Instructions for Creating a Vegetable/Fruit Nutrient Management Plan

Transcription

1 Instructins fr Creating a Vegetable/Fruit Nutrient Management Plan Preliminary Steps: 1. Make sure that recent sil test are available (within 3 yrs.) fr all fields that are included in the NMP. Sil tests need t be dne at a lab using the Mdified Mrgan extractin (such as the UVM Agricultural and Envirnmental Testing Lab) and that give results fr aluminum. 2. Make sure that all amendments that the grwer applied have knwn nutrient analyses (ften prvided by the cmpany selling it). If there is uncertainty abut nutrient cmpsitin, then further wrk shuld be dne t track dwn this infrmatin (either by cntacting the cmpany r by submitting a sample fr analysis). 3. Maps are needed fr the plan that meet the fllwing requirements: a) Landwner/peratr b) Prepared with assistance frm c) Scale f the map d) Date prepared e) Nrth Arrw f) Name f the Cunty g) District and State The fllwing types f maps shuld meet requirements fr the NMP, but since sme map makers may cmbine sme f these maps, NM planner shuld cnsult NRCS guidelines t be sure that all applicable infrmatin is included. Cnservatin Plan map (shwing grwer field names, FSA tract and field number, FSA acreage, erdibility determinatin). Nitrate Leaching map (shws the nitrate leaching index fr the fields) Tpgraphic map (ptinal) Envirnmental Cncerns map (shwing the lcatin f wetlands, wells, surface waters, springs, buffers, and nutrient spreading setbacks) 4. Vermnt Sil Fact Sheets Sils map (shwing the lcatin f sil types n the farm) The planner will need t have a sil fact sheet fr each f the sil types present n the farm.

2 5. Hld a meeting with the grwer t fill ut the farm infrmatin wrksheet and t determine management practices, typical rtatins and whether it makes sense t break up fields during the writing f the NMP. It is helpful t get a cpy f the grwers recrds at this pint as well as t talk abut where the grwer plans t lcate crps fr the next grwing seasn. Cllect infrmatin that will be needed fr RUSLE2: tillage, manure/cmpst applicatin rates and methds, crp types grwn, and fertilizer applicatin rates and methds fr each crp, and slpe length and steepness fr each field. Cmpleting RUSLE2, the P-Index, and the Nutrient Management wrksheets These tls d nt need t be cmpleted in this rder, hwever RUSLE2 results will be needed fr the P- Index and the NMP wrksheets. P-Index results will als be needed fr the NMP wrksheets. RUSLE2 fr Vegetable Farms The RUSLE2 rtatins that were available fr Vermnt were limited and did nt necessarily reflect cmmn practices in the regin. UVM Extensin wrked with NRCS t create management schemes that wuld better reflect actual practices being used. Because f the vast number f pssible multiple year rtatins, nly single year rtatins were created. Nutrient management planners can use these single year rtatins t calculate multiple year rtatins based n the specific circumstances n a farm. Vegetable crps are gruped int the fllwing categries based n crp type and, in sme cases, planting date: Early veg bush (pepper tmat, eggplant, sme herbs) Early veg cle (cabbage, brccli, cauliflwer, kale, brussel spruts, cllards, turnips) Early veg fine (carrts, nins, celery) Early veg leaf (lettuce spinach, chard, beets) Early veg vine (squash, pumpkin, cucumber, meln) Early veg legumes (ple beans, bush beans, peas, edamame) Early veg sweet crn Ptates Late veg cle Late veg leaf Late veg sweet crn Within each categry there are a variety f management ptins including cultivatin, weed cntrl methd, and plastic mulch use. Because there is a wide variety f management strategies practiced by vegetable grwers in the regin, in cases where a management strategy practiced by a grwer is nt captured by ne f the available ptins, it will be necessary fr Sandra Primard create a rtatin specific t a grwer s situatin.

3 VT P Index fr Vegetable/Fruit Prducers The Vermnt P index is nw available in a slightly mdified frm t meet the needs f nutrient management planning fr vegetable farms. The mdificatin is in the field fr crp/vegetatin type. The user s ptins include vegetable ptins gruped by P remval rate (lw, medium and high) and apples. Examples f crps included in each categry are given in the vegetable tab f the P-index spreadsheet. Veg NMP Wrksheets Farm Inf Sheet fill in fllwing instructins Field Inf Field Name what the prducer calls the field Tract & Field # - FSA designated tract and field numbers Field Acres - FSA acreage Dminant Sil - frm sil map Limiting Sil - sil with characteristics limiting crp grwth that is fund in a field, can be the same as dminant sil Hydrlgic Grup, Dminant Drainage Class, Water Table Depth, Fld Ptential, and Depth t Bedrck f dminant sil (fund n sil fact sheet) RUSLE2 Sil Lss as Planned (linked cell) number frm RUSLE2 calculatins, enter number n P-index sheet Water Quality Site Cnsideratins list any specific site cnsideratins that pertain t water quality at this site (fr example the presence f springs, streams, wells, the need fr a buffer, etc. Sil Test P range (linked cell) enter sil test results fr P and Al n P-index sheet. Sil test P categries are defined in Table 1 (see belw). sheet. P Index as Planned (linked cell) P Index results as determined fr each field frm P-index Buffer describe situatin as it applies in the field.

4 VT P-Index Chse apprpriate situatin fr each field fr regin and elevatin. Input available Phsphrus and reactive Aluminum frm sil test results. (linked cell) Organic amendment 1 and 2 fill in frm individual field sheets as well as inrganic fertilizer amunts. Adjust applicatin time f year, applicatin methd and time t incrpratin t mirrr the field situatin. Enter in ersin rate (Rusle2 tns/acre), sil series, surface cver % (estimate cver based n field situatin), Crp vegetatin type (see chart n bttm f PI Instructins tab). Enter ttal distance t stream, vegetative buffer width, manure spreading setback and sediment trap structure r ther ersin cntrl where applicable. Rtatin fill in the rtatin t the best f yur ability using infrmatin frm past crp seasns and intended future plans. Sil Test Schedule each field is required t have a sil test taken a minimum f nce every three years. Sil Test Results A summary table f field by field sil test results. These can be fund n the sil test results. Other nutrients can be included in this summary if they are f cncern t a grwer. Table 1. Vermnt sil test categries expressed as ppm in elemental frm Lw Medium Optimum High Excessive ppm Available P >20 K >160 Mg > Ca <1000 Amendments- Reference infrmatin. Typical values f typical fertilizer surces. N Credits Use this wrksheet t estimate N credits that can be taken frm previusly applied manure, cmpst r plw-dwns Individual Field Sheets This part f the wrkbk allws prducers t create a nutrient budget fr each field. The sheet is divided int three different sectins t accmmdate either a) different crps

5 grwn within the same field, r b) planning fr different crps if the grwer is unsure what he/she will put in the field. The field name, acreage and sil test results are transferred frm previus wrksheets where this infrmatin was entered. The user will enter year first used, wnership status (wned r rented), year f last sil test, and sil texture at the tp f the wrksheet. In the individual crp sectins, the user will enter crp t be grwn, target ph and acreage f crp (if different frm field acreage). Crp needs are entered either frm the recmmendatin given n the sil test r as determined frm the New England Vegetable Management Guide. There are tw clumns n the far right that can be used fr ther nutrients that are recmmended besides N, P and K. The user enters nutrient credits frm rganic matter, cver crp/plwed dwn sd, manure/cmpst last year and manure/cmpst this year (as calculated frm the N credits wrksheet). Next the user enters planned fertilizer applicatins in lbs/acre and frmulatin. There is space fr fur nutrient applicatins, and a running tally f remaining nutrient need is kept at the bttm f each sectin. A negative number indicates an excess. Summary After filling ut an individual field sheet fr each field, the user can print a summary f sil test results, crp needs and planned fertilizer applicatins.