Soil management helps reduce fertiliser costs
The percentage of more productive soils (Index 3 and 4) continued to decline.
Some 55% of soils are low in phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), while 60% of fields need lime. The benefits of having soils at the correct P and K levels and pH are clear. Soils maintained at Index 3 for P and K will produce 1.5t/ha of dry matter per year; and soils maintained at the correct soil pH (6.3) will release 60-80kg of nitrogen per hectare per year (worth €75-100/ha).
Now is the ideal time to take soil samples and plan fertiliser applications for the coming season. When taking soil samples, ensure that: nSoil corers are working correctly.
* Samples are taken to 10cm each time (especially for P results).
* At least 20 soil cores are taken per soil sample.
* Fields that received slurry in the last three to six months, and fields that received lime in the last two years, are avoided.
Fertiliser prices will be high for the coming season, so it will be important that farmers do everything they can to control this cost.
Soil sampling is now accepted as the most effective way of tackling fertiliser costs.
One soil test costs € per hectare per year, and could save you hundreds if not thousands of euro on your fertiliser bill next spring.
Soil test results reveal a lot about the soils on your farm and help explain why some fields perform better than others on the farm.
Two good reasons to soil sample now — most fertiliser phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) is applied in the spring, so taking soil samples now will ensure that you have the results back in time. And, to prevent incorrect readings, you must allow three to six months between fertiliser P and K applications and taking fresh soil samples.
You must soil sample by the end of the year:
* If you applied for AEOS in 2011.
* You are a REPS 4 farmer whose soil samples will be more than 5.5 years old before the end of 2011.
* If you still have more than one calendar year left in REPS 4 from January 1, 2013.
* You are a derogation farmer (all soils on your farm must be re-sampled every four years).
* If you got soil samples taken for derogation in 2009 (or 2007/2008), you must soil sample as soon as possible before the end of 2012.
