Time to apply nitrogen to winter wheat

With wheat fields reaching green-up, and field conditions suitable, comes the time to apply spring nitrogen.

"Well we recommend on nitrogen fertilizer that when they put their nitrogen on between green-up and early stem elongation and whenever the fields are fit,” said Ohio State University Extension educator in Hancock County Ed Lentz.

Lentz tells Brownfield says that typically in Ohio wheat reaches stem elongation in mid-April in Southern Ohio and by the end of April in the northern part of the state, which could be a little different this year given the recent stretch of warm weather.

As far as how much nitrogen to apply, Lentz suggests following the Tri-State guide, which is based on the yield goal.

"If you have a yield goal of 90 bushels you’re looking at around 90 pounds, it its 100 bushels you’re looking at around 110,” Lentz said. “We’ve been doing rate studies here in Northwest Ohio for 10 years and we’ve never seen a response for anything over 120 (lbs.) with spring N, so we don’t see any reason going above that.”