Chemical Fertilizer alternatives

Easten · 15-11-2021 6:59pm #1

Any ideas for what you can do to replace the Chemical stuff that we've become so dependant on.

I've gathered up what fertilizer I have left around the place but will still be short by up to 8 ton and I'm only a handy operator, what will the big operators do?

The alternatives I have so far are

Lime, watery slurry, well rotted Farmyard manure are the obvious ones but I'm wondering is there any value in Wood/turf ashes also there was a form on here before about making some form of charcoal fertilizer.

There's an old lime kiln on the farm, I presume they were doing something like burning something with limestone but what exactly used they be doing?

Reggie. · 15-11-2021 7:30pm

Liquid N

Mooooo · 15-11-2021 8:17pm

Soil test and target what you have / can get where its needed. Sort ph now and use slurry for the the first round.

Use LESS to make better use of slurry

If possible instead of using the same ground for silage rotate around with grazing ground

Easten · 15-11-2021 8:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171323#Comment_118171323

Proper slurry use is going to go a long way. I'm thinking it will push back crop times a fair bit, the great thing about bag fertilizer is you can go out in spring with a light tractor or even a quad and you'll not put a mark on the ground. Travelling Silage fields with a 2000gallon tanker in Spring will leave a fair imprint on the ground

kevthegaff · 15-11-2021 9:02pm

Some lads here were saying run of chain Harrow releases nitrogen or am I raving...

Danzy · 15-11-2021 9:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171536#Comment_118171536

Ploughing releases a lot, as it allows oxygen break down old organic matter, drives soil bacteria and fungi etc.

So it may well

Deub · 15-11-2021 9:12pm

Macerated nettles or comfrey in water?

Has anyone tried?

mahoney_j · 15-11-2021 9:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171142#Comment_118171142

Someone has spotted an opportunity …used some this year ..worked well

Easten · 15-11-2021 10:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171142#Comment_118171142

What exactly is liquid N, the only time I heard of this is some form of Tomato food

Danzy · 15-11-2021 10:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171835#Comment_118171835

On the continent you can spray the nitrogen fertilizer with your sprayer on the tractor, put in your mix to water, special nozzles though.

Suppose it is exactly like the tomato fertilizer just different mix.

Have a look at this lot.https://deesideagri.ie/liquid-fertiliser/

Farm365 · 15-11-2021 10:26pm

Is there much difference in price?

farawaygrass · 15-11-2021 10:41pm

Did ye see the article in the machinery section of the journal, it was about a liquid fertiliser sprayer. A lad in tipp I think bought it

Birdnuts · 15-11-2021 11:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171591#Comment_118171591

Green manures with light slurry performed well for me on the wholecrop oats I have been growing recently. Noticed a significant increase in worm activity too

Say my name · 15-11-2021 11:32pm

First thing to do is look at your calcium and magnesium levels. Then correct if needed. Potassium then and correct if needed. Potassium is needed anyway in a growing crop. And just because it tests well in the soil doesn't mean it's crop available. But obviously don't overdo it if it's testing well.

https://blog.nutri-tech.com.au/in-defense-of-albrecht/

When the soil is done. Foliars can be looked at.

It's not simple either no matter what anyone says. Well it is and isn't. Your own commonsense on fancy machines and fancy brews has to come into it and even then your neighbour will always have a better crop. Always be curious and never stop researching.

Sillycave · 16-11-2021 12:00am

Would the slurry bug products be any good to help?

Mushy06 · 16-11-2021 3:15am

what you think of Liquid N mixed with slurry. i've DIY aeration in one tank was thinking of putting liquid N down the pipes as they all plastic. Naturally mixer wouldn't be going into tank.

16-11-2021 8:55am

https://nots.ie/events/biofarm-2021/

Worth buying a ticket for this. Lots of farmers on here talking about how they reduced bought inputs and how. Planning to watch it over the next few weeks when I have the time. The Danu project talk will answer your questions i’d say.

SouthWesterly · 16-11-2021 9:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118171554#Comment_118171554

Ploughing destroys the mycorrhizal fungal networks which are needed for the soil biome to be healthy

Markcheese · 16-11-2021 9:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118172522#Comment_118172522

I assume different ones do different things , but I doubt it'll make much more of any nutrient in the slurry - might make it more available or less volitile - getting it slurry out with a dribble bar will probably makee more impact

Markcheese · 16-11-2021 9:18am

Ultimately lads are going to have to decide about going a clover system or not - it looks like higher fert prices are here for a good few years - ( maybe not the current bonkers prices ) ,

It probably will work for anyone not in the derrigation - but it's going to need planning and a change in grazing .

Is there going to be an issue with clover seed availability ?

sandman30 · 16-11-2021 9:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118172522#Comment_118172522

I was using slurry bugs and reckon they do work, easier to agitate and nitrogen availability, but hard to measure. Have stopped using them. I have to collect a lot of yard rain water into tanks and having watery slurry applied with a trailing shoe makes a bigger difference to N recovery and agitation

K.G. · 16-11-2021 11:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173124#Comment_118173124

My initial thoughts on clover in systems is silage quality becomes key.clover does not like heavy covers and carry over grass during the winter which is happening alot at the moment .also there probaly is a need for a crop like maize with for coping with poor spring growth.

Markcheese · 16-11-2021 12:26pm

But will maize need a fair bit of nitrogen fert in itself ? Or use all your slurry ,? Plus the right site and the right year sometimes .. or if it's silage from an outfarm could red clover work - a lot more cutting , but that could suit with zero-grazing .. ( mind you that could probably work just as well with a white clover let - and a bit more flexible with grazing and oversowing )

K.G. · 16-11-2021 1:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174025#Comment_118174025

My current thinking is along those lines but to be straight with ye I ve really only started thinking about these things since fert went bananas with a month.

Timmaay · 16-11-2021 1:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118174025#Comment_118174025

You'll escape with less bag N on a crop of maize than say any sort of 3 or 4 cut system, the Maize will hopefully yeild you 20tDM/ha the 4 cut system 16t across the growing year, but the PGR grass system will need near double the N. I got 11ac outblock that I cant graze or plant maize in, almost defo going to go red clover in that. Having said that I already cheaped out last yr and only spread about 100units N and 80 units K across the whole yr (took 3cuts, but 2nd and 3rd cuts were poor), I probably still got 12t out of it, absolutely nothing back on it since last cut in mid Sept, ground is definitely hungry now ha.

degetme · 16-11-2021 10:23pm

Lads, is pig slurry OK to spread on ground cow's will be grazing applied by dribble bar?? Was thinking of using pig slurry in response to high fertilizer prices for next year