Urea on brassica...how soon?

[Tap]

I have some throw and mow brassica blend that's just emerging. I'm sure its less than 100% emerged at this point.
They are forecasting some decent rains the next couple days. Will I harm the brassica if I broadcast urea in it? We've already had some good rains in the last week, so my soil (mostly loamy, clay) is already moist.

 

[seadonist]

I wait until they start to yellow out a little, usually around 4 weeks after planting.


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[bbcoach]

If you didn't add any fertilizer at planting then by all means give it a good dose. Just make sure you are going to get rain. Urea can burn the brassicas unless it gets a good dose of rain on it. Urea also will dissolve into the air if you don't get rain or don't incorporate it into the soil. Brassicas love nitrogen (100 to 150 lbs per acre) so give them a dose now and as seadonist says at about 4 weeks (3 to 4 leaf stage). To keep from burning the young plants go light or add some triple 19 or 34-0-0.

 

[Tap]

If you didn't add any fertilizer at planting then by all means give it a good dose. Just make sure you are going to get rain. Urea can burn the brassicas unless it gets a good dose of rain on it. Urea also will dissolve into the air if you don't get rain or don't incorporate it into the soil. Brassicas love nitrogen (100 to 150 lbs per acre) so give them a dose now and as seadonist says at about 4 weeks (3 to 4 leaf stage). To keep from burning the young plants go light or add some triple 19 or 34-0-0.

Yep, I realize all that. It's just that I've heard from time to time that brassica should be given N, either before/at planting or after they get to a certain let stage (tri-foliate??) but not when very young. Am I remembering that correctly?
I wondered if any of you guys had experience with urea on brassica sprouts (just before substantial rain).
I wasn't sure if the "just-emerged" sprouts can be harmed by N.

My crystal ball says that in 4 weeks, just when everyone says they should get urea, that we won't get the kind of rain urea needs to dissolve. Seems to happen every year here. I end up sitting on 500 lbs of urea waiting for 1/4"-1/2" of rain and meanwhile, I'm losing valuable growing season. By the time the decent rain comes, I've lost a month or more of brassica top and bulb production.

 

[bbcoach]

As I stated, you can burn the plants and roots with high nitrogen fertilizers (mainly urea) if you apply too much. If you are going to get rain and didn't fertilize at planting then go lightly with the urea or get some triple 19 or ammonia nitrate 34-0-0.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I say feed them. Just make sure you get rain. If they are 6 inches tall or more, put it down.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

As I stated, you can burn the plants and roots with high nitrogen fertilizers (mainly urea) if you apply too much. If you are going to get rain and didn't fertilize at planting then go lightly with the urea or get some triple 19 or ammonia nitrate 34-0-0.

I would be afraid the 34-0-0 wouldn’t get all used up in the time of his growing season. Therefor wasting a good part of it.

 

[Tap]

I say feed them. Just make sure you get rain. If they are 6 inches tall or more, put it down.

Yeah...typical of what happens right after I spread urea...the substantial rain skirted East by about 25 miles. We got almost nothing. It had just started to rain so I only fertilized 3 small areas and I planned to fertilize the rest of my brassica tomorrow (hoping the rain predictions are right). More is predicted over the next few days so fingers crossed. looking at how the radar is tracking, I just don't have confidence that we are going to get the amount they are calling for. Weathermen...it's the only job (other than a politician) that everyone fully expects that they will screw up...how do I get a job like that?
I didn't fertilize all of my brassica plots. I experimented a little, did some medium urea on one tiny spot, did heavier urea on another tiny spot, and did trip 19 on another tiny spot.

 

[Barndog56]

For me, my intention when planting brassicas, besides giving the deer something to eat, is for them to dig deep with their roots, and bring nitrogen and other nutrients up closer to the surface, where following crops can use them. Spreading nitrogen just makes it easy for them, and they won't improve your soil to the same level.

If you do apply nitrogen, make sure you add sulfur as well, 1 pound for every 10 pounds of nitrogen.