Your Nutrient Dollars

Looking ahead to fall, using price forecasts and trends that seem to be developing, we think it’s wise for you to start an intensive soil sampling program to insure the most efficient use of your fertilizer and lime dollars.

For discussion’s sake, I’m going to use a fairly typical blanket application of 30#N, 60#P and 60#K for a fall application to a perennial grass seed crop. Using anticipated prices in the range of $.60-$.65 per # N, $1.00 to $1.05/#P2O5 and $.58/# K2O, the cost of these nutrients will be $115-$116 per acre, less transportation and application expenses.

These same dollars would purchase nearly 2 tons of ag lime which may release or make available an even greater volume of P205 than the 60# application. P is the most expensive nutrient in the program, accounting for $63 (54%) of the expense.

If ever there was a time for grid soil sampling, an adequate soil pH management plan and variable rate P and K applications this time of rapidly inflating nutrient prices justifies its adoption by most producers.