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Cool season grass fertility management--N RatesBy David G. Hallauer District Extension Agent, Crops & Soils/Horticulture Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for profitable smooth bromegrass production. Traditional recommendations for hay production have been to apply 40 pounds of N per ton of expected hay yield. Where producers are relying on high-quality hay as their primary protein source, you may want to push N rates a little higher, or be prepared to add supplemental protein to rations. On bromegrass pastures, the recommendations have been reduced to 60 to 90 lbs. N per acre simply because grazing is less efficient than haying in utilizing forage. With N fertilizer costs continuing to increase and hay prices remaining fairly constant, many farmers are questioning how much N fertilizer should be applied to bromegrass To answer that question, we look at more than 100 experiments conducted in Kansas since 1975 on the response of bromegrass to spring-applied N fertilizer. First, assume N is priced between $0.75 to $0.80 per pound of actual N and a hay value of $60 per ton. With that in mind, the appropriate N rate this fall to maximize returns looks to be between 60 and 70 pounds of N per acre. Note, however, that protein levels will drop at the lower N fertilizer rates. If you´re relying on high quality hay as your protein source, think twice about cutting N rates or be prepared to add supplemental protein to rations. Use soil test results to determine whether P2O5 or K2O is needed. Smooth bromegrass will respond to P2O5 in combination with N when soil test P levels are below 15 to 20 parts per million. For fescue, apply about 60 to 70 lbs. of nitrogen per acre to tall fescue pastures that will be hayed. If the pasture will be grazed in a conventional system, cut the N rate back to about 50 to 60 lbs. per acre due to the lower efficiency of grazing. During cool or cold weather, the source of N used on tall fescue pasture is not important. In general, liquid N is not quite as efficient as dry N when broadcast onto permanent pasture because liquid N tends to get tied up a little more with the plant growth and residue on the surface. If liquid N is used on tall fescue pasture, it´s generally going to be somewhat more effective if it is dribbled on in a band. This reduces the potential for tie-up and immobilization. A broadcast application is useful if you add a herbicide to the UAN for weed control. Garden mums As soon as garden chrysanthemums are done flowering, you may cut the plants back to 2 to 3 inches high. Some gardeners prefer to leave the top growth so that it provides some protection from fluctuating soil temperatures. If you choose to cut the tops off, apply a layer of mulch over the top of your mums after the ground has frozen. Mums should not completely dry out during the winter. It may be necessary to water occasionally if sufficient rain or snow has not fallen. Should you let turf grow tall in the fall? A healthy lawn is the key to its cold tolerance and one aspect of that health is mowing height. For tall fescue lawns, continue to mow to 2.5 to 3.5 inches (Bluegrass can be mowed from 2 to 3 inches). This will provide adequate insulation while preventing diseases that come when grass is left too tall. 11/10/08 Date: 11/3/08
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