SE SD | barsfarm - 11/19/2023 08:05
What do you mean makes landowner feel better?
I would guess he's saying they want reduced tillage.
My thoughts on banding are that if your soil is already high in P and K you're not going to see much benefit. The plant has enough fertility around it that the concentrated band is only a small percentage of what it uses. But in low fertility soils it definitely shines more. After picking up a couple farms that the owner or previous tenant barely or if ever fertilized it can really make a difference. Over time, I would say it's better to build up the entire soil profile but in the short term it can really help.
And rainfall. If you're in an area that receives consistent rainfall over 20" a year I can see why banding might not pay as well. We've been in drought for over 3 years. The top few inches of soil are constantly so dried out I can't imagine how the plants can get any nutrients in at all.
Now if you add the two together, low fertility and low rainfall, it can be a pretty economical system.
Plus if you have an extra $200 an acre sitting around it can probably help long term to place some nutrients down deep. 8-10" deep maybe deeper. But I've never been in that position.
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