Whatsapp
Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
Mail
Copy link
Growing Grass
crop nutrition advice
Growing Grass
crop nutrition advice
Everything you need to know about grass or grass-clover mixture fertilization, best practice, suitable products, field trials and more.
Crop nutrition advice for growing grass (Poaceae)
-
Grass performs best in soils with a pH at minimum level of 4.8-5.0.
-
Grass-clover performs best in soils with a pH at minimum level of 5.2- 5.5.
-
Every single cut needs to be fertilized with organic and/or mineral fertilizer.
-
The first cut always needs a mineral sulphur application.
-
Fertilization with sodium, copper, cobalt and selenium is needed for the health of the animals when soil levels are low.
Nutrient requirements
Nutrient requirements in kg/ha for dry matter yield of 12 ton/ha
| N | P2O5 | K2O | MgO | SO3 | Na2O | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kg/ha | Kg/ha | Kg/ha | Kg/ha | Kg/ha | Kg/ha | |
| Aboveground | 350 | 105 | 430 | 50 | 125 | 50 |
Recommendation of the different nutrients depends on soil fertility.
Dynamic of nutrient uptake over a mowing season or meadow-cuts on grass
The nutrients are distributed over 4 to 5 mowing- or meadow cuts.
Nitrogen: The first cut gets the highest application and after that each cut gets a lower application, e.g. 120-80-50-40.
Phosphate, potassium, magnesium and sodium: divide the required nutrients equally over the different cuts.
Sulphur: 100 kg/ha of mineral SO3 to be given before the first cut on sandy soil 75 kg/ha on clay soils and 50 kg/ha on peat soils in addition to any organic fertilizer application.
Role of nutrients
| Key parameter | N | P2O5 | K2O | MgO | SO3 | Na2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry matter yield | + | + | + | + | + | |
| Protein content | + | + | + | + | + | |
| Palatability of grass | + | + | + | |||
| Digestibility of grass | + | + | + | + | + |
Grass field with Polysulphate applied
Grass field after cutting
Q&A
Here are some frequently asked questions we received from farmers regarding grass.
-
Grass cannot uptake sulphur in organic form. Organic sulphur from organic matter or slurry first has to mineralize in the soil. This proces starts with higher soil- temperature (>7°C). So for the first cut a mineral sulphur application is needed for all soil types.
-
This depends on the amount of slurry. In many countries the amount of slurry is too low to reach the yearly potassium uptake of grass (36 kg/ha/ton dry matter).
-
In many countries it advised to use mineral sulphur-fertilizers with an organic certificate like Polysulphate, Gypsum and Kieserite.
-
Our usual recommendation is 150 kg/ha SO3 on clay soil; 100 kg/ha on peat soil and 200 kg/ha on a sandy soil. To be given only for the first cut.
-
Grass does not need any micro-nutrients for yield. Micro-nutrients like copper, selenium and cobalt, and also the macro-nutrient sodium, are needed for the health of the animals.
