This gives the grazing area a solid nutrient boost before the dry heat and incredibly intense temperatures start to appear. The large tank sprayers can apply tens of pounds of liquid fertilizer per acre, depending on your needs. In the absence of a soil test, preplant-incorporate about 100 to 200 pounds per acre of a product such as 18-46-0, 11-53-0 (dry fertilizer), or 10-34-0 (liquid) on soils that are generally medium to high in phosphorus. Several varieties of bermudagrass are used in Georgia, ranging from Common bermudagrass to the high-yielding, good quality hybrid bermudagrasses. The soil pH can be adjusted using supplements. Refer to Rutgers NJAES fact sheets FS971, FS721, FS720, FS972, and FS974 for additional information on these micronutrients. The first number on a fertilizer bag refers to the amount of nitrogen (N) container in the bag. Potassium plays multiple roles related to photosynthesis, respiration and maintaining osmotic potential in plant tissues. As soil pH increases, plant availability of soil Mn decreases. You should generally look for a fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen, sometimes advertised as 'controlled-release' or 'slowly available' nitrogen. Severe grazing before plants are established. Example: 1,000 square feet receiving 10 lb ac of a 20% N product. Weeds compete with bermudagrass for water, nutrients, and sunlight. Nitrogen is the mineral nutrient required in the highest amounts by plants. It is generally best to wait for a rain to settle the soil after initial preparation. Sulfur recommendations may range from 20 to 40 lbs S per acre. Preplant fertilizer should be incorporated as recommended by a soil test. It may also be desirable to fertilize with moderate rates of N in early fall or late winter. While a grass hay crop can build soil organic matter content, minerals associated with soil fertility are being withdrawn with each harvest; every harvested ton of hay withdraws substantial amounts of P and K from the soil. Second, prioritize fields with average to good productivity that do not require P and K. Third, consider fertilizing highly productive fields that need P and/or K. The last option for spending your N fertilizer dollars should be the low productivity fields or those that require a lot of P and K, unless money is not limiting. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Cooperating Agencies: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Boards of County Commissioners. Recommended amounts also differ for new plantings and already established fields. Soil fertility is an important part of producing high quality grass hay to feed an estimated 50,000 horses in New Jersey. Inadequate moisture at planting. Hybrid bermudagrass is sterile and will not produce viable seed, so it must be vegetatively propagated and is usually planted by using "sprigs." So, we get the following results. In soils low in phosphorus, incorporate 200 to 400 pounds of the same fertilizers. Plant growth stage has more influence on crude protein content than fertilizer rate. Not knowing what type of grass a hayfield or pasture is growing can cause some new homesteaders to think a field is not growing well and apply fertilizer unnecessarily. In addition to hybrid bermudagrass, selections were made from common bermudagrass, and two varieties are most prevalent, Giant and NK-37. The fertilizer calculator also has a convenient bonus feature, where, if you enter in the weight of each fertilizer bag, it will tell you how many bags to purchase. It is slower curing for hay, has earlier spring growth and is more productive on heavy textured soils along the Gulf Coast but yields about the same as Coastal on light soils in north Louisiana. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Most grass experts recommend that if you fertilize once a year, the best choice is to fertilize in the fall. The goal of the liming program is to maintain the soil fertility levels for Ca and Mg in the optimum range (about 65 to 70% Ca and 10 to 20% Mg saturation of the soil cation exchange capacity) and to maintain the desired soil pH level for crop rotation. Hayfields are often best fertilized AFTER the first harvesting of hay or straw. The labels on fertilizer bags can be quite confusing, especially for newbie homesteaders. After you've put so much effort sowing grass seed or laying sod, keeping your lawn supplied with sufficient nutrients will help it grow stronger, look greener, and be more resistant to disease and drought. Sometimes these are present at sufficient levels the soil. 86.772 pounds/ 22 pounds= 3.94 bags of fertilizer. On soils that test optimum (high) for K, it is important to apply enough K to maintain this optimum level of fertility. 47 Broadcast recommended rate of phosphate and potash fertilizer and 60 lbs nitrogen per acre. This practice can decrease the cost of paying for complete sprigging and can be done by the producer. When using commercial fertilizer, divide the total recommended N application into doses among hay cuttings over the season as described in the introduction. School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Office of Continuing Professional Education, Report Accessibility Barrier or Provide Feedback Form, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Joseph Heckman, Extension Specialist in Soil Fertility. Commonly used N fertilizers for grass hay production include urea, or ammonium sulfate. Waiting too long delays bermudagrass regrowth and allows for emerging weeds to outgrow the grass. For example, it is common to supplement calcium using lime (which also raises pH) or gypsum. Although these two grasses generally produce less forage than the hybrids, they are seeded varieties and offer an advantage to owners of small acreages. Ordinarily, no P fertilizer would be recommended for crops grown on very high testing soils but 20 lbs P2O5 per acre may be applied at time of planting grass seed to ensure rapid seedling establishment. This article appeared in the April/May 2018 issue of. Comments (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 45, 650, 651, 652, 653). On below optimum (medium or low) testing soils, the recommended P2O5 rate is designed to build the soil test level into the optimum (high) range over time. (057) Kentucky Bluegrass 7. Check out 19 similar gardening and crops calculators . Stolons and tops are planted in the late spring through early fall as moisture for "rooting" is prevalent. Alfalfa/brome mix: 2.75 tons to the acre. If the plant residue in the field is heavy, it will take more than half an inch of rain to get the job done. The following chart (Table 5) depicts the relationship between the amount of water needed to produce a pound of dry matter. After digging, it is important to keep sprigs moist and cool and to plant as soon as possible. In April of 1943, with the introduction of Coastal bermudagrass (an F1 hybrid between selections from Georgia and South Africa), forage production with perennial grasses changed dramatically and permanently. Table 4 summarizes renovation practices and what may be needed. The previous chart indicates three very important points that have been repeated in research throughout the South. Stopping ammonia volatilization from urea can occur if the crystals have direct contact with the dirt and enough rain falls soon after the fertilizer is applied, the urea content will wash from the residue of plants in the field down into the dirt. Research conducted in Georgia on Coastal bermudagrass produced the following results (see Table 6). Variety: The bermudagrass variety is important in determining N rate. The following table can help determine sprigging rates to use: Weed control is important to reduce competition for moisture, plant nutrients, and light. It includes such practices as soil testing and fertilizing according to the nutrients needed. Disadvantages include fire hazards, the need for a burning permit, baring the soil for possible erosion, and removing protection from late freezes. rates above about 50 pounds of N per acre. Use only what your soil needs to prevent leaching, Test your soil to ensure you don't add nutrients that are already present in the soil, Sweep up fertilizer on sidewalks and driveways to prevent it from falling into storm drains, Consider spreading your fertilizer in multiple applications throughout the year but in smaller quantities, Consider using organic fertilizers, which are less prone to leaching and can improve the structure of the soil. It is crucial since it will control the amount of different nutrients for the pants, such as Nitrogen, phosphorous, and so on. The presence of 25% or more legumes in a mixed forage stand means that the hay crop is essentially self-sufficient with respect to nitrogen via biological N fixation. Adding fertilizer to the pasture again in the late fall (once the animals are relying far more on hay than grazing) may also help infuse nutrients back into the soil before winter hits so the ground can settle properly in preparation for the new growth of spring. You will need to go through extensive calculating and a lengthy process. Weeds present during bermudagrass establishment prevent good stands and often result in plantings which take years or never cover completely. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. It also means zero application of N fertilizer. While it may seem easier to follow general fertilizer recommendations, you can get a more accurate picture of how much of each nutrient your soil has from a soil test. Zerle L. Carpenter, Director, Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System. Calculate how many pounds of fertilizer are needed per 1,000 square feet of lawn area. It is important to apply limestone to acid fields well in advance of planting perennial grasses. You also need to be mindful of this during a drought. Its best to identify the most productive soils and fertilize them first. If the hayfield or pasture has had agricultural lime applied to it in the past 90 days, fertilizer that is urea-based should not be used. These are the cheapest fields to fertilize. When corn or another crop precedes forage grasses in the rotation, apply enough limestone to the preceding crop to achieve the target soil pH for grass hay production. Cows feed back 92% of the potassium they consume and 66% of the phosphorus. The recommendations listed in this fact sheet are derived from the cumulative knowledge of decades of soil fertility research in New Jersey and surrounding states. However, if it is grown as a mixed stand with alfalfa, the target soil pH is 6.8. Nutrient recommendations for grass hay production should be based on an annual or recent soil test and a realistic crop yield goal. So, the total costing formulation will be like the following-. For the herbicide to work properly, it should be "watered in" either by rainfall or irrigation. If a good stand is present, these varieties will utilize N and convert it into forage until precipitation is limited. One way to plan a fertilization program is to overlay your soil test results with field productivity. Of the factors that limit forage production, water is the most important. Perennial grasses used for hay production are very responsive to N fertility. Now, divide the total required amount of Nitrogen for the garden by the amount it comes in a bag. For new plantings, broadcast 10 lbs Mn per acre to prevent deficiency during establishment. Countless feeding trials were also conducted to determine the digestibility and nutritive value under various management practices. Fertilizer grades are made by combining at least two soil nutrient sources into a single blend that is referred to as mixed fertilizers.. Hay production has a high demand for K. Each ton of hay harvested removes on average 50 lbs K2O per acre or 200 lbs K2O per acre for a typical 4 ton per acre yield. Conversely, sprigging at a higher rate will use more sprigs but will result in a faster grow in. Subsoiling and chiseling will eliminate compaction layers, loosen the soil, increase air movement and water penetration, and decrease water runoff for increased root development. Research is being conducted to evaluate their adaptability and forage production as compared to Coastal bermudagrass. Urea is the crystal and colorless compound in nitrogen that breaks down the protein in the urine excreted by animals. There are only three materials currently labeled for use in establishing new fields. In the soils of northwest Georgia, poultry litter at the recommended application rate (4 tons/ac) for bermudagrass hay maintained soil pH at 5.76 after five years compared to 5.42 in the unfertilized plots and 5.18 in the plots receiving ammonium nitrate fertilizer. On these fields with a history of Mn deficiency, be prepared to apply Mn fertilizer as a foliar spray after each cutting when the re-growth is at about 3 inches tall. With four harvests, applying 240 lbs nitrogen per acre should produce 4 to 5 tons hay per acre and applying 400 lbs nitrogen per acre should produce 6 to 7 tons per acre on good coastal sod in years with normal rainfall. On below optimum (medium or low) testing soils, above average yields goals are unrealistic. This study showed crude protein content improved by 1 to 1.5 percentage units per 100 pounds of N per acre applied. If you want to make 16-4-8 fertilizer, for example, divide 100 by 16. Urea has good handling and storage . Soil productivity: The rate of N fertilizer to apply depends on the soil productivity, the bermudagrass variety present, and the yield goal. If you're a farmer, it may be profitable to find the appropriate grass types and legumes to increase the number of cattle per acre on your pasture. These soils have the most potential to convert fertilizer into grass. Next, to determine how much fertilizer to apply to your lawn, multiply the fertilizer rate by the area of your lawn: fertilizer weight required = fertilizer application rate * lawn area. For this bag, it is 50 pounds. Also, it reduces unnecessary expenses. With both commercial fertilizer and manure applications, non-mobile nutrients (such as phosphorus) tend to accumulate in the top 6 inches of soil. Also, it has other essential elements, such as phosphate of around 19.5 pounds. Sulfur fertilization is generally not based on soil testing. Plant only pure, live sprigs as soon as possible after a rain. We only get one cutting a year. Many producers only apply nitrogen (N) and do not consider the soils pH, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) levels. 88 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525. Use a measuring tape to find the length and width of the space. Field experiments in Victoria County have shown that from 3 to 7 pounds of Coastal bermudagrass will be produced for each 1 pound of weeds controlled. When the spring flush growth occurs after winter finally subsides, adding fertilizer to bolster the ample sweet grasses in pastures even more could actually be harmful to the livestock. The first cutting of grass should be harvested early to ensure high quality, palatability, and nutritious feed. Although many reasons exist for pasture decline, the following symptoms would indicate that some kind of renovation should be considered: Soil testing and fertilizing should be the first practice in any renovation. A good average application rate is 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Weed status: Another factor to consider before fertilizing bermudagrass is the weed status in the field. For example, you can raise the pH using lime, or lower the pH using granular sulfur. It is true that crude protein will be higher in fertilized bermudagrass, but the difference is small. Planting Splitting the total annual K application into several small broadcast applications, following each grass hay cutting, helps to avoid luxury K uptake, and it encourages more effective utilization of this nutrient. The three key nutrients you need to pay most attention to for healthy grass growth are. Granular fertilizers are made up of dry particles that slowly release nutrients into the soil over time. It should be uniform and set up in borders if flood irrigated. For every ton of legume or tall grass hay harvested from a hayfield, roughly 50 pounds of potassium and 13 pounds of phosphorus is removed from the soil. How much and how quickly this type of surface volatilization occurs will depend on several factors: the pH balance of the soil, moisture levels, and temperature. These newer selections are rapidly becoming very popular. These won't provide nutrients as effectively in cold soils. Nitrogen fertility can be provided for production of grass hay by following a good crop rotation system, application of compost, or manures. Charles Stichler, Extension Agronomist, Uvalde What does N-P-K on the fertilizer bag stand for? The amount recommended varies depending on the crop yield level (Table 2A&B). 1. The closer the spacing, the faster the sprigs will completely cover the area. Land Preparation Apply at the rate of 1.5 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. These large sprayers usually apply higher concentrations per . Together, these three numbers reference all of the primary nutrients the soil needs: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. We harvested these plots every 30 days, and crude protein contents were above 11 percent in the unfertilized plots. 10 min read Forage bermudagrasses are warm-season perennial grasses that grow throughout Alabama. The particles of nutrients inside the bag can be of a single color, or they can include more than one color. Whatever amount of fertilizer you plan to apply, be realistic in determining your stocking rate. It means you need to divide the total amount of fertilizer with 100 and then multiply the result with the total weight of the bag. Generally, for seasonal climates with winters below 55 F (13 C), the best time to fertilize is in the fall. Looking at agriculture like the science that it is and following best practices as dictated by what the ground, weather, and livestock habits is truly the only way to cultivate robustly productive hayfields and pastures. Making mistakes when fertilizing livestock areas can not only bring about a vastly disappointing hay or straw yield, but could also prove deadly for the animals themselves. Over a growing season, a typical 4 tons per acre hay harvest would remove 60 lbs P 2 O 5 and 200 lbs of K 2 O per acre. New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Here are some ways to prevent pollution from fertilizers: How many bags of fertilizer do you need to achieve 1 lb of nitrogen per 1000 sq ft (43.56 lbs per acre) using a 25-5-10 fertilizer? Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Supplemental N fertilizer, up to 20% of the recommended N requirement, may also be applied as Chilean nitrate (also known as sodium nitrate, 15% N). Producers using ammonium sulfate should be aware that this fertilizer is strongly acidifying, and need for liming may increase. When surface volatilization happens at least some of the nitrogen in the fertilizer has broken down to form ammonia gasses. Sprigs are underground roots that are dug and planted. During the establishment stage, grasses need only small amounts of nitrogen. This slow release means nutrients can be absorbed at a steady rate until all have been utilized, making them ideal for prolonged growth periods such as those experienced in hay fields. Consider the soil test K, Mg, and Ca fertility levels to select the most appropriate S fertilizer source. The following yield test results are from Bryan (sandy loam soil), Overton (sandy soil, East Texas), and Jackson (clay soil) Counties. Repeat nitrogen application as required to produce sufficient forage up to September. You must ensure that the units for the lawn area match the units used for the application rate, but you won't need to worry about converting units if you use our fertilizer calculator! Volatile N loss is not a concern with ammonium sulfate. Fall fertilization gives the grass a chance to build strong roots before the winter, so it will rebound quickly in the spring. One is your experience. How do I use the lawn fertilizer calculator? With adequate nitrogen, only 3.9 inches of water is needed to produce a ton of dry matter. Once established, it is difficult to "push" water through a stand of grass. Management of Hybrid Bermudagrass Where grass hay is grown as a mixed stand with alfalfa, the crop will likely need an annual application of B fertilizer. Planting tops is somewhat different from planting sprigs in establishing bermudagrass. A 50-pound bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 15 actual pounds of fertilizer nutrients, and the rest is composed of natural filler materials like limestone and sand. Some algal blooms also deplete local oxygen levels when the algae die and decompose, creating "dead zones" where fish and other aquatic wildlife cannot survive. Many factors should be considered when determining how much, if any, fertilizer to apply to bermudagrass pastures. (060) Ryegrass for Overseeding Lawns 8. So, the amount of Nitrogen the particular fertilizer has is: For phosphorus, 0.15X50=7.5 pounds, and lastly. Calcium and Magnesium are supplied as part of a regular liming program to maintain soil pH. K is not recommended for soils that test above optimum (very high). The local water soil and conservation district office or a 4-H Extension should be able to process or send the test away for you. Legume and grass-style hay will nearly always flourish in the spring without the need for any fertilizer because it has had all winter to rest and build up nutrients. It takes roughly 20 to 40 pounds (9 to 18 kgs) of fertilizer per acre to foster legume and grass hay growth. It especially seems to impact ruminant animals like sheep, as well as both beef and dairy cattle. On organic farms that include livestock, manure is an important source of fertility, but if supplemental P or K is needed only raw, mined, or unprocessed fertilizer sources are approved for organic production. Lawn fertilizer manufacturers may recommend a different rate on the label, and if you choose to go with that, it's a good idea to cut the recommendation in half to avoid problems. Tara lives on a 56 acres farm in the Appalachian Mountains, where she faces homesteading and farming challenges every single day, raising chickens, goats, horses, and tons of vegetables. Copyright 2023 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Type Web Soil Survey into a search engine, find your place on a map, and see what soil types make up your fields. When a grass legume mix is being grown, N fertilization is not recommended. Photo: Zane Helsel. Thin stands with bare ground showing and a decrease in the number and vigor of rhizomes. Knowing these factors can help you determine which form of fertilizer will work best for your hayfield and ensure it continues to thrive. Excessive soil test levels of K (greater than 400 lbs per acre or 200 ppm) can lead to feed quality problems and nutritional imbalances in livestock. Hybrid varieties such as Coastal, Midland 99, and Tifton 85 will respond to much higher N rates. Recommendations may come in different units, including pounds of fertilizer per 1000 square feet, pounds per acre, or kilograms per hectare, but the calculation is the same regardless of units. The soil fertility management for production of organic forage crops should be considered within the context of the overall organic crop rotation cycle and organic farm system plan. How do I choose a fertilizer? While many farmers use synthetic fertilizers on their hay fields because theyre faster and absorb quicker, you can add something as simple as 1 to 4 gallons of liquid fish emulsion or seaweed per acre as well. Sandy, highly leached, low organic matter content soils are the kinds of fields most likely to need S fertilization. Planting tops allows producers to plant throughout the growing season as long as soil moisture is sufficient. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as amended, and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Not a subscriber? Keep in mind that too much nitrogen leads to faster lawn growth, which just means that you'll have to mow the lawn more often. If the lawn was 1.5 acres, we would need: 1.5 acres * 154 lbs fertilizer/acre = 231 lbs of fertilizer. Without proper harvest timing, high-quality forage will rapidly turn into "cardboard." Sadly, it doesnt bring any goodness to the plants and crops. Without water, plants will not grow, no matter how much fertilizer is available. Some homesteaders and farmers with warm-season grasses choose to apply just a little bit of nitrogen fertilizer in the early spring to help bolster late spring growth before baling but doing this without a soil test could increase the chances of grass tetany. Introduction Adding in 275 pounds of a 19-19-19 fertilizer mixture recipe would still leave the field roughly 148 pounds shy of the level of potassium that has to be replaced to achieve optimal soil contents. When using manures as an N source, the total manure N may be spread as a single application in the fall or early spring just before green-up. Hay harvest removes large amounts of S (5 lbs S per ton) from the soil and this increases the potential for S deficiency. Multiple them and then divide the result by 4840 square yards to get the numbers in an acre. It is a high-yielding grass: 5 to 7 tons of hay per acre can be produced with good management when there's ample moisture. If a good stand is present, these varieties will utilize N and convert it into forage until precipitation is limited. It also implies several intensive series of practices to the extent of destroying the sod and replanting and everything in between. In Falls County, burning increased grass production by 143 percent while decreasing weed competition by 96 percent. Then you can convert it to acre measurement and step to the last step of calculating the fertilizer cost for the yard or garden. This means 52 pounds of phosphorus and about 200 pounds of potassium would be depleted from the dirt on every acre. The recommended K2O rate is designed to build the soil test level into the high (optimum) range over time. You will have more confidence in your plan by seeking advice from your local grass experts, such as at a plant nursery or with a landscaping company.
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