fertilizer values

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tja477t

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i recently got some pricing for fertilizer. some of the bags are coming out of canada. apparently canada labels differently than the US. can anyone convert these to US labeling practices. the three that i got were 60-0-60 $380/t 60-20-60 $412/t and one labeled with US standards at 23-12-18 $416/ton.
 
I have no idea how you would calculate based on these numbers. The numbers are supposed to be in percentages. A 60-0-60 is 120%? Not possible.
 
Dave":1s3kpcna said:
I have no idea how you would calculate based on these numbers. The numbers are supposed to be in percentages. A 60-0-60 is 120%? Not possible.
exactly, its definitely not percentages you cant get 60#n and 60#k out of 100# of fertilizer.
 
i looked up canadian regulations and they have the same labeling guidelines as the US. not sure why these companies are selling it like this. when i ask what it compares to it seems like they are just throwing out a number.
 
sim.-ang.king":3egundqu said:
Are you sure you're reading them correctly? I believe they use the same standard in Can.
they gave me the quote over the phone and even sent them in a text. i guess ill just stick with what i know im getting and buy the 23-12-18
 
tja477t":3nl821m8 said:
i looked up canadian regulations and they have the same labeling guidelines as the US. not sure why these companies are selling it like this. when i ask what it compares to it seems like they are just throwing out a number.

I think they are giving you the % Phosphorous Pentoxide and % Potassium Oxide in its pure forms. I haven't worked with labels like this in a long time but I believe to calculate the amount of P like you are accustomed to you need to multiply the P number by 0.435. I can't remember what you do for the K. If I can remember I'll let you know. Pretty sure this is right for the P because I remember just multiplying by 0.4 so I could do it in my head.
 
[/quote]I think they are giving you the % Phosphorous Pentoxide and % Potassium Oxide in its pure forms. I haven't worked with labels like this in a long time but I believe to calculate the amount of P like you are accustomed to you need to multiply the P number by 0.435. I can't remember what you do for the K. If I can remember I'll let you know. Pretty sure this is right for the P because I remember just multiplying by 0.4 so I could do it in my head.[/quote]

.83 is the k multiplier but it still wouldnt make sense for the nitrogen. i did find an old article from the 80's that said a certain crop needed "80-20-100 per acre". i wonder if the label is set up for a certain application rate that will give 60-0-60(lbs per acre) if spread at certain rate.
 
I couldn't say. Its been a long time since I've dealt with any formulations like this. I'd just ask the fertilizer place what it all means. I never liked dealing with numbers put this sort of way but there was a reason we were doing it that way but I've even forgot the reason. It did make sense at the time but we were also splitting hairs and I've gotten mentally lazy since then.

Here is something I googled that might help shed some light or maybe not.

The grade (which forms part of the name) of the fertilizer is reflective of the total nitrogen (N), available phosphoric acid (P 2O 5) and soluble potash (K 2O) and is expressed as %N - %P 2O 5 - %K 2O.
 
Its a lot easier if you don't use a blended fertilizer and just make your own custom blend from the components. Problem with that, IMO, is the blends usually offer a lot of micronutrients that a custom blend will not have unless you specifically ask for them.
 
M-5":z8ztrzef said:
I just ordered a load of fert this morning 60# n -0 - 60# K 325.00 a ton and need 4.5ton on the 30 acres im doing
i wanted to buy 60-0-60 since my soil test says i dont require any phosphorus. i just dont understand how much N and K are in it since you cant get 60#n and 60#k out of 100 lbs. of fertilizer unless they are using "new math". normally fertilizer is based on percentages such as 23-12-18 which would contain 23%n so i would get 460 lbs nitrogen in one ton.
 
Jogeephus":2z8zbp87 said:
Its a lot easier if you don't use a blended fertilizer and just make your own custom blend from the components. Problem with that, IMO, is the blends usually offer a lot of micronutrients that a custom blend will not have unless you specifically ask for them.

Boron causes roots to go deep. Even when my soil tests said I needed no mineral, I always put mineral. Just to get the boron benefit.
 
backhoeboogie":1xma7jf3 said:
Jogeephus":1xma7jf3 said:
Its a lot easier if you don't use a blended fertilizer and just make your own custom blend from the components. Problem with that, IMO, is the blends usually offer a lot of micronutrients that a custom blend will not have unless you specifically ask for them.

Boron causes roots to go deep. Even when my soil tests said I needed no mineral, I always put mineral. Just to get the boron benefit.

You have to be very careful with boron. Some can be good, too much will sterilize your soil.
 
tja477t":ue0s14q9 said:
M-5":ue0s14q9 said:
I just ordered a load of fert this morning 60# n -0 - 60# K 325.00 a ton and need 4.5ton on the 30 acres im doing
i wanted to buy 60-0-60 since my soil test says i dont require any phosphorus. i just dont understand how much N and K are in it since you cant get 60#n and 60#k out of 100 lbs. of fertilizer unless they are using "new math". normally fertilizer is based on percentages such as 23-12-18 which would contain 23%n so i would get 460 lbs nitrogen in one ton.

I had the fertilizer guy try and explain to me yesterday. My soil test said I needed 100N 200K he recommended breaking it up into 3 applications. This first application is 60N 60K the blend is 20-0-20 to get the prescribed amount it was applied at 300# per acre. I realize this is pretty basic to most but My mind works different and all the years of putting out Fertilizer growing up it was never explained cause we just called the coop and told them how many acres we need to do , they pulled the soil test and figured everything back then. Now that I'm writing the check I have to know how it works.
 
ok so heres another one for ya...

since its dry as a desert here ..liquid fert or dry fert.. no rain in sght.....everything else being equal which one
 

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