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Thumb of Michigan | Looks like almost all grass, so here's my 2 cents.
40-50 units of N now, 40-50 units again after 1st cutting (depending on rainfall, could do 40-50 units again if going for 3rd-4th cutting).
40-50 units of Ph, either now or after 1st cutting (this is figuring a 4-5 ton hay removal rate, my understanding is you need to replace 10 units for each ton of hay removed). You don't need to build soil bank up, it's already there.
200 units of K now, then 100 units after 1st cutting, 100 units this fall. Each ton of hay removes around 50 units of K, so you need 200-250 units just to replace 4-5 ton hay removal, and excess would start building the soil bank backup. Might take 3 years to do so.
Lime, I'd put 2 tons an acre, you're presently at 6.1 ph, the fertilizers are going to drive ph lower.
I'd also put down 2# boron and 10-15# of sulfur.
Spoon feeding is better, but I personally don't do it. I apply almost everything after 1st cutting, about like this analysis: 45 units of N, 50 units of Ph, 250 units of K, 2# of Boron and 15# of sulfur. I took three years to build my K back up from being depleted, via hay removal. I have one field that I seeded to alfalfa in 2009 that's about 50% grass now, that I have put 100# of Urea on before 1st cutting. I like to keep my ph closer to 7 verses 6, too. BTW, my CEC is around 5-6, so I'm not quite as sandy as you are.
HTH | |
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Pasture/Hay Fertilizer Recommendations
