs what worst) be OK to skip the lime for a year or two or three, but the PH will drop with added N and other factors. The lime recommendation MAY be a maint suggestion to offset the PH-lowering effects of the other factors such as nitrogen? ...or they see a cash cow?
> 
> I can't offer much advise on lime (especially pelletized) other than a general suggestion of tons to add of ag lime to reach a certain level FROM a certain level. If it were MY ground, I wouldn't add lime at this point. The fact that *low* PH ties up nutrients is common knowledge as it is a common problem that plagues poor dirt farmers in my area, but *high* PH also ties up nutrients. You are in (in my opinion) in the sweet spot as far as PH goes. (See attached chart). Dr Vincent may chime in and redirect me and I would dang-sure yield to his knowledge on lime and its effects.
> 
> ...


I am not putting it all on at once. I was going to get half on this week and then the rest later on. I have to admit, my head is spinning with all this and I am a little frustrated because I am out of my realm with this and feel like I am throwing thousands of dollars down the tube.

This is one of those times that I go back to thinking I should just lease the field out or something and buy my hay from somewhere else. I don't mind spending money but can't stomach wasting it....


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

chaded said:


> I am not putting it all on at once. I was going to get half on this week and then the rest later on. I have to admit, my head is spinning with all this and I am a little frustrated because I am out of my realm with this and feel like I am throwing thousands of dollars down the tube.
> This is one of those times that I go back to thinking I should just lease the field out or something and buy my hay from somewhere else. I don't mind spending money but can't stomach wasting it....


If you can't stomach fertilizer costs IDK if haying is something you want to get into.There will be repairs and the biggest one is the weather that can be a lot worse then the fertilizer bill.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

swmnhay said:


> If you can't stomach fertilizer costs IDK if haying is something you want to get into.There will be repairs and the biggest one is the weather that can be a lot worse then the fertilizer bill.


Yeah, I agree. The amounts looked low to me. I have my fields built up to the max and just spent 2K on 35 ac of 65#N as CaNH4NO3 topdressing. But boy it looks nice. Will need 333 bales off that just to pay the fertilizer bill.


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

swmnhay said:


> If you can't stomach fertilizer costs IDK if haying is something you want to get into.There will be repairs and the biggest one is the weather that can be a lot worse then the fertilizer bill.


I never said that. I was talking about wasting money unnecessarily. The weather I can't do anything about along with some other things but the amount and kind of fertilizer is and I would like not to waste money if I can help it.

My issue is I don't know a great deal about fertilizer so I essentially have to trust my fertilizer guy at this point but then some are saying his recommendations are too low and whatnot so I'm trying to figure out what to do.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

chaded said:


> My issue is I don't know a great deal about fertilizer so I essentially have to trust my fertilizer guy at this point but then some are saying his recommendations are too low and whatnot so I'm trying to figure out what to do.


Hopefully you become a quick study, you have some great information posted by some great HT folks, that ARE not in the business of selling fertilizer.

My fertilizer place tried to sell me their blend that they apply to soybean fields AGAIN this year, to which I said NO. This is what I want/need (according to MY soil tests and removal rate), 320# K (192 actual K), 80# Ph (41.6 actual Ph), 50# AMS and 2# Boron, applied per acre.

The AMS carries the sulfur, that I need and is the cheapest way to get it, a little N doesn't hurt the grasses that invade my alfalfa. So I'm picking up about 17# of actual N per acre.

In my area pelletized lime is much more expensive than ag lime. And a reason ag lime is cheaper is in the fall, I'm able to get the lime as a 'back haul'. Truckers are taking soybeans or corn to Ohio, love bringing back a load of lime and making a few bucks (verses dead heading empty). I wouldn't even think about getting ag lime any other time for that reason alone.

In Michigan, we allow crazy weights with trucks, 50 ton of lime is one truck load, BTW. Legal weight of limit is 160,000 pounds.

Larry


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

chaded said:


> My issue is I don't know a great deal about fertilizer so I essentially have to trust my fertilizer guy at this point but then some are saying his recommendations are too low and whatnot so I'm trying to figure out what to do.


Been there myself.

There's a lot of good knowledge on this site. And, none of us have a dollar interest in your investment.

Get yourself a good book on agronomy and read the sections regarding hay, specifically the type of hay that you are planning on growing.

Then, read the articles available on the internet regarding hay fertilization. There will be a lot of them, but glean the relevant information form each regarding PH, K and P.

Finally, visit local producers, especially at the local watering holes and ask them what they do. Pick their brains--what worked; what didn't work; what they would do differently. (A beer or three frequently loosens up tongues a lot.)

Ralph

Ralph


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

chaded said:


> I am not putting it all on at once. I was going to get half on this week and then the rest later on. I have to admit, my head is spinning with all this and I am a little frustrated because I am out of my realm with this and feel like I am throwing thousands of dollars down the tube.
> 
> This is one of those times that I go back to thinking I should just lease the field out or something and buy my hay from somewhere else. I don't mind spending money but can't stomach wasting it....


Aw crap, I went and done it again. I didn't mean to say that your fertilizer co was screwing you over...they just suggested as though money wasn't too much of an object and MAY be basing on unrealistic yields at this point.

To me, fertilizer (P and K) is never a waste as it doesn't move in the soil (much) or volatilize. There's a reason that land with good numbers sells for a couple $K more than soil with poor numbers around here. It takes the couple $K of fert per acre to bring it up.

I have no reservations with your fert plan (now that I know it's split application...458# of K was just TOOOO much for single app) if your checkbook doesn't....it won't go to waste.

Mark


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

chaded said:


> I never said that. I was talking about wasting money unnecessarily. The weather I can't do anything about along with some other things but the amount and kind of fertilizer is and I would like not to waste money if I can help it.
> My issue is I don't know a great deal about fertilizer so I essentially have to trust my fertilizer guy at this point but then some are saying his recommendations are too low and whatnot so I'm trying to figure out what to do.


Well adding extra P & K is not wasting it.So don't think of it that way,it can be like a savings account and used in later yrs.You can build soil fertility up when fertilizer costs are cheaper or have a cheaper source and mine the soil of fertility if the price skyrockets.So in other words use build rates when fertilizer prices are low or for tax reasons and if times are tough you can apply maintence levels.

N is different and is gone each yr and has to be applied every yr.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Iam going to be the odd man out on this subject. Before you apply anything go snd look at your soil structure. After 20 plus years of haying there has to be some compaction of the soil. My soils here the compaction from animals or machinery starts 2-3 inches down and goes 4-9 inches deep. Than sometimes has another deeper layer. Can it be fixed by just an aerator or will you have to deep rip? I dont know. But i do like to take a manual post hole digger and dig a hole to see soil profile and structure.

I talked with a guy once. His problem he had excellent soil tests. The type if he had moisture he would get 400+ bushels an acre corn. But he could maybe get 150 bushels on a good year. He had lots of suggestions of what to do. All based ofg his soil tests. I told him go dig a hole and look at soil profile. He was only taking soil tests about 6 inched deep. But when he dug several holed by hand he couldnt dig much more than 8 inches. The soil was as hard as concrete. Moral of the story. Fix soil structure first. Than soil ph. Than soil fertility.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

hog987 said:


> Iam going to be the odd man out on this subject. Before you apply anything go snd look at your soil structure. After 20 plus years of haying there has to be some compaction of the soil. My soils here the compaction from animals or machinery starts 2-3 inches down and goes 4-9 inches deep. Than sometimes has another deeper layer. Can it be fixed by just an aerator or will you have to deep rip? I dont know. But i do like to take a manual post hole digger and dig a hole to see soil profile and structure.
> 
> I talked with a guy once. His problem he had excellent soil tests. The type if he had moisture he would get 400+ bushels an acre corn. But he could maybe get 150 bushels on a good year. He had lots of suggestions of what to do. All based ofg his soil tests. I told him go dig a hole and look at soil profile. He was only taking soil tests about 6 inched deep. But when he dug several holed by hand he couldnt dig much more than 8 inches. The soil was as hard as concrete. Moral of the story. Fix soil structure first. Than soil ph. Than soil fertility.


We plant alfalfa here to fix compaction where heavy equipment compacted the soil.Also add bedding pack manure and rip it in as deep as we can


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

swmnhay said:


> Well adding extra P & K is not wasting it.So don't think of it that way,it can be like a savings account and used in later yrs.You can build soil fertility up when fertilizer costs are cheaper or have a cheaper source and mine the soil of fertility if the price skyrockets.So in other words use build rates when fertilizer prices are low or for tax reasons and if times are tough you can apply maintence levels.
> N is different and is gone each yr and has to be applied every yr.


Oh okay. I was hoping it wasn't one of those things where I wouldn't be making much of a difference. Should I see about going with more P than the fertilizer guy was recommending or both P and K?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

chaded said:


> Oh okay. I was hoping it wasn't one of those things where I wouldn't be making much of a difference. Should I see about going with more P than the fertilizer guy was recommending or both P and K?


I'd do more apllications,maybe work this in before seeding and then do split applications between each cutting.Cut the rate back but more times per yr.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Chaded,

You have received some very good advice on this 'Thread." I concur with much of it, particularly to forget the limestone application because the soil pH is already 6.6 which is quite adequate. Also, because the pH is at 6.6, the calcium and magnesium are at good levels with no more needed. If I were in your situation and could find broiler litter and get it bought and applied for less than about $40 per ton, I'd consider applying and immediately incorporating about 3 tons per acre, as previously mentioned, and then add some additional potash to make up for the low level of K in broiler litter. But you need to have each load of BL tested for its actual nutrient content bc of the variability in each load. If you don't have access to BL at a decent price, then you need to go the fertilizer route after evaluating whether the soil is compacted or not.

Regarding ever applying pelletized lime, forget it; it's too expensive and does not provide the coverage that a fine aglime will give. If your soil should actually need limestone, 600 lb per acre would be difficult to uniformly spread.

Also, the recommended amount of potash seems quite high for producing 3 tons of hay. Remember that most plants will take up more potassium than needed (called luxury consumption), so some of the excess potash recommended will not be available for increasing the K level in the soil.

Like others have suggested, read and comprehend the Agricultural Extension Service publications available in your state and neighboring states regarding soil fertility and fertilization of grass and clovers. Ultimately, you will have to be the one to decide how you will fertilize your crops. All of your fellow HT members realize that fertilizer is not a cheap input for hay production.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

chaded said:


> I am not putting it all on at once. I was going to get half on this week and then the rest later on. I have to admit, my head is spinning with all this and I am a little frustrated because I am out of my realm with this and feel like I am throwing thousands of dollars down the tube.
> 
> This is one of those times that I go back to thinking I should just lease the field out or something and buy my hay from somewhere else. I don't mind spending money but can't stomach wasting it....


I have been in sales about 35 years. Was told up front if you don't quit about once a day you are not working. I took that to mean if you are really making the effort to learn what you needed to know and doing the work required which means you hit the limits of what you know and are having to grow your boundaries in knowledge and forget your comfort zone...

I have farmed few acres of corn or beans for several years and moving to hay...hit the limits of my knowledge very quickly, the weeds in yard never bother me that much, just in hay they are total different issue. Maybe learning how to grow good clean coastal bermuda might finally get the lawn have wanted. lol

First forgot to say...raising hay has me outside of my comfort zone all the time for I am always hitting I do not knows..(right now facing two, developing my market and trying to have hay barn built.) I have a great friend who is hands on with advice and help in person and the people at Hay Talk are GREAT in so many ways. Not my first forum but to me the attitude and knowledge is unreal. I even recommended them this week to my fertilizer and chemical person this week. He is very educated and raises hay himself and is at least third generation and what shocked me was he did not know about Hay Talk. Ask your questions, believe me they care and will give great advice.

On the cost of lime, here there is a company who is advertising a different product on Craig's List. I do plan to check it out before I lime again. Here is the first line in their ad. I just typed in "lime" in their search bar and it popped up.

Whyuse Lime?WhenBioLiquid Calcium cheaper and more effective than lime


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

I hay in the arid west on alkaline soil so I do not beans about your weather or acid soil. But there are some parallels.

For instance, as soil pH moves away from the center (7.0) you experience lower availability of some nutrients and some elements if present in your dirt become albatrosses (toxic) in some instances. The difference between your rain challenged acid soil and my drought stricken alkaline dirt is the name of the players and their "gig".

But I think your situation calls for easing into the lime program or deferring to this fall or next year even before you make such an investment (again with the lime).

The nutrients are somewhat of a different story but only to a degree. Here discretion still makes sense. I have way too much potassium in my soil and avoid it in mixes like the plague so do not count me on that one as I have no experience with shortages there but low phosphorus is right up my wheel house.

Low P is very detrimental to alfalfa and it generally moves slowly down into the root zone. You are best off putting some P on ahead of heavy tillage to jump start it becoming useful in the first year.

Another set of nutrients I have not seen mentioned in this thread are the minor or micronutrients. But just because they are labeled such as they are ..... do not make the same mistake I have made in not paying much attention to them.

Your dirt is yours so the players in this drama are most likely different but my nemesis is Boron. For me it is likely the missing link that has daunted us for decades with huge consequences. You see Boron has a very narrow range between deficiency and toxicity. But it is also prone to either tying up or leaching out ..... fun uh?

Fertilizer salesmen are like any other sales force. Their business is to sell. My salesmen are all driven towards where the money is and here that is orchards and hops ..... not hay! We as hay growers are the "red headed step child" and you get prepackaged blends pushed at you .... a big waste of money!

You likely do not irrigate but here irrigation is our life blood and since we must add water we can also add nutrients in our irrigation. Driving our region you will have a tough time to find a pivot that does not have a tank or two at the center to inject liquid carried products into the irrigation stream. A side note when you get into injection is that all fuss here is not just water solvable fertilizers. A couple of materials I will mention are fulvic and humid acid. Whether is true or not, it is felt the one or both of the acids work to improve nutrient availability to plants. Besides watering these products on the fertilizer companies can blend one or both into a dry mix. You could also spray them on with your equipment first cleaned out.

You don't do big bulk applications this way since it is not practical or economically feasible but if you were using handlines or sideroll sprinklers you have a very useful test bed for targeting strips or swathes of your field that you can test any of the variety of products that are available. My first test strips were put on with a plastic spray tank sitting on a four wheeler run with a 12 volt pump into sideroll lines. It does not have to be high tech.

Changing gears I swing to soil compaction. Do not underestimate the effects of this phenomenon. The problem here is that ripping is not to be done after you have established your new crop. If you need to rip or sub soil you have to do this now or wait till your next opportunity. So I would be digging some holes prior to establishment and move accordingly.

The 10,000 pound gorilla in the room here is CASH FLOW. What do you have or want to spend here. A significant cost up front is much steeper than one that is spread over a few years. When you overlay the revenue stream out you appreciate how farming economics works. The question is whether deferring large nutrient additions are required right now or can split applications suffice to help spread the economic shock? No one can answer that. You can however answer this question to some degree in hindsight. You do this by doubling a segment of your field with fertilizer to see the effect. Just make sure that doubling whatever you are applying does not become harmful.

I am sure all this looks daunting at first blush but as you wade into your project, it does get easier. Every time you conquer something you will get a big sense of accomplishment and the next challenge will be a little easier. There is not a single forum member or any other farmer across the face of the earth that has stopped learning something every single day.

We are all students!

Best regards

Three44s


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