Ask The Agronomist by Rainbow Plant Food
With planting season getting well underway in many parts of the country this month, our agronomists here at Rainbow Plant Food took some time to answer some burning questions from farmers across the nation.
Question: I am using Super Rainbow 3-7-28 in a dry starter/banded fertilizer blend for corn in the eastern Piedmont soils in Virginia. At a rate of 50 or 100 lbs per acre, would Super Rainbow provide the Mg, Mn, B and Zn needs of 150-300-bushel corn?
Answer: Our Super Rainbow 3-7-28 is one of our highest analysis grades for micronutrients, and when applied at the 100 pounds per acre rate you mentioned applied in a band, should supply enough of the micronutrients to achieve your yield goals. Because there are many factors that determine the actual need and uptake of nutrients by the plant, I would also encourage you to take tissue and/or leaf samples during the growing season to monitor the levels in the plant and adjust if necessary. Check out our grading and analysis chart to get some more detailed figures for your region, or contact your local Rainbow Plant Food dealer.
Q: I’m growing hemp in the Spring Hope region of North Carolina and want to use a KMC rolling cultivator with fertilizer sowers (as is commonly used in tobacco). I’m looking for a rainbow formulation and rate of application.
A: The soils around the northeast region of the state can change drastically from clayey to sandy loam. You can use your own judgement to decide what works best for your soil type. Purdue University recommends 100-130 lb./ac. nitrogen, 45-70 lb./ac. phosphate and 35-80 lb./ac. potash for industrial hemp production. The standard tobacco fertilization program is to apply 800-1,000 lb./ac. 6-6-18 Super Rainbow Fertilizer with a top dress application of 13-0-14 Super Rainbow Fertilizer at 150-250 lb./ac. I would encourage soil samples to ensure you build the best foundation for a successful crop. This would help to confirm nutrient levels in your soil and give you more specific nutrient recommendations based on your soil type.
Q: In a watermelon crop, what is the maximum amount of chlorine we can put out?
A: I would classify watermelons as a chlorine-sensitive crop. I always recommend the 5-12-12 Super Rainbow on watermelons. Not only is it a low-chlorine fertilizer, it also has more magnesium and water-soluble calcium than our 5-20-20 SRB. To keep levels of chlorine uptake down, and keep magnesium and calcium uptake levels up, Rainbow Plant Food uses chemically homogeneous ammoniated granules that ensure your watermelon crop will get consistent nutrition. For more information on application recommendations for fruits and vegetables, click here, or get in touch with your regional rep.
Q: What is the nitrogen source of your product? Is there any slow release?
A: All Rainbow fertilizer products are a homogeneous mixture of plant nutrients designed to provide the crop with a balanced ratio of essential plant nutrients. There are many different grades of Rainbow available, and each will be slightly different in the source of nitrogen used. Generally speaking, most of the grades are comprised from a mixture of nitrate nitrogen and urea sources. Some grades will have a higher percentage of one or the other. Contact your local Rainbow Plant Food dealer for more information specific to your region and soil type, or visit our website.
If you have a question for one of our agronomists, you can visit our Ask The Agronomist page by clicking here, or tweeting your question at us @Rainbow_Plant. For additional information on Rainbow Plant Food and our products and services, visit https://rainbowplantfood.com/.
