As wheat harvest commences, farmers are seizing the opportunity to plant double-crop soybeans. To aid in the emergence of these soybeans, manure application can play a valuable role by adding moisture to the newly planted fields.
Both swine and dairy manure can be utilized, but it is crucial to ensure that the soybeans are adequately covered with soil during planting. This protective layer acts as a barrier between the salt and nitrogen present in the manure and the germinating soybean seeds. Additionally, monitoring soil phosphorus levels is important to maintain an optimal balance.
Applying approximately 10,000 gallons of dairy manure per acre adds around 0.37 inches of moisture, while 7,000 gallons of swine manure provides approximately 0.26 inches. Incorporating manure into the soil is not necessary for this purpose, as surface application suffices.
Caution must be exercised when applying swine finishing manure to newly emerged soybeans, as it may result in leaf burning. It is advisable to wait until the soybeans have developed three or four trifoliates before applying the manure to aid their recovery.
When incorporating manure prior to double-crop soybean planting, ensure that the manure salt and nitrogen do not come into direct contact with the germinating seeds to avoid emergence issues.
If red clover was frost-seeded in the wheat, be mindful that it can be easily affected by a summer manure application.
Lastly, it is always prudent to consult the weather forecast before surface-applying manure, adhering to the guideline of "not greater than 50% chance of 0.5 inches of rainfall in the next 24 hours" in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
Photo Credit: istock-oticki
Categories: Ohio, Crops, Soybeans