In The Field with Randy

Sidedress Applications

February is here and one of the first field items to take care of is wheat fertilization. As I write this on January 17th our wheat is responding well to the mostly above normal temperatures we have experienced in the first half of January. It was hammered pretty hard by the extreme cold around Christmas but has responded well since then.

The first sidedress application of nitrogen to wheat is typically made in February. For late planted wheat that may not have tillered well, I typically like to see those applications made in the first half of the month. For wheat planted in the early to normal timeframe that has developed and tillered well, I typically like to see those applications made in the last half of February.

Let’s talk about rates. The normal recommendation is 120 units of nitrogen per acre. I would be hesitant to cut much if any from these recommended rates unless you feel that you don’t have good yield potential for whatever reason. On the other hand, if you typically apply higher rates than this you may want to cut back to the normal recommendation unless you know for sure that you’re getting a profitable yield response from higher rates. I have a few that tell me they can get a response up to higher rates (around 140 units) but be pretty confident of this before spending the extra money.

Split applications are normally recommended with the second application being made at beginning internode movement. This can vary anywhere from the end of February to mid-March but often falls in that March 10-15 timeframe. There are some that make 3 applications on the sandiest soils that are prone to leaching especially in wetter years.

Agrotain can be beneficial depending on soil moisture and temperature. The wetter it is and the warmer it is, the more likely you are to see a benefit from a urease inhibitor such as Agrotain. Of course this is only needed on urea. Sulfur applications to sandy soils are not a place to make any cuts and you will pay if you do. The University of Arkansas recommends 20 units of sulfur on sandy and sandy loam soils with the first nitrogen application. On some of the sandier soils in our area (especially north of Newport and west of Tuckerman), we often see a need for more sulfur especially in wetter years. I typically recommend sulfur in both applications (or all 3 for a few that make 3 applications). My normal recommendation is 75 pounds of ammonium sulfate per acre blended in with the urea or maybe 50 pounds for those making 3 applications.

For more information, feel free to contact me through Farmers Supply Association by cell at 870-318-0739 or by e-mail at randychlapecka@gmail.com