Liquid Fertilizer

[johnlunty]

Liquid Fertilizer has been reported to be the fastest growing segment of the fertilizer in Western Canada. As a fertilizer dealer I would like to hear from farmers who use liquid what it is about liquid that makes it their preferred choice. I have some thoughts but would like to hear your thoughts and convey them to my customers.

[kens]

Would be interested in liquid fertilizer if there was access to a supply in east central Alberta. How does liquid compare in cost to granular.

[countryguy]

We have been using liquid for 4 or 5 years now and as far as we're concerned there is no other form of nitrogen,we absolutely love the stuff.

Safety is one of the biggest reasons we switched to liquid from gas.Also we like the fact that with on farm storage tanks we can have a couple days supply on hand,never having to worry about the supplier running out of anhydrous.

We were banding the liquid until two years ago when we put on a set of sidebanding knives and now put it on with the seed.We also like the ability to be able to topdress grass seed and hay fields.

There are 3 forms of nitrogen in 28-0-0,one of which is available to the plant immediately,which is a benefit to the crop.Liquid fert is also friendlier to the soil.We have noticed a tremendous increase in earthworm numbers in our fields after switching from gas.

Hope this helps.Need any other info just ask.

[countryguy]

Forgot one thing.You can cut your rates from nh3 by ten pounds with the liquid and get the same results.There is zero loss.When you factor everything in there is actually VERY LITTLE price difference between the two products.

[johnlunty]

Liquid Fertilizer Dealers I am aware of in East Central Alberta I am aware of include Lakeland Agro, St Paul; Webbs Crop Services, Two Hills; Crop Tech Agro, Wainwright and Amisk; and Andrukow Farm Sales, Viking and Ryley.

[rookie]

Who is your rep in the stpaul area that could help with some more info?

[johnlunty]

Those interested in St Paul area call John @ 645-5915

[bird]

We have been using liquid for about 15 years. Wouldn't change for anything else!!! Liquid is usually cheaper, easier to handle, you use less fertilizer, many blending options, land is mellower more earth worms, can cover more ground between filling, can't think of any thing bad about it.

[kam]

I'm a farmer from Michigan, but your inquiry on liquid fertilizer caught my eye. I've been using liquid for several years, in the form of 28%, 10-34-0, or a mix of the two. It's easier to handle, more accurate, it never solidifies into annoying chunks in the planter, and I can apply it at planting along with a preemergent herbicide. An entire season's suppy can be stored right on the farm so you never have to wait for delivery.

[farmboy1]

Is there a best time to apply liquid 28%UAN ? Here in the east, the traditional time for applying granular N for top-dressing corn has been the 5-leaf stage. SInce liquid ( at my 4 rows at a time ) is slower to apply, what is the application window ?

[emiled]

I have little experience with top dressing corn but here is some comments from my counterpart in Manitoba who deals with it regularly...

Hmm this is interesting. We would never use granular as a broadcast with corn, reason being soon as corn gets a few leaves it serves as a funnel, which directs even small amounts down into the growing point which will burn it and cause consider damage to the emerging leaves. This can occur with UAN unless drop nozzles are used to direct it below the leaves to the soil.

Here in Southern Manitoba, with corn, most of the post emergent N is applied with coulters or shanks between the rows not broadcast. NH3 is still the product that is likely most commonly used. In Manitoba because we have generally a dry climate, even when very high nitrogen rates applied early in the spring (150 lbs ) there is not much risk of leaching or N loss as may occur in wetter regions like Ontario. For this reason, less and less producers are using post emergent nitrogen application at all.