Why use a suspension fertilizer?
Liquid suspension fertilizers are likened to the less costly generic brand vs. the brand name. They offer the same agronomic and economic advantages as standard liquid and dry fertilizers but are more reasonably priced.
They get away with the lower price point thanks to fewer manufacturing steps. That is due to having a different phosphoric acid used in starter fertilizer-grade clear liquids. Secondly, a small amount of clay has to be used in liquid suspensions in order to keep them suspended in liquid. This increases the amount of potassium chloride that can be added to a gallon of water and still be dissolved.
These differences make liquid suspension a “high analysis fertilizer.” That means there is a greater percentage of plant nutrients per gallon of material. The less expensive raw materials makes 1) transportation costs lower and 2) liquid suspension can compete with both clear liquids and their dry phosphorus and potassium counterparts!
Site-Specific Applications
Subsurface Suspension Strip Banding
Advantages
- Consistent application uniformity
- Subsoil plant nutrients are replenished
- Reduces fertilizer fixation in the soil
- Increases root activity in nutrient-rich bands
- Leads to higher nutrient uptake and often higher grain yields
- During dry weather, subsurface placed nutrients remain more plant-available than fertilizer nutrients placed on the soil surface
- Fertilizer runoff during high-intensity rainfall events is no longer a risk factor
Disadvantages
- 3 to 5 times slower than broadcasting or dribble banding fertilizer nutrients
- Increased labor costs due to slower application
- The initial cost can be high due to investment in high horsepower tractors and subsurface placement implements
- The added labor and equipment costs may not be covered by yield increases when compared to broadcasting or dribble banding fertilizer
Surface Banding
Advantages
- Cover many acres can rapidly
- Application uniformity is consistent for each plant
- Banding reduces fertilizer fixation in the soil, increases root activity in nutrient-rich bands, and leads to higher nutrient uptake and often higher grain yields
- Application costs are low
Disadvantages
- Application requires floaters equipped with high capacity pumps and oversized hoses (pumping of liquid suspension fertilizer)
PRO TIP: The combination of crop removal levels of fertilizer with the banded application may allow for more efficient utilization of your nutrient expenditures. And an even better pro tip is to contact the pros, Del or Frank, to guide you!
Once it’s all said and done, liquid suspension fertilizers still offer the same pluses of other liquid fertilizers but at a lower cost. That being said, you can expect 3 things:
- Accurate fertilizer placement and distribution
- Macro and micronutrients that stay blended in solution
- A product that is accurately applied, either using surface or subsurface methodologies
The result is reduced fertilizer fixation, increased nutrient availability, and often statistically greater crop yields and higher ROI than their counterparts.