Fertilizer without soil sample

[Critterskinner]

It has been to wet at home for me to take a soil sample and now that I am not at home to take one it is dry to do so. The question I have is what rates would someone recommend for a Tifton 85 patch? My soil is blackland, clay, gumbo or whatever you want to call it. I know it is ideal to get a soil sample but just not possible now and I would like to fertilize before then rain comes again.

 

[cowboy43]

The most economical for fast top growth would be 200 to 300 lbs. of 21-00-00 ,
Very few people I know do soil samples and that formula is the largest seller at the fertilizer dealers. The largest farmer and most successful farmer in our County told me he never does soil test . He determines what the crop he plants needs for his goal for production and it works for him.
He has so many small fields amounting to several thousand acres scattered around several miles it would be very time consuming and expensive to do soil test. From my experience with soil tests the results require so much fertilizer It is not economical to follow the formula. Also how do you know the soil test is accurate, I sent the same soil sample from black soil to two different labs the result was:
Private lab 80-50-90-10 mag
College lab. 80-90-00
From the results which formula is to be used also the cost would be too much to pay for itself.

 

[fenceman]

If your not very far east in central tx. I would say 30, 10, 0 is by far the most common mix used without. Soil sample. The Blackland to hill country area seldom calls for much to any potash. Now a ton of fertilizer is gonna cost you around 500 a soil test from tamu cost 10 dollars. I can tell you if you get it wrong. You could just as well go to the bank get the amount of money you need to buy your fertilizer in change. Dump it in the spreader and sling it out. When looking at the cost of fertilizer. Look at the cost of land in central Texas. Look at the cost of cattle. Now if you can double or triple the production of your land, and you can. Money spent on fertilizer starts to make sense. Good luck.

 

[Jogeephus]

Use last years soil test as a guide.

 

[Craig Miller]

The most economical for fast top growth would be 200 to 300 lbs. of 21-00-00 ,
Very few people I know do soil samples and that formula is the largest seller at the fertilizer dealers. The largest farmer and most successful farmer in our County told me he never does soil test . He determines what the crop he plants needs for his goal for production and it works for him.
He has so many small fields amounting to several thousand acres scattered around several miles it would be very time consuming and expensive to do soil test. From my experience with soil tests the results require so much fertilizer It is not economical to follow the formula. Also how do you know the soil test is accurate, I sent the same soil sample from black soil to two different labs the result was:
Private lab 80-50-90-10 mag
College lab. 80-90-00
From the results which formula is to be used also the cost would be too much to pay for itself.

Some college labs will look at the type of soil you have to help determine what you need. If your not going to do what they say then it is a waste of money. Most people here throw a triple 17 cause the co op carries it. 750$ a ton.

 

[cowboy43]

My concern after the two different results I got is how accurate are soil tests. I took samples as instructed, mixed in a bucket , sent same soil to labs and got different results, that were far different, so now I am paranoid and do not trust the labs. Makes me wonder if they even tested the soil . Maybe next year I will do the test again with two labs for the results.

 

[dun]

My concern after the two different results I got is how accurate are soil tests. I took samples as instructed, mixed in a bucket , sent same soil to labs and got different results, that were far different, so now I am paranoid and do not trust the labs. Makes me wonder if they even tested the soil . Maybe next year I will do the test again with two labs for the results.

I only see a slight variation between labs. If the field has been hayed their are sites that will tell you based on the tons removed how much of each nutrient has been removed. If it's pasture the only way to know is to soil test. We used the state lab this year and got a lengthy hand written explanation of wht and why we should do what the results showed.

 

[Jogeephus]

I use two labs. One is cheaper than the other. The more expensive gives me a more detailed analysis but between the two I've never seen much difference except on one occasion when I had someone else take the samples for me and he probed the dirt too deep and I got some screwy numbers.

 

[fenceman]

My concern after the two different results I got is how accurate are soil tests. I took samples as instructed, mixed in a bucket , sent same soil to labs and got different results, that were far different, so now I am paranoid and do not trust the labs. Makes me wonder if they even tested the soil . Maybe next year I will do the test again with two labs for the results.

I only see a slight variation between labs. If the field has been hayed their are sites that will tell you based on the tons removed how much of each nutrient has been removed. If it's pasture the only way to know is to soil test. We used the state lab this year and got a lengthy hand written explanation of wht and why we should do what the results showed.

I see a big difference. Again cowboy43 that much potash in central tx is rather unusual.You may have a exception. But I would be suspect of that test. The one that calls for o potash looks about normal for my area.

 

[BC]

If you are making hay, remember that 2 tons (4 -1000 lb rolls) per acre of Bermuda removes 100 lbs of N, 40 lbs of P and 85 lbs of K from the soil. Tipton 85 uses a little more potash than coastal. You need to replace what you are taking out of the soil, it is like writing checks on an account and never making a deposit.

 

[cowboy43]

BC
Would that be a formula off :
500 lbs to the acre of:
20-08-17 ( if that is the case why do a soil test? Just put what is required to make a cutting of hay .

 

[Jogeephus]

if that is the case why do a soil test? Just put what is required to make a cutting of hay .

That's why I suggested using last years soil test. You don't HAVE to do one every year but you DO have to have some idea what your soil needs, some starting point otherwise you are just wasting your money or ruining your soil.

 

[wbvs58]

My concern after the two different results I got is how accurate are soil tests. I took samples as instructed, mixed in a bucket , sent same soil to labs and got different results, that were far different, so now I am paranoid and do not trust the labs. Makes me wonder if they even tested the soil . Maybe next year I will do the test again with two labs for the results.

Did you compare the actual results of the soil test analysis or are you just talking about the end recommendations being different. There will often be a lot of variation in the recommendations of what to put on depending on which agronomist interprets the soil test and to what fertiliser company they have are associated with.
Ken

 

[Critterskinner]

I had a soil sample done last year so I guess I will go with that again this year. Thanks for all the suggestions.