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As farmers, we love to talk about the “why” we do things. “Why, I put out the same amount of nitrogen I always have and seems to work just fine most years.” “Why, you oughta get your inputs up to 200 units of K and it’ll all work out.” We know why we do things, but we often miss out on the how. How should this really be applied, on this crop, in this field, at this time.

I have farmers that run 50 units of nitrogen four times a year, period. And on many of their fields it works. On the other side of that coin, I have farmers that run 50 units of nitrogen, two weeks later than the other guy, four times, all in the spring and don’t do any post-harvest. His blocks don’t produce the same.

Think about why you are doing what you’re doing and figure out a better how. Keith Backman did a ton of research and told me, typically, an orchard can take up about 13 units of N in any week. Why do we apply anything over 18 units if we assume a 70% use efficiency? The next time we turn the water on, how much is still there? How much nitrate now gets leached? How much urea did urease react with and convert it to ammonia to just volatilize. Studies show up to 64% of ammonia can volatilize and not get used. On heavy ground, big shots may hang around a bit longer. On sandy ground, how we need to apply is smaller shots more often. N starts high. Start early and often with smaller injections.

Rethinking Nutrient Timing and Efficiency
Let’s look at calcium.

The nutrient demand curves show calcium builds in tissues all season long. Calcium is also non-mobile in a plant, so it needs a constant supply. The how is, we typically put on a bunch of gyp in the fall and hope it solubilizes. We start the season strong with some CAN-17, forgetting that product is only half calcium.
We can end a season with 5% calcium in strong orchards.
We rarely see 5% N tissue levels, even in early April tissues and that’s what we apply the heaviest. I argue that we need more calcium, more often. And that’s soluble calcium not just a hydrophobic rock. Plan on using more soluble calcium products throughout your season. Start early, end strong.

Choosing the Right Potassium Strategy
How do we apply potassium? Banded SOP? KTS, muriate of potash (KCl), potassium acetate, potassium nitrate, potassium hydroxide, potassium formate? Fields that have traditionally applied 200 units to replenish what is removed in a strong crop have historically done well. But that doesn’t work for everyone. Muriate can cause issues with fields or water already high in chlorides and scorching. Hydroxide by itself, like acetate and formate, can be above the 9s on the pH. That’s too basic in soils already creeping up well above 7.0. SOP only applied in the fall can leach in the winter, and its only 7% soluble to start. KTS applied too heavily can burn roots. Follow the nutrient demand curves and start when the curve ramps up, typically late April and into May. Use soluble products, buffered to the right pH in the blend you’re using, and again, apply often. Add it to your sprays with the proper organic acids and spreaders to ensure absorption.

If you have sandy ground, inject it in a short set, and don’t run a long set for a couple days after. Ensure it has a chance to be used. You spent good money on it, get it into your trees. Hedge your bet and spray it upstairs as well whenever you can, especially during hot spells. Your trees need it for stress and to move other nutrients with it.

‘Think about why you are
doing what you’re doing and figure out a better how.’

Don’t Overlook Phosphorus and Magnesium
Phosphorus and magnesium. How in the world do we get it in our plants in the early spring? Use an ortho source and put it in your foliars as well. Your trees need it for making energy, and if it can’t take enough up early, spray it on.

This year bloom is fast and furious. It’s dry and warm. Phosphorus should be more available than the past, but we typically don’t use enough anyway. Add a little more, see how much better your trees respond and test this year. Magnesium is the key element of chlorophyll. Those big beautiful solar panels are out and full. Give them what they need to do what they do. Once a crop is set like it already is, enhancing photosynthesis will enable a plant to make a bigger or denser nut. That adds weight and that’s how we get paid. Load it up.

We tend to forget about magnesium. That element is a small little atom with a big charge. Even soils with ample supplies often pull harder on the water than the plants can and magnesium doesn’t go in the plant. Hedge your bet here too. Add some more.

Of course, all of this is made more efficient by good soil health. Get your biology working and carbon stores up. If you need to add some active biology to your soil, I happen to know a company that can do just that. But truth be told, it’s not just my company, there are several out there that do a great job making that happen as well. Add some more “cooks to the kitchen” by making your soil more active with beneficial biology. How you do that is more important than why you do that.