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WC Mn/Dakotas | I have been told there is a period of time,temp,and moisture and depending on the soil for K to become available. There is also a very small difference between white and red forms of potash if you were to spring apply.
P is more likely to be tied up over time by the soil and become unavailable.
Both P&K will only move like 1/16 of and inch a year. They both need to be placed where the roots will intercept them. ie deeper than the depth you place the seed.
Broadcasting and then tilling will incorporate it about half as deep as it is worked. And the shallower you work it the greater percent of products stay on the surface. Like a field cultivator set at 2 inch will leave 20-30% on the surface, where 4 inch deep will leave about 10%.
So if you can place the P&K in the spring deeper than you plant, by the time the plant needs the nutrients, they will be available. If you can't then you need to fall apply the p&k or you get little to no immediate use of spring applied nutrient because it is largely above the root mass.
Not saying that if you bcast p&k every year in the spring you won't grow a crop. It's just that your crop will be fed by what you applied a year or two ago, not by what you applied this spring.
So if you don't own the land, and/or you want to more immediately control this year's crop with a vrt application, put p&k down in the fall and incorporate, deep band, or strip till. | |
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Spring applied P and K, when is it available to plants?
