Am I really going to have to spend $200+ an acre to fertilize for a food plot?
I couldn't help but notice your location, east central iowa. I live in central iowa and have had really good luck planting clovers turnips etc without fertilizing. I own a few farms in southern iowa and tried that there and have had horrible luck. I would soil sample at the very least and atleast figure out what you are lacking if anything and then go from thereWe have never taken a soil sample or applied lime. The only fertilizer we have applied was before planting corn plots. All our other plots (beans, brassicas, oats, rye, etc) have been just put in the ground and have done quite well. Would they have done better with lime/fert? Quite possibly, but probably not enough to account for the extra expense to us.
All I can suggest is do some experimentation and see if you feel it is worth it under your circumstances.
We have never taken a soil sample or applied lime. The only fertilizer we have applied was before planting corn plots. All our other plots (beans, brassicas, oats, rye, etc) have been just put in the ground and have done quite well. Would they have done better with lime/fert? Quite possibly, but probably not enough to account for the extra expense to us.
All I can suggest is do some experimentation and see if you feel it is worth it under your circumstances.
We have never taken a soil sample or applied lime. The only fertilizer we have applied was before planting corn plots. All our other plots (beans, brassicas, oats, rye, etc) have been just put in the ground and have done quite well. Would they have done better with lime/fert? Quite possibly, but probably not enough to account for the extra expense to us.
All I can suggest is do some experimentation and see if you feel it is worth it under your circumstances.