Southern IA | Jayson1550 - 2/16/2024 11:43
I have more questions than answers when it comes to soil tests, but an explanation that makes some sense to me, is that the soil test is estimating available k. Not actual k. So if the soil test says 100 pounds and you use 100 in your crop, next year isn't going to be 0. The crop, microbes, and whatever other magic happens in the soil, will be able to extract k again next year, but probably at a lower amount than this year.
Like I said, I have a lot of questions and not enough confidence to make any big jumps yet.
more than likely we've been conned to believing that pulling a small plug of soil represents the fertility level of millions of tons of soil. Something is better than nothing, but if your hauling grain or fodder off, you're hauling fertility off. If your soil has plenty to give up and you aren't worried about the long term keep plugging away. Farm low cec/low fertility soil and you'll realize the importance of proper fertility amount, timing and placement. |
Fertilizer removal rates? Do we need to replace it?
