Spreading fertiliser. Is it too early ?

john mayo 10

As the title says is it too early to spread fertiliser on grazing land. Land is in great condition but just worried it might be to early

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058402649/spreading-fertiliser-is-it-too-early

Most have some spread. I know it's cold, are you waiting for the rain or something

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265463#Comment_123265463

what’s your opinion spreading it in the cold?

older by the day

Ah lads, have ye forgotten the irish climate, you work when the land is in good condition. You can get an inch of rain in a couple of hours, if you have softish land like mine, you take advantage of dry weather

endainoz

Soil temps are still above average for the time of year, the cold spell forecast never really materialized, wait for a bit of rain on the horizon and spread away.

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266109#Comment_123266109

You must be in a micro climate, ground frosts here the past 3 weeks bar a few nights, east wind has the place peeled...

Best indicator is the fact still in full winter workwear, and their was only one day here this spring where it was mild enough to take of the water-proofs

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266218#Comment_123266218

Benefits of living on the coast I guess. Thankfully no heavy frosts here from this spell. Even the easterly wind hasn't been too bad, though growth not exactly flying just yet, soil temps still above average though. Compared to this time last year, conditions are exceptional.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266373#Comment_123266373

minus 1 and minus 2 last night in coastal areas of Clare and Limerick. Minus 5 in tullow, carlow and other areas of the midlands.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266460#Comment_123266460

I wouldn’t worry too much about frost at this time of year. Last night was to be the hardest frost were to get and while it was a hard frost here in Offaly it only started freezing well after midnight and it was thawing by half 7 this morning. It’s not like in December or January where it’s freezing from 4 in the evening until 10 or 11 the next day.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266460#Comment_123266460

All I can say is that I didn't have it anyway.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266511#Comment_123266511

The lowest it got here was 1.8c about 3am.

The hash weather is withering up the grass that's there here anyway. Just walked a sod that had slurry last autumn and potash applied. Should be bright green and leaping out of it. About 30% of it is burnt brown. It's silage ground so definitely may be skint and grazed before closing.

My father tells me it will be 16, 17 degrees Thursday and Friday again.

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266559#Comment_123266559

Same conditions here.

Fertiliser staying in the shed till late next week.

WoozieWu

was spreading today and hit silage ground last week

walked the silage ground today and you can see the growth but also the compaction from slurry tanks

ground is in fantastic order now with us

a huge difference from last year but I can see from looking over the hedges that silage is tight in most yards

French Toast

Saw 3-4 spreaders out today on my travels. It’ll grow nothing in the bag, as a man says.

grange mac

Have urea to spread lightly..... guessing best hold off till rain forecast as don't want it melting into air…??

Fine Day

I be inclined to leave it in the bag till it becomes Abit milder. Hopefully the week ahead will bring some kindness. Passed a river yesterday and couldn't believe how low it was. Water springs will be in trouble next.

morphy87

Ground conditions here are great but everywhere looks so hungry, this week was freezing, they are giving it to warm up the weekend so I will hopefully spread then

I was thinking of going early next week with a light coat of slurry on some grazing ground before the weather breaks, would this be a good idea??

limo_100

was thinking of going with fertilizer on meadows and pasture ground between this week and next week I think I should be ok at this point? won't get to much done this week but will aim to get the wetter fields done this week.

memorystick

I think once lads see one passes working that they have to spread fertiliser. There’s cert o kindness today. Me tractor is finding it hard to start these last few days.

Dunedin

bitter cold day today in the midlands.

Reggie.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123272641#Comment_123272641

you can say that again

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123272555#Comment_123272555

only issue I have is if the weather breaks it could break hard and might not get out on the wetter fields then. Also temps are suppose to rise towards the end of the week

CasePuma

I spread some urea last week, we got a little rain Fri evening. Will it be ok

morphy87

I never mind spreading when they are giving rain but for most people here how much rain would be too much to chance spreading?

Tileman

murphy don’t take this the wrong way. But you seem very inexperienced and constantly looking for advise on every little part of farming especially fertility of land.
are you new to farming?
You might be as well to join a farmer group to learn some practical tips .
again here is useful as a sounding board but you need to have your own plan and not to be guided by complete anayomous strangers.

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123273889#Comment_123273889

no im not new to farming, running a good profitable beef enterprise with a job,just I’m always looking for ways to improve things, as you can never learn enough.

Haven’t much experience with soil fertility as my own farm is fine fertility wise, just a place I took on a long term lease is very poor and haven’t exsperience of dealing with this issue

Sorry if my questions on boards are causing you offence

kk.man

Auld lad down the road had a phase 'it's a hungry lean time'. It sure rings true around these parts.

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123274093#Comment_123274093

Its a long time since I have seen places so hungry, I had one field that had a nice cover and was green, it’s now gone brown

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123274128#Comment_123274128

No f£<",*8,g clover in my 9 acres reseed which was cream of the crop last year.

Anyway we have our health.

weatherbyfoxer

Did most of the farm here with half a bag of urea per acre on the 2nd of March. Worst response I have seen in memory.Looking like I won't get to graze silage ground now either,will probably give it 2500 gallons/acre this week and a 1.5 bags of urea+s in 7-10 days time after the slurry..Will cut towards the end of May hopefully

On light,sandy soil here and finding everywhere hard and cold.Will start emptying sheds here next week hopefully

mr.stonewall

Soil is needing warmth from the air and sun to heat the soiled up past 6. This will come. The only saviour at the moment is the high DM in grass to keep stock content.

No bag out yet, but working through grazing silage ground and following with slurry. Took a notion yesterday morning and let out the suckler cows due to calve a meadow that ear marked for hay.