By Darren Hefty
The biggest key to reaching higher soybean yields is proper fertilization. There are two challenges with this. First, many farmers aren’t fertilizing at all. Second, with such high corn yields coming off the fields this fall in many areas there are even more nutrients than normal that need to be replaced.
What Fertilizer is Needed?
Soybeans don’t get enough attention in the fertility program. Look at the grain removal for 250 bushel corn. All those nutrients leave the field forever when you take the grain away! Now look at what 70 bushel soybeans need. Compare what leaves the field in your truck when you haul away 250 bushels of corn and 70 bushels of soybeans and you’ll see it’s not all that different – 139 pounds of phosphate and 145 pounds of K2O Potassium leave the field in a two year time period if you have 250 bushel corn and 70 bushel soybeans. If your fertilizer plan is to apply two years’ worth of fertilizer in one shot, are you really applying enough? Or are you mining your soil?
Save $$ and Feed Your Crop Right
The best way to feed your crop properly – AND SAVE $$ WHILE DOING SO – is to grid soil sample and utilize variable rate application of P & K. The best part is you can do all of this yourself so you can be confident you’re doing the right thing and save money while doing it with the Ag PhD Soil Test App.
Soybeans are more prone to be injured by fertilizer in the furrow than corn, so placement may be a little different for you compared to how you’re fertilizing your corn. Broadcast applications can be done and are a good way to apply lime and gypsum. With nutrients like P & K that don’t move very well in soil, a banded application offers advantages. In 30 inch rows, RTK guidance allows us to deep band P & K in the fall on our farm and plant directly over that strip in the spring. We’re also seeing success banding fertilizer in a 2 X 2 at planting time. University and private studies have shown banded placement of fertilizer to be more efficient, meaning you get more bang for your fertilizer buck.
Soybeans are NOT a scavenger crop. Feed them properly for high yields and a great return on investment.