Mixing fertilizer w/ wheat in no till drill

[skelso]

Last years wheat crop was nothing to write home about. I usually drill in 2 tons or so and I was thinking that I might just mix it 50/50 with some 13-13-13 before putting it into the drill. This way it will be in the soil and available and I'll only have to cover the ground once. Has anyone ever tried this? Was there any damage to the wheat during germination?

Thanks

 

[Jogeephus]

Never done it that way. I would be concerned about mixing the seed well with the fertilizer and the damage the fertilizer would do to your drill.

Why not just have a coop mix it for you and broadcast it in one pass? I've done that before and it works great.

 

[ga.prime]

Must be a borrowed drill.

 

[skyhightree1]

Last years wheat crop was nothing to write home about. I usually drill in 2 tons or so and I was thinking that I might just mix it 50/50 with some 13-13-13 before putting it into the drill. This way it will be in the soil and available and I'll only have to cover the ground once. Has anyone ever tried this? Was there any damage to the wheat during germination?

Thanks

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Find someone with fert tanks, or boxes on their drill.

 

[BC]

Unless your drill has a fertilizer box, I would not mix the seed and fertilizer. The fertilizer could be very corrosive to your drill. If it was me, I would drill in my wheat and then fertilize it once it was up.

 

[skyhightree1]

I would drill in my wheat and then fertilize it once it was up.

That's what we have always done

 

[Kingfisher]

Is there a crop that you would drill the seed with fertilizer? Seems to me it would "burn" most seed

 

[skyhightree1]

Is there a crop that you would drill the seed with fertilizer? Seems to me it would "burn" most seed

We use liquid fertilizer in the corn planting process and I think my cousin uses it when he plants cotton

 

[Deepsouth]

Is there a crop that you would drill the seed with fertilizer? Seems to me it would "burn" most seed

I would think that mixing seed and fertilize in a drill would cause an uneven dispersal of the seed and an uneven stand. Fertilize won't burn the seed.

 

[dun]

If you aree going to apply them both at the same time yuo need 2 boxes. Fertilzer needs to by applied at a different rate then seed. If the drill only has 1 box, a better solution would be to drill the seed then broadcast the fertilizer.

 

[nkotb]

From a strictly agronomic standpoint it could be done, although depending on how much fertilizer you're putting out there, the potassium and nitrogen in the 13-13-13 could burn the seed. Our general rule for our area, which is relatively dry and fairly finely textured ground, is no more than 30 pounds total N on less than 10" spacing. Potassium, K, burns different than nitrogen, as does Sulfur. The other issues have been brought up. You must make sure you get a good homogenous mix, and that it's not sorting out as you're applying the mix to the field. It can also be corrosive to the drill if left to set. If you drill it out and then clean the drill really well the amount of damage to the drill will be minimized, just make sure it doesn't get wet while you're trying to drill. In my area, mixing 50/50 with a 13-13-13 would be too much N and K for the seed to handle, I would look for more of an 18-46-0 or 11-52-0 type product.