I was visiting a customer last week and was surprised to see an arrangement where he applies liquid fertilizer, 10-34-0 I believe, to beans with his 20" planter. Evidently beans really respond to nearby P and also a little N to get started especially in this northern climate.

Beans do not like fertilizer directly in-furrow with the seed, however. And this customer was using a simple, low cost method of applying and incorporating this fertilizer when planting beans.

The tube shown below is angled to drop the fertilizer to the side of the furrow, (not in furrow) and the closing wheel is used to incorporate (somewhat) the fertilizer into the soil. This is the first time I have seen this done although this customer has done it previously and grows some very good beans.

Here are some pictures of his interesting setup. The discussion & photos below of Curvetines for Southern no till corn into cotton reminded me of this simple arrangement.

Jim at Dawn

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