Improve Spring Soils This Fall

Oct 09, 2024


Apply gypsum and elemental sulfur with fall fertilizer
If gypsum and elemental sulfur release slowly into the soil, and ammonium sulfate (AMS) releases quickly into the soil, then it’s safe to say that gypsum and elemental sulfur are best applied in the fall. AMS can go down in the spring.
 
Federated recommends gypsum and elemental sulfur along with fall fertilizer applications to improve soil readiness for next year’s crops – and to save time in the spring when planting is the priority. Applications in the fall provide time for incorporation, too.
 
Crops (especially corn) need 20-30 lbs. of actual sulfur during the growing season – some of which should be applied in the fall and some applied in the spring, according to Ron Paulson, Federated’s Isanti location manager. This is particularly important for fields with heavier soils (sandy soils don’t benefit from fall applications).
 
Start your fall application plans with good soil test results (no more than three years old) and a visit with your Federated Agronomist. They will help you determine your fall fertilizer, gypsum, and elemental sulfur application needs, as well as next spring’s fertilizer and AMS plans.
 

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