Not all fertiliser is the same. Selecting a fertiliser is not just about the best deal on the day or because it was used last season; the right fertiliser is an answer to questions you ask before anything goes into the ground.
Setting an objective
Your first question is, 'What am I trying to achieve?'
Maintaining fertility is very different than correcting a deficiency. Pursuing a high-yield target is different from filling a feed deficit. Knowing your goal not only determines what to apply, but whether it is even needed.
Testing the soil
A soil test is an essential starting point, not a fertiliser plan. It provides a snapshot of the soil nutrient status and is an important piece of information used to inform the overall fertiliser plan. On its own, it will not tell you much about crop demand, expected nutrient removal, weather, pasture utilisation, paddock history, stock needs, or yield targets.
Crop and pasture type
Different crops—from ryegrass to fodder beet, maize to brassicas, mandarins to kiwifruit—have different nutrient requirements. Even within pasture systems, nutrient priorities differ with species, stocking rates, and paddock use.
What nutrients does this crop or pasture need and when do they need to be available?
Know your limits
What is limiting production? A nutrient deficiency may be part of the problem, but it does not necessarily mean it is the main limitation. Investigating your list of potential suspects—water, temperature, soil structure, drainage, compaction, pests, disease, pasture composition, grazing management—and remembering one or several factors may be the contributing culprits. Addresssing those before fertiliser saves money and time.
History matters
Before you can decide what can go on your paddocks, you need to know what has already gone in and what has come out. Paddock history matters. Has it grown consecutive crops? Have you removed silage or baleage? Has dairy effluent been applied? How stocked was the paddock? Do you regularly introduce feed? All these activities influence the nutrient balance on-farm and inform future decisions.
It is all in the timing
Different crops have different timings. Some nutrients may be needed at establishment; others may be at particular stages of crop development. Knowing the needs of the plant matters. Conditions on the ground matters, too. Applying the right fertiliser under favourable conditions gives different results than the right fertiliser at the wrong time.
Talk it out
Fertiliser is a significant investment and deserves more than a quick call or a decision based on price alone. It is a conversation that starts your farm. Together PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representatives and Ballance Agri-Nutrients Specialists help you develop a plan for your spring agronomy by providing tailored technical advice.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients is a Gold sponsor for Cash for Communities. From 1 September to 30 November, for every tonne of eligible fertiliser or 10 litres of agrichemical purchased, one dollar goes to a charity or organisation of your choice. Find out how you can participate, here.
