fertilizer (long post)

[cagle520]

Has any one ever got bad fertilizer before? I started leasing a 25 acre coastal pasture for the haying purpose. The fellow that leased before me always had a real good stand and alot of bales. In the middle of Feb. I put out 29-7-16 (that was what was sugested to put out.) No soil test, because at that time it was to rain. Which it did. The fert. company said to use these numbers. Any way I had not been around to check it out, and the guy that bales for everyone around here called to check in and was going to look at so we both went. His first responce was why didn't I fertilize. And I said I did 400# per at over 1500.00 dollars. He said to call fert.people. They took samples.Ihad also fert. another 25 for in-laws but they paid for from a different company and the grass is knee high and green almost blue. Any suggestions?

 

[flaboy?]

Did you put it out yourself or hired it?

Thoughts;
With that high of N and 400/acre you should be waist deep in grass assuming you got some rain on it. Even so it should be decent with just the dew assuming no major drought.

Be hard to point the finger at the fert company unless other have voiced concerns.

 

[rmcva]

Has any one ever got bad fertilizer before? I started leasing a 25 acre coastal pasture for the haying purpose. The fellow that leased before me always had a real good stand and alot of bales. In the middle of Feb. I put out 29-7-16 (that was what was sugested to put out.) No soil test, because at that time it was to rain. Which it did. The fert. company said to use these numbers. Any way I had not been around to check it out, and the guy that bales for everyone around here called to check in and was going to look at so we both went. His first responce was why didn't I fertilize. And I said I did 400# per at over 1500.00 dollars. He said to call fert.people. They took samples.Ihad also fert. another 25 for in-laws but they paid for from a different company and the grass is knee high and green almost blue. Any suggestions?

I don't have any suggestions for you but I have had the same experience for several years.In my case I was dealing with a crook. It got so bad I bought a Vicon spreader and back to spreading myself. After two years of spreading myself I know I was getting ripped off big time.

I've talked to neighbors that did the same. A local guy that was hired to run a spreader truck for this outfit quit there and then the stories started to leak out. It all added up for what I was seeing in my fields. I did buy fertilizer in bags there last year and could see a difference + in yield the first year. I'd been dealing with this supplier for 35 years. I went with another supplier this year.

This is a Royster Clark supplier I had been with for 35 years. Once Crop Production Services bought it out it's gone down hill fast. The problems may not be from the new company and could be from the manager that's running this fertilizer house. Or could be either or both. This manager has been there for about 10 years and stories followed when he/she came there.

The kind of money we throw out there now we need to know we're getting what we pay for.

When we buy bulk and have it spread there's so many ways we can get screwed. If the spreader driver is in on what a bad dealer is doing it's even worse. The driver could go by his field on the way to your farm and make a round or two before he gets to you on each load. Or he may be selling on the side and pocketing the money. When at the bins they meaning both could be adding lime for weight in place of N-P or K.

I know there are still honest folks out there. For now I'll stick with spreading my own and buy in bags mostly. When I buy in bulk I never have any blended. And I watch them load and make sure nothing gets mixed in. I haul in my truck and dump in my spreader. And hope the scales are correct.

 

[johndeerefarmer]

Did you put it out yourself or hired it?

Thoughts;
With that high of N and 400/acre you should be waist deep in grass assuming you got some rain on it. Even so it should be decent with just the dew assuming no major drought.

Be hard to point the finger at the fert company unless other have voiced concerns.

I don't consider that a high amount of N. He only put out about 120 lbs of actual N. Mpst hay producers put out 100 lbs of actual N per cutting. Now, 300 lbs of actual N would be high.. :lol:

Secondly, I know that it is a little warmer in Hillsboro than here (north TX) but I think that you fertilized too early. For coastal to grow it need to consistently not get below 60 degrees at night.

Has it gotten rain? Did you get a gully washer that might have carried the N down the creek?

Does the grass look dark green? If it does, the N did it's job it was just too cold.

 

[flaboy?]

We use 100 pounds of N per acre down here on our hay fields and the sod guy down the road uses 100 pounds of N per acre on his sod fields.

Maybe you guys need more out in Texas.

 

[cagle520]

I did spread it my self. and it did get rain actually a good slow soaking rain the next day. At the time I put it out it had been 80 or so thought it might be a repeat of last year. Of coarse it wasn't. My concern is the weeds and other grass around is greener and taller than what got fertilized.(the alley way,the place of storage, etc.) The pasture weak green and short.

 

[Dave]

You could be short on one of the other nutrient which is limiting grass growth. 100 pounds of N per acre isn't a high application but it is certainly enough that you should be able to see the difference. I would get a complete soil test from a certified lab.

 

[cagle520]

I didn't say in my original post but the other 25ac was only 250# per . It is only grazing land for now. It was sprigged over 25 yrs. ago but is pretty thick down in the bottom. It is also thick with cactus which I plan to clean up so maybe I can hay it in the future.