North Dakota farmers are being advised to wait for cooler soil temperatures before applying fall nitrogen. NDSU Extension Soil Specialist Brady Goettl says fall-applied nitrogen carries more risk than a spring application. “It’s never going to be as efficient as spring application. The closer we can get nitrogen to when that crop needs it, in general, the better off we’re gonna be.” Goettl says 50 degrees Fahrenheit is an important soil-temperature threshold. Above that level, more ammonium-based fertilizer can convert to nitrate, increasing its susceptibility to losses. “If we can keep that fertilizer in that ammonium form and get that ground to freeze, we can protect that nitrogen quite a bit.”
