Last fall we sampled the ground that was going to wheat. Residual nitrogen was uneven, so we built a variable-rate nitrogen and sulfur pass for April and tried to get the soil up to about 70 pounds.
April 20 we put it on. The blend averaged 130 pounds to the acre and came in urea-heavy: about 55 pounds of nitrogen and 6 pounds of sulfur on the average acre. More N than we ordered. Less S. Then we planted. I looked at that and thought, that is not going to be enough.
So we pulled tissue all year. I wanted to see it in the plant.
By the middle of June, nitrogen was Medium to High. Sulfur was Medium. Potassium was mixed. The crop was holding.
We still ran the June 19 stream-bar pass. It was already on the plan. Liquid nitrogen, sulfur, and potassium, in the rain, on two of the three wheat pieces. Not every acre got it.
The piece that missed it, we checked after heading. Nitrogen still Medium. Sulfur still Medium. Potassium Low. We left it.
Here is where I landed on that extra trip. It did not help the yield or the protein. I wanted to know. I will not spend that money again.
June put 4.15 inches on the yard gauge and carried us through heading. After that it was dry while the kernels filled.
Yields were good. Protein was fine. The elevator did not dock us. The tickets came back US #1. All in all, we did really well.
— Michael Steeke, fourth generation