JOHN BARNES
The business of growing pasture for our stock is becoming more complicated as each year passes, but it needn’t be so. It is just that some people within the industry have been advising farmers about their particular product and its additional benefits for pasture production.
Let us get back to the basics. Pasture is grown in soil. We all know that but where the difference becomes apparent is how we produce the pasture. In my mind there are two options and both will produce a paddock of green grass.
One is that we force the soil to grow the required pasture. The thinking behind this is that there needs to be sufficient nitrogen or any other element to allow the plant to grow. Essentially soak the soil with fertiliser so that some of it will get near the root system.
The surface area of the root takes up about two per cent of the soil so it is a bit of a hit and miss. In the case of nitrogen, a point which isn't discussed in the sufficient theory is that good soil can produce its own nitrogen - often up to 200 kgs per year. A typical ryegrass and clover pasture system uses 200 kgs of nitrogen per year, so applying extra nitrogen may be wasted.
It would be a great idea to take a soil test to measure the amount of nitrogen that each farm has before applying more.
The second option can be broken down into two sub-sections regarding fertilising plants, pasture or crops, both of which require less fertiliser. One is through the soil using soil biology and the second is feeding the plant through the leaf. Let us take these one a time.
Feeding the plant through the soil requires the right type of nutrient and the correct amount at the right time, using soil biology to transfer fertility from the soil into the plant.
There are many types of nitrogen, phosphates, potashes, and sulphur. Each work in a different way and can deliver a different result. Some are acidic, others are pH neutral, and some can turn into other forms of the elements, due to what is currently in the soil.
For example, acidic phosphate can turn into iron phosphate within a few months, which in turn becomes unavailable to plants. This means it will be wasted.
The foliar feed method, which is the other option, works by applying a balanced amount of product onto the plant and then in turn it will go into the leaf.
Unfortunately, we continue to think only in single element fertiliser products when we think foliar but plants require a balanced diet to stay healthy. Any single element like nitrogen can lock up other nutrients and then the plant will not grow to its true potential.
That is why Fertilizer New Zealand has products that are well balanced and known for their ability to produce healthy plants and pasture.
For more information, please contact us on 0800 337 869.
