What Fertilizer To Use

2pack

We got a 2 acre meadow that was used for grazing for the past 6 years and were thinking of cutting it for silage or hay this year.
It never got any slurry or fertilizer but was going to sow some this week.
Just wondering what fertilizer should we use and how many bags would be needed for this 2 acre field.
Also its full this year of them buttercups.

bbam

If it were me I'd top it tight and spread six bags of 18-6-12 on it.

2pack

ok was also told not to use the nitrogen as grass would shoot up in bursts then stop and also too hard on this type of ground

bbam

By nitrogen they'd be referring to the likes of 27% Can. Which is 27% nitrogen and very little P or K

Not knowing what the soil is like the 18-6-12 is balanced enough to give good results.

I'm no grassland expert. But the 18-6-12 will get you results. You should have a decent crop in 7-8 weeks and then be able to graze it after.

2pack

yes thats exactly right, one guy mentioned 27-4-4 so the 4's must be P & k, its about €5 dearer than the nitrogen working out at near €25 per 50kg bag
no 18-6-12 up here as fertilizer stocks are low at present, there is however plenty of 10-10-20

bbam

In my opinion That would be no good for silage ground.
It's only six bags, ring round and someone will have them.

mf240

Put three 10 10 20 and three 27 can on it. If thats what's available.

High bike

Hard to beat the 18-6-12

Farmer

..and a skite of lime for the acid loving buttercups...or is that making it all too complicated and expensive

2pack

Farmer wrote: »

..and a skite of lime for the acid loving buttercups...or is that making it all too complicated and expensive

No your grand, i see the bags of lime at €8 per 25kg bag, how many bags would i need to kill off these buttercups on this field.

towzer2010

2pack wrote: »

No your grand, i see the bags of lime at €8 per 25kg bag, how many bags would i need to kill off these buttercups on this field.

Its granulated lime you will be using and I think they come in 50 kg bags.

2 bags to the acre should be enough for now.

2pack

OH its the granulated lime that i was use then


so use the fertiliser first then use the lime or could i mix it the fertiliser then

towzer2010

It doesn't matter really which one you put out first but the gran lime will start working as soon as it is spread so I'd go with that first. Don't mix them as the lime is dusty and that will interfere with the fertiliser spreading rates

2pack

bbam wrote: »

If it were me I'd top it tight and spread six bags of 18-6-12 on it.

hiya, I have been told that 18-6-12 is slow acting and is usually used for hay not silage as too slow

iverjohnston

Don't know about any inherent "slow acting" properties with 18-6-12, the problem is that you are only getting out 54 units of Nitrogen with the 3 bags, so will be slow acting compared to lashing out 4 bags of 24-2.5-5.

Bactidiaryl

For starters is there much grass in it now and was it grazed already this year. Also I wouldn't get hung up on the buttercup situation as their everywhere this year especially on places that haven't been fertilised.

2pack

NO has not been grazed but damn all grass on it just covered with them bloody buttercups

Bactidiaryl

2pack wrote: »

NO has not been grazed but damn all grass on it just covered with them bloody buttercups

Ok my tuppence worth. 3 bags of cut sward or similar. Waste of money putting out any more nitrogen on it as sounds like old grass.

leoch

how do u calculate the fertiliser units say 3 bags 18.6.12 is this 54units and when could u cut this

mf240

yes its 54 units you can cut after 27 days. 2 units a day in growth.

buffalobilly

Going to put 2500 gallons pig slurry acre tomorrow on silage ground for second cut what fertilizer??? Should I use

1chippy

buffalobilly wrote: »

Going to put 2500 gallons pig slurry acre tomorrow on silage ground for second cut what fertilizer??? Should I use

If it was me id be using cut sward but im trying to build up p's a bit. straight nitrogen would be alright though in my limited opinion.

Dampintheattic

1chippy wrote: »

If it was me id be using cut sward but im trying to build up p's a bit. straight nitrogen would be alright though in my limited opinion.

If going straight N, use sulpha version.