Fertilizer question

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44Paws said:
What is the best liquid fertilizer to use in Central Virginia?
Click to expand...
The 'best' fertilizer, liquid or otherwise, for central Virginia or where-ever the fertilizer is needed, is going to be the fertilizer that provides the appropriate amount of supplemental nutrition to the specific crop that you are trying to grow.

Start figuring this out by first getting a soil test/analysis. This is really cheap ($10.00 or so) and can/will literally save you hundreds if not more $$ and time spent. Fertilization also is not the only thing to consider for the soil. There is also the sand/clay/loam percentage balance within the soil, the organic content of the soil, and the pH of the soil.

Your question is kinda like trying to answer someones question when they ask, "What should I pack to wear when going on my trip?" If that is all the information they give you, your answer is/should be, "I have no idea". In response to their question I would be asking, are they going to the beach for the weekend? A safari to Africa for two weeks (monsoon season or dry season) or are they going to Antarctica for a month.

We can help you, but what are you trying to accomplish?
 
Mark Reynolds said:
The 'best' fertilizer, liquid or otherwise, for central Virginia or where-ever the fertilizer is needed, is going to be the fertilizer that provides the appropriate amount of supplemental nutrition to the specific crop that you are trying to grow.

Start figuring this out by first getting a soil test/analysis. This is really cheap ($10.00 or so) and can/will literally save you hundreds if not more $$ and time spent. Fertilization also is not the only thing to consider for the soil. There is also the sand/clay/loam percentage balance within the soil, the organic content of the soil, and the pH of the soil.

Your question is kinda like trying to answer someones question when they ask, "What should I pack to wear when going on my trip?" If that is all the information they give you, your answer is/should be, "I have no idea". In response to their question I would be asking, are they going to the beach for the weekend? A safari to Africa for two weeks (monsoon season or dry season) or are they going to Antarctica for a month.

We can help you, but what are you trying to accomplish?
Click to expand...
Mark Reynolds said:
The 'best' fertilizer, liquid or otherwise, for central Virginia or where-ever the fertilizer is needed, is going to be the fertilizer that provides the appropriate amount of supplemental nutrition to the specific crop that you are trying to grow.

Start figuring this out by first getting a soil test/analysis. This is really cheap ($10.00 or so) and can/will literally save you hundreds if not more $$ and time spent. Fertilization also is not the only thing to consider for the soil. There is also the sand/clay/loam percentage balance within the soil, the organic content of the soil, and the pH of the soil.

Your question is kinda like trying to answer someones question when they ask, "What should I pack to wear when going on my trip?" If that is all the information they give you, your answer is/should be, "I have no idea". In response to their question I would be asking, are they going to the beach for the weekend? A safari to Africa for two weeks (monsoon season or dry season) or are they going to Antarctica for a month.

We can help you, but what are you trying to accomplish?
Click to expand...
Thank you Mark what my dad is trying to accomplish is for his hay fields for his cattle. One of the fields is 55 acres that he is focusing on.
 
44Paws said:
Thank you Mark what my dad is trying to accomplish is for his hay fields for his cattle. One of the fields is 55 acres that he is focusing on.
Click to expand...
I have his soil results would that be helpful to provide?
 
Mark Reynolds said:
The 'best' fertilizer, liquid or otherwise, for central Virginia or where-ever the fertilizer is needed, is going to be the fertilizer that provides the appropriate amount of supplemental nutrition to the specific crop that you are trying to grow.

Start figuring this out by first getting a soil test/analysis. This is really cheap ($10.00 or so) and can/will literally save you hundreds if not more $$ and time spent. Fertilization also is not the only thing to consider for the soil. There is also the sand/clay/loam percentage balance within the soil, the organic content of the soil, and the pH of the soil.

Your question is kinda like trying to answer someones question when they ask, "What should I pack to wear when going on my trip?" If that is all the information they give you, your answer is/should be, "I have no idea". In response to their question I would be asking, are they going to the beach for the weekend? A safari to Africa for two weeks (monsoon season or dry season) or are they going to Antarctica for a month.

We can help you, but what are you trying to accomplish?
Click to expand...
Mark, in Virginia soil tests are free.
 
The needs for a hayfield are much different than for pasture. Potash is taken up in a hayfield but returned to the soil in pasture. Almost never need to add any of the 3rd number for pasture but rarely does anyone put enough of it for hayfields. I used 18-46-0 on my pasture. Just spread it Sunday.
But the soil test will truly tell whats needed. Fescue will respond very good to proper fertilization.
Another point, Nitrogen works very quick but only lasts about 90 days. P&K will last longer but could take 3 to 4 months to fully work. We should be spreading P&K in the fall and Nitrogen in the spring.
 
kenny thomas said:
The needs for a hayfield are much different than for pasture. Potash is taken up in a hayfield but returned to the soil in pasture. Almost never need to add any of the 3rd number for pasture but rarely does anyone put enough of it for hayfields. I used 18-46-0 on my pasture. Just spread it Sunday.
But the soil test will truly tell whats needed. Fescue will respond very good to proper fertilization.
Another point, Nitrogen works very quick but only lasts about 90 days. P&K will last longer but could take 3 to 4 months to fully work. We should be spreading P&K in the fall and Nitrogen in the spring.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much can I ask what P&K stands for?
 
We keep talking fertilization here. Bear in mind, we need to look at the soil tests. Please post those here. Phosphorous and its importance has been mentioned, which is good. I'll point out that it is the AVAILABILITY of the phosphorous to the plant, not so much (although its a factor) the quantity within the soil. When there is low availability of phosphorous, broomsedge is going to dominate your pasture. Why? Broomsedge does not require the availability of phosphorous that most other more desirable grasses/forages do. Fescue isn't as finicky as many, but is more so than broomsedge by far.

Availability of phosphorous is determined by two factors. The first being the quantity of it within the soil, hence fertilization. However, the 2nd factor, often overlooked, and MUST be addressed or the first factor of quantity isn't going to matter, is the pH of the soil. The pH determines the availability of the nutrients within the soil to the plants. If the pH is too 'skewed' one way or another, Nutrients that are in the soil, no matter how much there is, simply aren't available. What happens is that if the pH is off, the nutrients become bound to the soil and the plant cannot absorb them. This is why we need your soil test.
 
kenny thomas said:
The needs for a hayfield are much different than for pasture. Potash is taken up in a hayfield but returned to the soil in pasture. Almost never need to add any of the 3rd number for pasture but rarely does anyone put enough of it for hayfields. I used 18-46-0 on my pasture. Just spread it Sunday.
But the soil test will truly tell whats needed. Fescue will respond very good to proper fertilization.
Another point, Nitrogen works very quick but only lasts about 90 days. P&K will last longer but could take 3 to 4 months to fully work. We should be spreading P&K in the fall and Nitrogen in the spring.
Click to expand...
There is a way to address the 'short term' availability of nitrogen within the soil that @kenny thomas is speaking of here, and that would be to incorporate a legume into the fescue. We can discuss this as well, but let's finish addressing the importance of the different fertilizer components first, before we get into how we can get them.
 

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