Fertilizer is packed with the nourishment crops need in order to produce healthy, strong, uniform stands and increase yield. When fertilizer is not properly placed, however, that potential is destroyed. In fact, the fertilizer may simply be washed away along with the nutrients it provides, which is especially disconcerting considering its ever-rising cost. Such waste costs growers incredible amounts of money and devastates yields each year. Why take that risk? Ensure that your yields are the highest and healthiest they can be through pinpoint placement techniques.
 

Applying fertilizer in a band puts nutrients closer to the roots for superior absorption. Cool temperatures soon after planting  suppress a plant’s natural ability to consume food from the soil, thus inhibiting growth. Using traditional broadband placement methods, the fertilizer often ends up on the soil surface away from the roots.

2995 Fertilizer coulter with
liquid injection tube

Such methods are inefficient and unwise because rain tends to carry the fertilizer away, which causes unnecessary waste and robs plants of  the sustenance they need for growth and vitality. In addition to decreasing yield potential, such methods frequently have a negative effect on the environment.

Precision placement is the proven way to counter this. Placing fertilizer just to the side and slightly below the seed puts nutrients on target to intercept emerging roots. When roots hit that zone, there is a growth explosion. As more roots develop, they also encounter the fertilizer for an ongoing boost during critical growth stages. Precision-placed fertilizer keeps working throughout the growth process.

This technique not only increases absorption and improves crop performance in general; it also cuts fertilizer costs and enhances yield potential. It’s a more efficient and cost-effective means than both broadcast or dribble methods. Perfect fertilizer placement is critical in all stages of growing plants, adding to your bottom line.

When choosing such equipment for your operation, it is imperative to look for well-built models that will endure for many seasons to come. Look for heavy-duty hubs, fertilizer knives that are hardened to minimize wear, and components that are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

Another key element is adjustability. For example, coulters should be fully and easily adjustable for maximum downpressure with minimal soil disturbance.

2995 Injection coulters
 

The coulter and adjustable spring should work in tandem to place fertilizer next to the seedbed, and the rear knife should be horizontally adjustable against the blade to prevent residue build-up.

Lastly, stability is probably the most important factor in pinpoint placement. One good example of equipment that provides such control and steadiness is the parallel linkage system from Yetter Manufacturing Company in which two parallel arms fix the position of the fertilizer knife relative to the field surface. The linkage flexes when field contour changes, so the knife stays in the soil. The spring then cushions the assembly to prevent damage from rocks and other obstructions. If you are still using traditional fertilizer application methods, reconsider this next season, and reap the benefits of pinpoint placement. You will see dramatic results and realize savings in the process.