Fertilizing

Healthy, high-yielding, long-lasting stands of alfalfa need a healthy soil, with a good balance of nutrients, moisture and oxygen, as well as active soil biology in the soil profile.

Very wet spring conditions have made it almost impossible to spread manure in April and much of May, and some of what was spread would have been better remaining in storage – that is unless, like many, storage was about to overflow.

Obviously this spring has been a challenge in terms of getting field tasks done. For one producer I work with, manure spreading was interrupted by the need to plant crops.

The UW Extension Nutrient and Pest Management Program has produced this instructional video on determining manure application rates as part of the process in determining nutrient credits from field applications of solid and semi-solid livestock manure. Featured in the video is the process of weighing a manure spreader to determine the net weight of a representative load of manure using portable wheel weighing pad scales.

Fertilizing alfalfa with phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) can increase yield and stand longevity. However, to maximize production and profitability, it is important to adjust fertilizer rates to meet the specific nutritional needs of plants in each field.

You may know people who suffer from math anxiety. They avoid situations where mathematics and calculations are required. However, avoiding math is simply not an option when working with agriculture.