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“You cannot manage what you do not measure.” It’s a phrase that rings true and one that every soil lab knows well. Another common message proclaims: “Soil testing doesn’t cost, it pays!”
“I want to plant more alfalfa so I don’t have to fertilize as much.” If I had a nickel for every time I have heard that, I would have a lot of nickels!
Not many years ago, there were only two people allowed to enter a newly planted Midwest cornfield: One was the person applying the side-dress nitrogen, and the other was the person applying the weed control.
You see a patient in a hospital bed on an intravenous drip. All nutrients and energy are fed to the patient through the tubes. The patient doesn’t get up, doesn’t have to move, doesn’t have to buy groceries or fix dinner, much less sit down at a table to fork the food in. Sweet life, right? No effort, all gain? Except that somehow, we know this isn’t ideal – not even close.
Alfalfa requires potassium in the greatest amount to facilitate its maximum growth potential. For a healthy stand and optimum hay yields, alfalfa absorbs potassium more than any other nutrient from the soil.
On the first day in soil science class, we teach that soil is definitely not the same as dirt. Dirt has no value. That’s why your momma fussed at you about tracking it in her house. But soil has value.
When producers think of managing soil nutrients in corn production, they likely think first of nitrogen and rightly so as it is the most common yield-limiting nutrient. But nitrogen is just the beginning of the story. Corn silage growers need to also test for and manage potassium, phosphorus and micronutrients to maximize yields and keep the soil productive over the long term.
Many dairy farmers rely increasingly on corn silage to meet forage needs. While the efficiencies associated with the production, harvest and storage of corn silage are attractive, a less desirable corollary of this management trend is the increased linkage of manure distribution with production of corn.
This year many areas of the state have been reporting good forage yields so far. As a result, we nutrient removal by the crop may be up significantly too. This combined with increasing fertilizer prices, especially for potassium (K) has raised questions about fertilization of forage stands.
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