UNL CropWatch May 14, 2010: Fertilize Pastures for Extended Growth this Wet Season

UNL CropWatch May 14, 2010: Fertilize Pastures for Extended Growth this Wet Season

May 14, 2010

Most pastures have more soil moisture than they’ve had for a long time. To take advantage of this resource, time your nitrogen fertilizer application to stimulate grass growth when you need it.

We usually fertilize pastures in early April to get a good boost in early growth. By June or July, though, these pastures run out of both moisture and fertilizer. Add in hot temperatures and their growth rate nearly stops.

This spring most pastures received abundant rain and will grow longer into summer if soil fertility is adequate. To take advantage of this extra soil moisture, fertilize cool-season pastures with 30-60 lbs of nitrogen per acre between now and late May to gain extra summer forage.

The best way to do this is to graze pastures moderately before adding nitrogen fertilizer. This encourages more thickening of the grass stand and slightly reduces the number of seed stalks produced. Don’t graze too short, though, or plants will be stunned and regrow more slowly.

If you applied a light amount of nitrogen earlier this spring and it’s already been grazed off, a second nitrogen application may be beneficial this year, much as growers make multiple nitrogen applications to irrigated pastures.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist

 

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