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Prepare for the unexpected (weather)

If this year’s weather is any indication – from a summer filled with wildfires and dry conditions to an El Niño winter – the message is clear: Prepare your soil for fluctuating conditions to increase crop yield potential.

Ideally, you have conducted a soil test this autumn and can use those results alongside previous soil findings to create a plan for the upcoming growing season. If you didn’t, mark it on your calendar now for next fall, and gather the information you do have – data, previous results (soil or tissue test, yields), local research and re­sources, etc.

Harvesting a crop removes from the soil Nitrogen (N), Phospho­rus (P) and Potassium (K), along with other macro- and micronu­trients. With all the stress put on soil, it’s time to create an action plan for the spring with support from agronomic experts and your retailer.

Five fertilizer best practices

No matter the weather outlook, springtime planting conditions can be challenging to get crops off to a great start. Give your crop a boost by providing it with the nutrients needed to support optimal crop yields.

Consider these five crop nutrition best practices so you are ready to act when the time – and weather – is right.

1. Revisit your most recent soil test to determine nutrient needs and an appropriate yield goal.
2. Determine crop nutrient removal based on yield goals to en­sure fertilizer rates at minimum replace nutrients when soil tests are too maintained. When soil tests are low, multi-year crop rotations may need to be calculated to determine where additional fertilizer can be added beyond crop removal.
3. Plan on a spring fertilizer application to get the most benefit for sandy, coarse soils or soluble forms of nitrogen and sulfur.
4. Use a locally placed/banded phosphorus fertilizer for cool wet, saturated conditions.
5. Monitor mobile nutrients for proper balance, including nitrate nitrogen, sulfate, boron and chloride – which are primarily found 30 to 60 cm into the soil.

Answers you can count on

Crops need N, P, K and S to reach their full yield potential. Choose a fertilizer you can count on to deliver the essential nutri­ents at the right time across your fields.

Look for features that ensure your crops are getting the support they need, including:

• A consistent granule size
• Uniform distribution across your field
• Key nutrients in a homogenous granule
• Increased nutrient availability for greater plant uptake
• Provides season-long sulfur
• An Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer
• A formulation built for your soil conditions

Work with your retailer to get set up for the spring, but know that crop nutrition and success isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it situation. Pro­actively monitor crop growth and development throughout the year and address needs as they arise, while capturing information for fu­ture planning. Incorporate tissue testing samples from throughout your field to monitor crop nutrient status.

Consider a crop nutrition plan a living document that you review annually to maximize return on fertilizer investments. Be ready and confident for next year’s growing success, no matter the weather.

Give your crops the nutrition they need to perform their best. Discover how to supercharge your yields with MicroEssentials® per­formance fertilizers for advanced crop nutrition.