Silage Soil samples

Cavanjack

Just got soil sample results back. Silage ground mostly index 4 for p and k (a few 3s). All old ground that is cut twice a year and all gets plenty of slurry.
Would I get away with straight nitrogen on these for a while or how long would they last at index 3/4 before they would drop back an index?

White Clover

Cavanjack wrote: »

Just got soil sample results back. Silage ground mostly index 4 for p and k (a few 3s). All old ground that is cut twice a year and all gets plenty of slurry.
Would I get away with straight nitrogen on these for a while or how long would they last at index 3/4 before they would drop back an index?

What's the ph? If good, you would get this year out of it anyway. If the ph is low, the p&K may be in the ground but not available to the plant.

Cavanjack

White Clover wrote: »

What's the ph? If good, you would get this year out of it anyway. If the ph is low, the p&K may be in the ground but not available to the plant.

Ph low. Range from 5.2 to 6. 5tonne to 10tonne per ha required Plenty of lime needed but will wait till Autumn now.

White Clover

Cavanjack wrote: »

Ph low. Range from 5.2 to 6. 5tonne to 10tonne per ha required Plenty of lime needed but will wait till Autumn now.

If I was you I'd lime it next week. I have limed in spring before and cut silage 6 or 7 weeks after with no ill effects.

Cavanjack

White Clover wrote: »

If I was you I'd lime it next week. I have limed in spring before and cut silage 6 or 7 weeks after with no ill effects.

Have cattle grazing them now and weather permitting will have until mid April. Serious crops this spring.

Miname

White Clover wrote: »

If I was you I'd lime it next week. I have limed in spring before and cut silage 6 or 7 weeks after with no ill effects.

I thought the silage wouldn't preserve properly. Liming before making,is 4 month period not required?

Muckit

I wouldn't chance it now with ground lime or could end up with a pit of dung. Big risk to take.

White Clover

I know what ye're saying lads, but once it's not on the leaf going into the pit it'll be fine.
The op is grazing that ground now and with rain on the way I would go with it.

tabby aspreme

Would gran lime be a short term solution, it should dissolve quickly

Miname

White Clover wrote: »

I know what ye're saying lads, but once it's not on the leaf going into the pit it'll be fine.
The op is grazing that ground now and with rain on the way I would go with it.

It's the ph that will be in the grass, it will end up not fermenting, with no feed value cause the sugars won't work right. All book info no practical experience cause I'd never chance it.

Farrell

Advice needed, ground extensively farmed in a long time.
Some work being started to improve, I've attached a soil sample (samples sat for over a week before being sent), 2 bags of 18.6.12 + S & 2 bags of Slag to the acre have been spread since sampling, peaty soil.

White Clover

Farrell wrote: »

Advice needed, ground extensively farmed in a long time.
Some work being started to improve, I've attached a soil sample (samples sat for over a week before being sent), 2 bags of 18.6.12 + S & 2 bags of Slag to the acre have been spread since sampling, peaty soil.

Can you say what's in the slag farrell?
You're not too bad in general. If you concentrate on the ph for a few years it could bring the P up an index too. You'd still need to be spreading 30 units of P per year, and whatever K is removed.

Farrell

White Clover wrote: »

Can you say what's in the slag farrell?
You're not too bad in general. If you concentrate on the ph for a few years it could bring the P up an index too. You'd still need to be spreading 30 units of P per year, and whatever K is removed.

I'll check out the bag tomorrow.
It's wet (not just this weather) & would need allot of draining before a tractor & lime spreader.
Very little grass, mostly sprat & rush

White Clover

Farrell wrote: »

I'll check out the bag tomorrow.
It's wet (not just this weather) & would need allot of draining before a tractor & lime spreader.
Very little grass, mostly sprat & rush

It's too acidic for ryegrass to survive. If u can work on the ph and spread some well rotted dung on it, this will put a bit of life (earthworms etc) back into the soil. This will do alot for drainage. Earthworms are a farmers friend.

Farrell

Here's a pic of the Slag bag