Liming and pH: Timing, economics, materials, and more

This month's episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast is all about sulfur. Fertilizer guidelines go through changes periodically, but are there any upcoming changes to the sulfur fertilizer guidelines specifically? What does current research tell us about managing sulfur for Minnesota crops? Were there any surprising results? Should growers proactively add sulfur to crops out of caution, or is that practice unnecessary? What are some final takeaways that our panelists want Minnesota farmers to know about? Guests:Jeff Coulter, Extension corn agronomist (St. Paul)Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca)Seth Naeve, Extension soybean agronomist (St. Paul)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional Resources:Sulfur for Minnesota soilsIs it worth applying sulfur to your soybean crop?Sulfur fertilizer application: Does S carry over from one year to the next?Video: What source of sulfur is right for you?Fertilizing Corn in Minnesota—Click here to listen to all Nutrient Management Podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

This week on Advancing Nitrogen Smart Melissa Wilson and Brad Carlson talk about manure sampling and testing. What are some sampling guidelines to be aware of in Minnesota? How variable is nitrogen in one type of manure, and then from type to type? How could changes to a farmer's overall operation affect manure nutrient content? How should manure samples be stored? Safety is huge - what do farmers need to know about staying safe when working with manure? Oh, and how do you prevent sample jars from exploding in the mail? This, and lots of manure info on today's show. Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:2025 Certified Manure Testing LaboratoriesNitrogen availability of different manure types: What we know and what we are researchingIntroducing ManureDB: A new way to view manure variability and trendsManure managementManure Land Application: Minimum Requirements---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Today on the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series, Brad and Dan tell us how the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) approach to N rate recommendations is calculated. What does the MRTN actually measure for farmers? What's the reason the MRTN recommendations were created? What kind of / how many rate trials are used to build the dataset? Does the MRTN rate recommendation approach work well in all Minnesota regions? Brad and Dan cover this and more on today's show.Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Corn Rate CalculatorWhat to know about the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) approach to corn N rate guidelinesThe history of N rate recommendations in Minnesota: What farmers should knowNitrogen Smart---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Today on the Nutrient Management Podcast we discuss on-farm research. On-farm research has been here for decades - so what's new about it? What are management practices that might be easier to evaluate and which might be more difficult? What are the design criteria that farmers need to have in place in order to be successful? What kinds of problems have the panelists encountered while conducting on-farm research, and how might those problems have been avoided? How can farmers participate in University of Minnesota on-farm research projects, and how might it benefit them? All of this and lots more on today's show.Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Matt Pfarr, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional Resources:On-farm researchHow to do research on your farmOn-farm research (YouTube)Nutrient ManagementClick here to listen to all Nutrient Management Podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

On this episode of Advancing Nitrogen Smart we discuss methods and tools to account for soil and weather conditions as you execute your nitrogen management strategy. Which tissue and nitrate testing options are the most beneficial, and when should you test? How does understanding the nitrogen cycle help you interpret these results? How do drought and /or saturated conditions affect available nitrogen? What can be reasonably achieved with rescue treatments? Why is it important to end your season with the right amount of residual nitrogen in the field? Brad and Dan discuss this - and much more - on today's show.Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Corn supplemental N rate calculatorSoil Testing Laboratory: Farm / Field and Commercial Horticulture CropsResearch Analytical Laboratory - tissue testingThe nitrogen cycle - YouTube videoWhy understanding the nitrogen cycle is key to managing soil fertility---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Today on Advancing Nitrogen Smart we’re talking about the nitrogen cycle and managing soil fertility. What does 'the nitrogen cycle' mean, and how does it affect your management strategy? In what ways do temperature and moisture slow down or speed up nitrogen's window of usability? What are nitrification, denitrification, volatilization, mineralization and immobilization? How well do inhibitors work, when should they be applied? How does organic matter affect the nitrogen cycle? All these answers and more on today's episode.GuestsBrad Carlson, Extension educatorDan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialistAdditional ResourcesUnderstanding nitrogen in soilsNitrogen smart fundamentalsThe nitrogen cycleThe nitrogen cycle (YouTube)---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

Cation exchange capacity and cation balancing are the topics of the day in this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast. What are the definitions of cation exchange capacity and cation balancing? How is CEC measured, and are those estimates reliable? What does the research say about CEC and CB and their role in a nutrient management strategy? What should farmers remember about cation exchange capacity and cation balancing for their own operations?Guests:Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Carl Rosen, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional Resources:Timing of K application for corn and soybean productionChloride and soybean: What to know about potash fertilizer managementImpact of cation exchange on corn K guidelinesFour soil test myths that farmers should knowCorn planting and nitrogen management: 5 things to considerFall K fertilizer decisions: How should corn growers prioritize applying potassium?Potassium management: Maps showing soil clay type could help Minnesota farmers---Click here to listen to all Nutrient Management Podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

Today on the Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast we discuss nitrogen fertilizer management and surface water issues. When did we first become aware of nitrates appearing in surface water? What are some of the effects, and who is being affected? What are Minnesota's current nitrate-reduction strategy benchmarks - and are we on target to meet them? What are some of the challenges and success stories Minnesotans should know about? Which organizations can I contact if I'd like to become more involved? Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator and water quality specialist (Mankato)Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:MPCA Nutrient Reduction StrategyNitrogen Best Management Practices (BMPs)HUC-8 WatershedsSoil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in Minnesota---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.

It's the end of March, which means it's time for the annual Spring Fertilizer Outlook. What are field conditions like throughout Minnesota? What early fertilizer application options might MN growers want to consider? Which early fertilizer application practices might MN growers want to avoid, and why? What are growers excited - or hesitant - about? What about N carryover credits in this more typical season? Our four panelists weigh in.Guests:Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional Resources:Are you overspending on fertilizer?FINBINDon't apply commercial fertilizers to snow-covered frozen soilsNutrient Management—For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided by Minnesota's fertilizer tonnage fee through the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC). Learn more at MNsoilfertility.com.

A lot of the conversation about nitrogen management centers around environmental issues, and in particular, nitrate levels in groundwater and surface water in Minnesota. Today we’ll discuss N management and nitrate levels in groundwater. What are some effects of elevated nitrate levels in both infants and adults? When were elevated levels first discovered in Minnesota? How do different soil types factor into nitrogen loss to goundwater? What's being done to address this issue at state, county and municipal levels? How do changing climate conditions affect how we proceed? All this and more on today's episode.Guests:Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Additional resources:Nitrate in community water systemsDrinking water in MinnesotaHow to interpret a water test for nitrateMinnesota Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan---Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes.For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on X (formerly twitter), and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.