Food plot soil sample

[Novashooter]

Am I supposed to work the fertilizer into the soil? You'll have to treat me like I'm a 6 year old, I'm not much of a farmer. If that spot has been a hay field, it was a long time ago. My great grandpa used to rent it out for cattle, but that was 30 years ago. In my lifetime I can't remember any part of the farm being cut for haybales. It's almost half swamp, lots of cat tails. Maybe 30% crop fields, almost always soybeans. This is the first year in my lifetime they planted corn, and the only other one I recall is wheat almost 15 years ago. The rest used to be lots of grass, and scattered woods. It is amazing how much it has changed in the last 30 years. Trees and thorns have really taken the place over except for the thickest of grass.

I'm sure there are things around Alexandria, but I don't live there. I'm actually in South Dakota. Between running bear baits in northern MN, and working at home in SD, I've just been running thin on time. I plan to check Agtegra here at home tomorrow. I've already applied 200 pounds of 10-10-10. I'm hoping an actual farm store can get me there the rest of the way. No worries on the Brassicas. They were planted weeks ago. I When I spread fertilizer on Saturday, everything looks like it is coming up good, probably the best I've got so far. It's not ideal, I'm still learning, but right now I think the biggest hold back is going to be rain. One more good soaking rain and I bet I'll have a really nice crop.

 

[Plowboy85]

The 200lbs of triple 10 yielded 20lbs of NPK each so that’s a start. Legumes specifically the winter peas that are referenced on the soil sample are heavy K users. Grasses are heavy N users. My true passion is my food plots and pastures so I can add a little here but you have been given some good information so far. Organic matter is definitely inaccurate as others pointed out but don’t worry about organic matter anyhow because there is little you can do about it anyhow. Like others have mentioned phosphorus doesn’t travel well, potassium is marginally better. Since you have already planted brassicas which need N as well I would too dress with 60lbs of NPK each, this is actual nutrient. 13-13-13 is 13% NPK therefore 6.5lbs of actual NPK if that makes sense. When you are buying nutrients learn to speak in pounds of actual nutrients and it will be easier for you.

Keep the questions coming and we would love to help.

 

[Novashooter]

Since I did not know what other fertilizers I could find, I stopped at 200 pounds of 10-10-10. According to the chart, I was going to get 0-20-20, and add 150 pounds of that to split the difference. Since I couldn't I stopped at 200, rather than the 300 I was going to do. Lets assume the local place sells phosphorus and potassium by the pound. Since A 25lb bag of 0-20-20 should be 5 lbs of P and K, I figure I should ask for 30 pounds of each? Is there something else they add, or what is all that filler in bagged fertilizer? Along with that, I would add the final 100 lbs of 10-10-10.

 

[Plowboy85]

Since I did not know what other fertilizers I could find, I stopped at 200 pounds of 10-10-10. According to the chart, I was going to get 0-20-20, and add 150 pounds of that to split the difference. Since I couldn't I stopped at 200, rather than the 300 I was going to do. Lets assume the local place sells phosphorus and potassium by the pound. Since A 25lb bag of 0-20-20 should be 5 lbs of P and K, I figure I should ask for 30 pounds of each? Is there something else they add, or what is all that filler in bagged fertilizer? Along with that, I would add the final 100 lbs of 10-10-10.

It’s primarily fillers making up the balance when you buy it in 50lbs bags. Is this an ag store you are going to? If so you can tell them how many pounds of each you are needed per acres and how many acres you are wanting to cover and they can make you a blend for the buggy. How many acres are you working on? Do you have tractors with spreaders/buggies or are you using something else.

When you get the soil in better balance of nutrients it’s not as costly to add a little each planting. Normally when I add a new plot I’ll add 120lbs of P&K spring and fall then typically add 60-60-60 at planting there after. This is a plot that is about 6wks in a few winters back. When you get the soil right it will make it some much more enjoyable.

 

[Novashooter]

I have very little equipment. We have an old tractor, but its not worth much. I do most of the pulling with my truck. The only thing we have is a small disc, maybe 6' wide. No spreader or cultipacker or anything like that. All seed and fertilizer spreading is done with a handheld broadcast spreader, perfect size for a 25 lb bag of fertilizer. Spraying is done with a 4 gallon backpack sprayer.

I am working on right at about 1/2 acre, so not too big. I am doing a separate plot as kind of a test to see how a simple throw n mow method works. It's smaller, and not in a great hunting location. I just want to see how well it can work. A third spot I have is also not too big, about 1/3 acre in size I planted in the spring with a clover and chicory mix. That one came up really good. I should probably put some more work into that, because it turned out a lot better than I expected. I originally just wanted it to clear out an area for two better shooting lanes, and planted clover and chicory to hopefully smother some of the thorns and other gnarly crap that grows in the jungle that is Alexandria. It seems to have done that, but it also seems to be quite the deer magnet. No soil sample for that one.

 

[Plowboy85]

Those aren’t bad plot sizes to start with. If it’s loose dirt a heavier pipe for a drag can work just fine. So when we talk about pounds of NPK that’s per acre, therefore you could start with 30lbs off each for the half acre plot you gave. Essentially 6 bags of the 10-10-10 you have access to since each is 5lbs of NPK per bag. My cell is 901-634-1904 feel free to call or text me if you’d like to talk more and I can pass along what I know and has worked for us.

 

[wind gypsy]

Am I supposed to work the fertilizer into the soil?

It helps if you broadcast P&K before you do any disking to get it in the soil, late for that now that you've planted obviously. If anything I'd just get 50# bag of urea or 2 (46-0-0) and try to broadcast that before a rain if at all possible as that gets it disolved into the soil before it is at risk of volatizing into the air. Also avoid spreading on wet plants as that can burn them. There should be a co-op or ProAg branch in alexandria that have it or any co-op near your house.