FIVE SPRING SAVINGS SUGGESTIONS

As we approach spring and time to fertilize alfalfa fields, here are a few points to consider for increasing profitability from your fields.   

1. Do not fertilize without the benefit of a recent soil test. Decisions about which fertilizer to use and how much fertilizer to apply are critical. Profit will be reduced when not enough of a needed nutrient is applied or when unnecessary fertilizer is applied.  
2. Use the soil test as a guide. The most common deficiencies will be phosphate and potash and the need for potash decreases as you move to the western parts of Oklahoma.  
3. Alfalfa has a very high demand for phosphorus and potassium, so when you are "rounding off" fertilizer recommendations it is better to round up and add a little extra than to round down and risk production loss from a deficiency. The little extra will not leach away and will be utilized to some extent in future production.  
4. Secondary (calcium, magnesium and sulfur) and micronutrients (iron, zinc, boron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and chlorine) are seldom if ever deficient. Don't buy them unless you are sure of a deficiency, and then treat only a small portion of the field to verify the deficiency in a yield comparison. (A bargain isn't a bargain unless you need it!)  
5. Liquid formulations are no more available or better utilized by the crop than dry formulations. Make price comparisons on the basis of cost per pound of active ingredient applied. This is true for both fertilizer and lime.