5 Agronomic Priorities to Plan Before Spring Begins
Reading time — 7 minutes
The most effective spring decisions are made long before the first field operation. By using satellite data and productivity maps in winter, you can plan fertilization, sowing, and soil sampling with greater precision.
Michał Pradzynski
Lead Agronomist and Key Account Management Dept Lead with OneSoil
Spring is the busiest time of the year on the farm. Crop protection treatments, nitrogen fertilization, supplementary feeding, and sowing of spring crops all happen within a short window.
There’s a lot to do - and very little time to do it.
With OneSoil, winter becomes the ideal moment to analyze field variability, plan precise operations, and build fertilization and seeding strategies that will pay off when the season starts.
Below are five key areas worth planning before spring begins - and how OneSoil helps at every step.
There’s a lot to do - and very little time to do it.
With OneSoil, winter becomes the ideal moment to analyze field variability, plan precise operations, and build fertilization and seeding strategies that will pay off when the season starts.
Below are five key areas worth planning before spring begins - and how OneSoil helps at every step.
Spring is the busiest time of the year on the farm. Crop protection treatments, nitrogen fertilization, supplementary feeding, and sowing of spring crops all happen within a short window.
There’s a lot to do - and very little time to do it.
With OneSoil, winter becomes the ideal moment to analyze field variability, plan precise operations, and build fertilization and seeding strategies that will pay off when the season starts.
Below are five key areas worth planning before spring begins - and how OneSoil helps at every step.
There’s a lot to do - and very little time to do it.
With OneSoil, winter becomes the ideal moment to analyze field variability, plan precise operations, and build fertilization and seeding strategies that will pay off when the season starts.
Below are five key areas worth planning before spring begins - and how OneSoil helps at every step.
ead Agronomist and Key Account Management Dept Lead with OneSoil
Plan your nitrogen fertilization budget
Use OneSoil productivity maps to plan your nitrogen fertilization budget - set the right rates for low- and high-productivity zones.
The spring season is a period of increased field activity: numerous crop protection treatments, nitrogen fertilization, supplementary feeding, and sowing of spring crops. There is a lot of work and very little time—so don’t delay planning your operations.
Open OneSoil and take another look at the distribution of productivity maps. Already now, you can plan the total nitrogen dose for a given field and set variable-rate fertilization so that yields in high-productivity zones are maximized, while costs in low-productivity areas are reduced.
The created map can be used multiple times during a single season - by simply adjusting the base rate on the spreader or sprayer, depending on the fertilizer used.
The spring season is a period of increased field activity: numerous crop protection treatments, nitrogen fertilization, supplementary feeding, and sowing of spring crops. There is a lot of work and very little time—so don’t delay planning your operations.
Open OneSoil and take another look at the distribution of productivity maps. Already now, you can plan the total nitrogen dose for a given field and set variable-rate fertilization so that yields in high-productivity zones are maximized, while costs in low-productivity areas are reduced.
The created map can be used multiple times during a single season - by simply adjusting the base rate on the spreader or sprayer, depending on the fertilizer used.
Here is how a prescription map for fertilization looks like in OneSoil Pro
Balance rapeseed nutrition
This year, a snowy and frosty winter occurred across Europe, meaning that rapeseed properly entered winter dormancy. As a result, differences in nitrogen uptake during autumn will have a significant impact on crop development in spring.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to conduct a full field inspection in November - nothing is lost.
Use NDVI maps provided by OneSoil to prepare a balancing nitrogen application.
During autumn, 1 hectare of rapeseed can absorb between 60 and 130 kg of nitrogen, depending on plant density, sowing date, water availability, and weather conditions. This variability in uptake should be taken into account when planning the first spring nitrogen application.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to conduct a full field inspection in November - nothing is lost.
Use NDVI maps provided by OneSoil to prepare a balancing nitrogen application.
During autumn, 1 hectare of rapeseed can absorb between 60 and 130 kg of nitrogen, depending on plant density, sowing date, water availability, and weather conditions. This variability in uptake should be taken into account when planning the first spring nitrogen application.
Plan potassium, magnesium, and sulfur fertilization
Potassium, magnesium, and sulfur are nutrients that can be applied to fields as early as February. If the soil is not covered with snow, this is an opportunity to reduce the number of field operations in March and ensure nutrient availability at the earliest possible time.
Magnesium and sulfur rates should be applied in coordination with nitrogen fertilization, as these nutrients play a supporting role in crop metabolism during the spring season.
Magnesium and sulfur rates should be applied in coordination with nitrogen fertilization, as these nutrients play a supporting role in crop metabolism during the spring season.
As with nitrogen, the OneSoil productivity map will serve as the basis for ensuring proper crop nutrition.
In the case of potassium, fertilization should take into account both crop nutrient requirements and the specific challenges posed by variable soil characteristics within the field.
If low soil water-holding capacity and spring drought are serious challenges in your region and negatively affect crop productivity, increasing potassium rates in low-productivity zones can improve crop resistance to water and temperature stress in April and May.
If low soil water-holding capacity and spring drought are serious challenges in your region and negatively affect crop productivity, increasing potassium rates in low-productivity zones can improve crop resistance to water and temperature stress in April and May.
Plan variable-rate sowing of spring crops in advance
Variable-rate sowing of maize and sugar beet is a proven and highly cost-effective practice - create variable-rate seeding maps using OneSoil productivity maps.
If you use variable-rate sowing for spring crops such as maize or sugar beet (according to OneSoil users, this is an extremely cost-effective decision), start planning this operation now.
If you use variable-rate sowing for spring crops such as maize or sugar beet (according to OneSoil users, this is an extremely cost-effective decision), start planning this operation now.
- Consult your seed supplier to determine which varieties respond best to variable-rate sowing.
- Plant populations recommended by manufacturers are not always optimal for your farm.
- Seek advice from farms in your local area.
When creating a variable-rate seeding map in OneSoil, don’t forget to use control strips - this will allow you to build your own knowledge of which plant density delivers the best results.
- Check your planter - make sure variable-rate seeding works correctly, the equipment is properly configured, and all required licenses are in place. Consult your precision seeding technology provider.
Conduct soil testing
With OneSoil soil sampling maps, you can obtain maximum information about your soil while minimizing sampling and analysis costs.
Use the winter period to review nutrient availability maps for your fields. If you apply variable-rate fertilization and operate at the highest agronomic level, it is essential that these maps are up to date.
Use the winter period to review nutrient availability maps for your fields. If you apply variable-rate fertilization and operate at the highest agronomic level, it is essential that these maps are up to date.
Soil samples - both for basic nutrients and nitrogen - can be collected during winter, before vegetation starts, allowing fertilization to be adjusted if necessary.
OneSoil soil sampling maps make it possible to create sampling plans that deliver maximum agronomic impact with a minimal number of samples. Whether you collect samples yourself or use a professional soil testing service, OneSoil serves as the core platform providing data on field variability.
OneSoil soil sampling maps make it possible to create sampling plans that deliver maximum agronomic impact with a minimal number of samples. Whether you collect samples yourself or use a professional soil testing service, OneSoil serves as the core platform providing data on field variability.
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