Soil sampling and Indexs

Icelandicseige

So I am just after sending off soil samples for alot of our fields.
Im just curious how exactly do you correct your soils and how long does it take to get from say an Index 2 up to index 4 soil and if fields where at index 4, how many tonnes of grass would it be possible to grow? Thanks.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Icelandicseige wrote: »

So I am just after sending off soil samples for alot of our fields.
Im just curious how exactly do you correct your soils and how long does it take to get from say an Index 2 up to index 4 soil and if fields where at index 4, how many tonnes of grass would it be possible to grow? Thanks.

Teagasc are currently on a drive to increase soil fertility. First job is to sort out your lime, starting with the lowest fields to bring them up to pH 6.3 to 6.5 on mineral soils, 5.8 or so on peaty soils iirc. They are saying that every euro spent on lime gives a 4 euro return so a good investment.


Your K levels can be raised by spreading compound fertilisers like 0:7:30 from next spring or a straight K fertiliser, can't think of the name now but it can still be spread as there is no closed period for straight K fertiliser.


Your P levels can be raised through the open period with a straight like Super Phosphate or a compound like 18:6:12 or 27:2.5:5. Your soil fertility and stocking rate will determine how much P you're allowed spread so try to max that out each year if you can.

patsy_mccabe

Is index 3, not index 4, the recommended target?

croot

Icelandicseige wrote: »

So I am just after sending off soil samples for alot of our fields.
Im just curious how exactly do you correct your soils and how long does it take to get from say an Index 2 up to index 4 soil and if fields where at index 4, how many tonnes of grass would it be possible to grow? Thanks.

Teagasc advice on soil fertility.

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/dairy/SoilFertility.pdf

Hard Knocks

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Teagasc are currently on a drive to increase soil fertility. First job is to sort out your lime, starting with the lowest fields to bring them up to pH 6.3 to 6.5 on mineral soils, 5.8 or so on peaty soils iirc. They are saying that every euro spent on lime gives a 4 euro return so a good investment.


Your K levels can be raised by spreading compound fertilisers like 0:7:30 from next spring or a straight K fertiliser, can't think of the name now but it can still be spread as there is no closed period for straight K fertiliser.


Your P levels can be raised through the open period with a straight like Super Phosphate or a compound like 18:6:12 or 27:2.5:5. Your soil fertility and stocking rate will determine how much P you're allowed spread so try to max that out each year if you can.

Too muck K can cause grass tetney
Is there any issue with too much P application?

C4d78

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Too muck K can cause grass tetney
Is there any issue with too much P application?

Not to the best of my knowledge. Have many paddocks high Index 4 for P & absolutely no issues

Buford T. Justice XIX

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Too muck K can cause grass tetney
Is there any issue with too much P application?

Your maintenance P allowance is reduced for Index 4 soils but there is no dangers for index 4 P as far as I know.
The only down side is pollution and loss of P from your ground.

Yeah, meant to put in about the danger of tetany with high K levels. There is a big loss of production in silage ground with low K levels so it's one place to maybe concentrate on until you get that side of it up into index 3.

Edit: raising the pH also releases more P for your crops as well as an increase in N.