Adding urea

[FarmerDan]

Jack, Jack, Jack -
While I used to not agree on some of what you posted in the past, I see that you have modified your thinking, a very large and imposing hurdle for all of us! I have deep admiration - but - could you start most of your posts with an executive summary, maybe just a couple powerful bullet points. I spent most of my afternoon trying to keep up....

 

[TreeDaddy]

Jack,

Like Dan, I am a browser and not a grazer

A bullet point assessment/plan is appreciated

bill

 

[Smallplot]

Besides we all know during this time of year they, the deer, are eating acorns on the neighbors property.


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[Mortenson]

You guys are fertilizing your oak trees right?

 

[yoderjac]

Here is the problem. Nutrient cycling takes a long time to do and those without necessary equipment are left behind depending on choices and methods for planting. Even at that most food plotters can’t believe what natural things need to happen to reach that end game. Most may tell you they have dirt but know nothing about what their CEC is which effects how much nutrient storage their soils are capable of. So it is far deeper than just the kind of plants selected. As far as grass crops like cereals getting rank, well that can be over planting what is necessary.


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I agree with that. I didn't know any better when I started and I really screwed up my marginal soils with a 2-bottom plow. It has taken me quite a while to recover. If the OP was talking about adding P & K according to a soil test, my response would have been different. I'm still far from done with learning about soils and adapting techniques. I would say that using no fertilizer at all is a long-term goal for many of us. I'm not sure if I'm there yet; so far so good. And soil health is only part of the bigger habitat picture for me.

Most of us starting out are so anxious to get dirt under our nails, we fail to look at the big picture. My intent was to provoke thought and discussion about identifying goals and asking ourselves does practice X (adding N to the OPs mix in this case), really contribute to our goal. We call all have different goals and even folks with the same goal may have different local conditions and thus make different decision.

You are right, there are lots of factors we each need to weigh.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Jack, Jack, Jack -
While I used to not agree on some of what you posted in the past, I see that you have modified your thinking, a very large and imposing hurdle for all of us! I have deep admiration - but - could you start most of your posts with an executive summary, maybe just a couple powerful bullet points. I spent most of my afternoon trying to keep up....

My thinking and approach has been evolving for many years.

Executive Summary:

Do we have well established goals and do our practices contribute to them? In this case, will adding N really benefit in-season daytime attraction (assumed objective) enough to be worth the cost and time or could the resources be applied better elsewhere?

Bullet Points:
- Food Plotter goals are different than Farmers
- Smart choices in crops and techniques can reduce or eliminate the need for commercial fertilizer for many food plot objectives.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

You want higher yields? Spread more seed! If you haven’t completely ruined your soil, do you have any idea how much N earth worms add to the soil /acre/year? How much of the comercial Nitrogen that you apply do you think is even available for your plant roots to uptake? With small grains many times as mentioned higher fertility equals lower nutritional value. Cereals are almost to efficient at mining nutrients.

Many times we think there is a fertility issue when most of the time there is a dpsm and abundance of food issue.


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[Tree Spud]

Well I got all my plots in last weekend. I did a mix of ww/oats, crimson clover, a few late planted beans and radishes. I was curious if a top dressing of urea would help my growth or would it be a waste of time ?

I would throw 50 lbs of urea per acre right before a rain ... never ask a farmer when to fertilize, they are cheap bastirds and will always short things

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

If you must use ams in place of urea.


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[S.T.Fanatic]

If you must use ams in place of urea.


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I just planted cereals two days ago in Minnesota. You have plenty of time to put on growth


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[Ncwoodsman]

That was alot of info but let me give a little more back story on my plots. All the plots have good ph most are around 6.5, I added the recommended p and k a few months ago so my levels are right where the need to be. I have around 1000 Acer's of moderate deer density with a mix of hay fields with lots of clover in them,3 year old clear cuts with great browse, and hardwoods. I planted around 10 acres of soybeans that are doing great and are almost head high. To give you an example I was able to plant a soybean field only about three quarters of an acre and it still was able to get about waist high so the deer have plenty of other food and I don't have a very high deer density. I am looking to just get the most growth I can out of my fall food plots to hunt over and feed the deer this winter. If adding some N would help the plots grow to there fullest and help and keep the deer through the winter then I will definitely be adding some.

 

[yoderjac]

That was alot of info but let me give a little more back story on my plots. All the plots have good ph most are around 6.5, I added the recommended p and k a few months ago so my levels are right where the need to be. I have around 1000 Acer's of moderate deer density with a mix of hay fields with lots of clover in them,3 year old clear cuts with great browse, and hardwoods. I planted around 10 acres of soybeans that are doing great and are almost head high. To give you an example I was able to plant a soybean field only about three quarters of an acre and it still was able to get about waist high so the deer have plenty of other food and I don't have a very high deer density. I am looking to just get the most growth I can out of my fall food plots to hunt over and feed the deer this winter. If adding some N would help the plots grow to there fullest and help and keep the deer through the winter then I will definitely be adding some.

N will improve growth but not make a measureable difference in helping or holding deer through the winter. You might want to add your location/USDA zone to your profile. You've probably got the scale to do QDM if that is an objective of yours. If you are far enough north that winter is your primary stress period, The beans will the primary winter food. Consider surface broadcasting a cover crop into the standing beans when the leaves begin to yellow. I prefer Winter Rye as the cereal component because of the soil health benefits and the lack of fertility requirements. I'd add a legume. In my area crimson clover works well. I'd also add a small amount of a brassica. If snow is not deep Purple Top Turnips can be a good winter food.

Best of luck!

Jack