Is it too sunny for fertiliser?

Bleating Lamb

Apologies as I have asked this before but appreciate people's thoughts.
Dry sunny weather forecast until at least next Thursday where I am (NW).
Have 18:6:12 to put out on grazing that is eaten bare by sheep,so very little leaf shade protection for fert granules.

Am a bit wary of spreading it tomorrow (PT farmer)....as afraid the sun will leach some of the nitrogen away if there isn't enough of a dew to melt the fertiliser in.

Or will I chance it out?,would be better for me timewise if I could do it tomorrow but would hate thought I was wasting the expensive stuff.

Thanks for any replies.

whelan2

There's plenty of dew , if I was you I'd spread it tomorrow, when would be the next chance you will get. I spread on Monday and yesterday and grass is growing

patsy_mccabe

Will the dew wash it into the ground. Why not wait the few days till rain is forecast? That's what I'm doing anyway.

Bleating Lamb

If I wait would have to try and do it in evening after work later in the week,have about 5 tonne to put out.

Am a bit worried the dew isn't heavy enough at mo to wash it in.....I put out some 18:6:12 last Saturday on ground that had a good coat of grass already.Was walking through it today and in some places you can still see almost full granules on the ground. When you touch them with your finger they dissolve.The ground I would be doing tomorrow has much less grass cover on it!

What are people's thoughts on how much 'power ' the sun might take out of exposed fertiliser?

Again thanks for people's thoughts.

Mooooo

Spread some can+S yesterday. OP I'd say get it out the biggest risk this weather would be for urea more so. If you want spread in the evening time before the dew and wind may have calmed to help spreading

Bleating Lamb

Mooooo wrote: »

Spread some can+S yesterday. OP I'd say get it out the biggest risk this weather would be for urea more so. If you want spread in the evening time before the dew and wind may have calmed to help spreading

Will be flat out all day spreading it if I go at it:)....as ground is just trafficable now with small loads on spreader so will be using small bags:(

Username John

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Will be flat out all day spreading it if I go at it:)....as ground is just trafficable now with small loads on spreader so will be using small bags:(

How much rain would it take to make it less trafficable?
If it's just trafficable now, I don't see why you would be worried about it being too dry - as the ground would be wet anyways?

If you're worried, don't bother putting it out - but make sure you have time to put it out before rain is forecast. If you can't guarantee you will have that time - then you might have to put it out tomorrow...

whelan2

How about an experriment, spread half of it tomorrow and see how it compares to the half that doesnt get it?

Bullocks

whelan2 wrote: »

How about an experriment, spread half of it tomorrow and see how it compares to the half that doesnt get it?

Good idea , you will hedge your bets and know what works best for the next time

Username John

whelan2 wrote: »

How about an experriment, spread half of it tomorrow and see how it compares to the half that doesnt get it?

If twas me - I think this is the worst idea... I'd prefer to just decide one way or the other... Maybe cos I'm a glass half empty sort of lad

If half goes out tomorrow and gets rain before the other half, I'd think 'fcuk, why didn't I horse it all?'
Or if half went out next week, and only got rain then, I'd think 'fcuk, why didn't I wait and throw it all out then?'

But you're right Whelan, it's a good experiment...

_Brian

Username John wrote: »

Maybe cos I'm a glass half empty sort of lad
...

No matter if your a glass half empty or glass half full type , the big thing to always remember is that the damn glass is refillable

Bleating Lamb

I'm veering towards chancing it out tomorrow....for those in the know...does strong sun over 3 or 4 days take much out of exposed fertiliser or is that a bit of an old wives tale?

whelan2

Username John wrote: »

If twas me - I think this is the worst idea... I'd prefer to just decide one way or the other... Maybe cos I'm a glass half empty sort of lad

If half goes out tomorrow and gets rain before the other half, I'd think 'fcuk, why didn't I horse it all?'
Or if half went out next week, and only got rain then, I'd think 'fcuk, why didn't I wait and throw it all out then?'

But you're right Whelan, it's a good experiment...

Id really be of the opinion get it out ta fook

_Brian

Grow nothing in the bag

Username John

_Brian wrote: »

Grow nothing in the bag

Ah FFS...

Bleating Lamb

Username John wrote: »

How much rain would it take to make it less trafficable?
If it's just trafficable now, I don't see why you would be worried about it being too dry - as the ground would be wet anyways?

If you're worried, don't bother putting it out - but make sure you have time to put it out before rain is forecast. If you can't guarantee you will have that time - then you might have to put it out tomorrow...

Good Leitrim dauby ground:).....was travelling on some of it today with only 4wd tractor and you could faintly make out the tracks of the back tyres behind you....so it wouldn't need much rain to leave it tricky again!

I'm was just saying I was worried there wouldn't be a significant enough dew to melt the granules in,regardless of whether ground is bone dry or just soaked out well(like my ground).....you still need a decent dew to work the stuff in.

pedigree 6

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Good Leitrim dauby ground:).....was travelling on some of it today with only 4wd tractor and you could faintly make out the tracks of the back tyres behind you....so it wouldn't need much rain to leave it tricky again!

I'm was just saying I was worried there wouldn't be a significant enough dew to melt the granules in,regardless of whether ground is bone dry or just soaked out well(like my ground).....you still need a decent dew to work the stuff in.

I'll turn you into a weather nut.

http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twodata/datmdlout.aspx

Now this is only a forecast so it's not 100%.
Check out your predicted temperature for your part of the country.
Check out the max and min temps.
Then go into "Other+" in the boxes on the left hand side.
Now click on "UK dewpoint".
If the dewpoint is close to the air temperature, the higher the humidity.
And if they are the same that would mean all the moisture in the air has formed into moisture droplets.

Another way of making sure is clicking on "Ukwbt".
The closer the wet bulb temperature is to air temperature the higher the humidity.
A tool here to help out to work out the humidity.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/humidity-measurement-d_561.html

But then check out the wind speed and direction as well.
The lower the windspeed and calm conditions the better for fog forming too.

Again this is not 100% as no forecast is but it's a rough idea.

6480

pedigree 6 wrote: »

I'll turn you into a weather nut.

http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twodata/datmdlout.aspx

Now this is only a forecast so it's not 100%.
Check out your predicted temperature for your part of the country.
Check out the max and min temps.
Then go into "Other+" in the boxes on the left hand side.
Now click on "UK dewpoint".
If the dewpoint is close to the air temperature, the higher the humidity.
And if they are the same that would be fog.

Another way of making sure is clicking on "Ukwbt".
The closer the wet bulb temperature is to air temperature the higher the humidity.
A tool here to help out to work out the humidity.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/humidity-measurement-d_561.html

But then check out the wind speed and direction as well.
The lower the windspeed and calm conditions the better for fog forming too.

Again this is not 100% as no forecast is but it's a rough idea.

I put half a bag of urea out last Saturday for light rain that was forecasted​ for Sunday , rain didn't come but you can see the sward of grass I have coming now , next urea will be due next Saturday week as we spread every other Saturday

Robson99

Put it out while you can. When the rain comes you could get a week of it or a couple of days with downpours which would be worse for it

Bleating Lamb

pedigree 6 wrote: »

I'll turn you into a weather nut.

http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twodata/datmdlout.aspx

Now this is only a forecast so it's not 100%.
Check out your predicted temperature for your part of the country.
Check out the max and min temps.
Then go into "Other+" in the boxes on the left hand side.
Now click on "UK dewpoint".
If the dewpoint is close to the air temperature, the higher the humidity.
And if they are the same that would mean all the moisture in the air has formed into moisture droplets.

Another way of making sure is clicking on "Ukwbt".
The closer the wet bulb temperature is to air temperature the higher the humidity.
A tool here to help out to work out the humidity.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/humidity-measurement-d_561.html

But then check out the wind speed and direction as well.
The lower the windspeed and calm conditions the better for fog forming too.

Again this is not 100% as no forecast is but it's a rough idea.

Thanks:)...jaysus that sounds like a project!

patsy_mccabe

It'll grow nothing in the bag.
18.6.12 I spread over a week ago. Land is bare from cattle scratching on a trailer. Not the Sahara but wessttt of the Shannon. It even got last Saturdays rain, little as it was.

whelan2

Well, did you spread it?

Bleating Lamb

whelan2 wrote: »

Well, did you spread it?

Did indeed!.....put all out,about 4 and a half tonnes.
Some of ground was drier than I expected so got away with using half tonne bags there....less lifting for me:)

No rain expected here till Thursday so hopefully there's some bit of dew to work on it.

As matter of interest what do people think as regards how much nitrogen the sun takes out of exposed 18:6:12?