Morning Ag Clips logo
  • Subscribe ❯
  • PORTAL ❯
  • LOGIN ❯
  • By Keyword
  • By topic
  • By state
  • Home
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Store
  • Advertise
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Subscribe to our
    daily email
    ❯
  • Portal Registration❯
  • Login❯
  • policy
  • tractors & machinery
  • education
  • conservation
  • webinars
  • business
  • dairy
  • cattle
  • poultry
  • swine
  • corn
  • soybeans
  • organic
  • specialty crops
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Morning Ag Clips

  • By Keyword
  • By topic
  • By state
  • policy
  • tractors & machinery
  • education
  • conservation
  • webinars
  • business
  • dairy
  • cattle
  • poultry
  • swine
  • corn
  • soybeans
  • organic
  • specialty crops
  • Home
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Store
  • Advertise
Home » Don't apply commercial fertilizers to frozen soils
FERTILIZER ... Comments

Don't apply commercial fertilizers to frozen soils

All commercial fertilizer products are water soluble and will dissolve readily in liquids

PUBLISHED ON April 10, 2018

Snow Cover
Snow Cover
Application of any fertilizer source should not occur when the ground is still frozen, especially on top of snow. (Courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension)

MINNEAPOLIS — The recent snows across the state may be spurring concerns with fertilizer application this spring. Application of any fertilizer source should not occur when the ground is still frozen, especially on top of snow. All commercial fertilizer products are water soluble and will dissolve readily in liquids. There is an extreme risk for fertilizer to run off the field with snow melt, regardless of the fertilizer source. In order for the soil to retain nutrients, they need to come in contact with soil particles. This reaction won’t happen in frozen soils and any fertilizer applied will move with water off the field or to low areas of the field. Environmental issues aside, applying fertilizer on frozen or snow covered soils presents a significant economic risk, as that purchased material won’t be available to the crop when it’s growing in the field.

If my soil is frozen but there is no snow can I safely apply fertilizer?

It depends on how much precipitation might occur the future. Solid surfaces pose a significant risk for loss if any precipitation event, rain or snow, happens while the ground is still frozen. To avoid economic risk, wait to apply any fertilizer until the soil thaws enough to incorporate the fertilizer, or at a point where the nutrients can react with the soil.

If I need to make multiple fertilizer passes this spring what are my options?

With phosphorus and potassium, use your soil tests. For high and very high soil tests, it’s not likely that P and K will be short. Any P or K that’s needed can be applied in-furrow as a starter if that option is available. Mobile nutrients like nitrogen or sulfur are more critical for corn production because of the crop’s level of response to these nutrients. Without P and K application soil tests may decline but the impact of not applying removal of these nutrients will not likely impact crop production in the short term. In most cases nitrogen and sulfur application can be delayed until after planting to allow for spring application of phosphorus. The nitrogen contained with the phosphorus in fertilizer sources used should be sufficient until an early side-dress application of N is made.

When making fertilizer decisions, always err on the side of caution. Time is always a limiting factor with spring application, but applying too early increases your risk for nutrient loss and affects your bottom line. Don’t end up paying for inputs that won’t be available for the crop when it needs it most.

For the latest nutrient management information, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit our website.
Support for this project was provided in part by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC).

— Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota Extension Nutrient Management Specialist

For more news from Minnesota, click here.

Click Here to find out more about your favorite topics

soil science

Spread the word

Browse More Clips

Dairy farmers struggle with low milk prices

Farmers market. (Tony via Flickr)

New Minnesota Grown Directory now available

Primary Sidebar

MORE

MINNESOTA CLIPS

Minnesota Youth Livestock Expo
MN Youth Livestock Expo shows in July
July 1, 2022
“Best of” Four-State Dairy Conference
July 1, 2022
Dairy industry, hunger organizations discuss food insecurity
July 1, 2022
Angus breeders learn at Beef Leaders Institute
July 1, 2022
To Till or Not to Till? Building Soil Organically
June 30, 2022
  • Trending
  • Latest

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...

Forecast for 2022 Lake Erie algal bloom
July 1, 2022
Summer Field Day: Soil Health for Cut Flower Production
June 30, 2022
To Till or Not to Till? Building Soil Organically
June 30, 2022
Lupin used as winter cover crop boosts summer sorghum yield
June 29, 2022
CDFA issues $1.89M penalty to Agro Research International LLC
June 29, 2022

Footer

MORNING AG CLIPS

  • Sponsors
  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Customer & Technical Support

CONNECT WITH US

  • Like Us on Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

TRACK YOUR TRADE

  • Markets & Economy
  • Cattle Updates
  • Dairy News
  • Policy & Politics
  • Corn Alerts

QUICK LINKS

  • Account
  • Portal Membership
  • Invite Your Friends
  • Subscribe to RSS
  • WeatherTrends
  • Just Me, Kate

© 2022 Morning Ag Clips, LLC. All Rights Reserved.