im going to plant 3 arcers of round up ready corn and soybean in the spring and was wondering how much fertilizer and what kind of fertilizer i will need to put down!!!!!!!!ph is around 6

Take a soil sample in to your local Extension office or co-op. They'll analyze it and tell you exactly what you need. All else is just guessing.

Triple 19 is the standard for fertilizer for corn and most planters have three setting for the amount the highest level is 300 lbs per acre which is what most people use.

I just received my soil samples results from Biologic. I sent in samples from 3 different plots. They requested to know what I intended to plant in each plot. The plot I specified as BioMaxx, which is roundup ready corn and beans combined, resulted in the follolwing:

Phosphorus (P) 16 lbs/acre in the "LOW" range
Potassium (K) 64 lbs/acre in the "VERY LOW" range
Calcium (Ca) 1412 lbs/acrein the "MEDIUM" range
Magnesium (Mg) 190 lbs/acre in the "OPTIMUM" range

Actual Soil pH 5.8
desired pH 6.5 (based upon thier recommendations)

LIME RECOMMEDATIONS*: 3500 lbs/acre or 80 lbs/1000 sq. feet
*however, they gave a calculation of Calcium Carbonate Equivalency (CCE) percentage from the bag label, as follows:
3500 lbs recommended -:- CCE% from bag = actual amt of lime/acre.

FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS:
type: lbs per acre: lbs per 1000 square feet:

5-10-10 1000 23
6-12-12 830 19
8-16-16 630 14
10-20-20500 11
12-24-24420 9

I do not claim to know that much about farming or food plots, but this information is very interesting to me, and will certainly assist me in making the right moves this year. There is no way I would ahve added this amount of fertilizer without the soil test. I probably would have added some lime, but not nearly the recommended amount of that either. I am very glad I had the soil test one. In the past I would throw seed on the ground and prayt for rain. There is much more to it than that, and this year I am prepared. I hope this helps, but I would suggest that you do your own research after a soil test.

Madeline, as Motrin stated, without a soil sample, you should put down 300 Lbs. of triple 19 and then another 100-150 lbs of 34-0-0 at 30-45 days of growth. Best of Luck!


Dan, when I received my first soil sample results back from Biologic last year I was just amazed with the info. I even called them to explain it to me as if I was 2 years old since, like you, I'm no farmer or even ever tried gardning! LOL

PS, not that your 2 or anything, but hope you get my meaning. Please take no offense. Take care.

thanks for the response i have i print out and will take it and see what i will need!!!!!!!thanks

No offense taken. I can use all the advice I can get. This is a great site and very informative. I wasted a lot of money by not getting a soil sample before my past efforts. With the mild start to the winter, I took the time to get a sample, enlarge one of my plots, and cut overhanging branched encroaching into the plot. Now I am going to trim back two apple trees while I get ready for planting time. I cant say enough how much I was missing without the soil sample in the past. It was easy and I sent it through the regular mail. My postal clerk thought I was a little weird when he asked me if I wanted insurance and I told him it was only dirt, but other than that brief moment of humility, it was easy to do.