UMN Extension Nutrient Management

09/14/2026

A handy feature of the MRTN calculator (at cornNratecalc.org) is the ability to know your optimal nitrogen rate window. Educator Brad Carlson explains. Learn more at z.umn.edu/nitrogen-nuggets

09/09/2026

The part of the state where no till corn has been most successful is Southeastern MN. We probably need less N in that part of the state too. And so if you're using N management properly, then these practices build on each other.

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension How do soil health practices—such as minimizing disturbance, maintaining ground cover, and promotin...

09/08/2026

Some areas of Minnesota have received large amounts of rain in a short period this summer. Drought risk depends not only on how much rain falls, but on how much water enters the soil and is stored within the crop rooting zone.

By: Extension climate educator Katie Black, Extension soil health educator Bailey Tangen, and Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates ...

09/04/2026

A handy feature of our Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator is the ability to compare four different corn/nitrogen price ratios at once. Extension educator Brad Carlson explains. Learn more at cornNratecalc.org

08/31/2026

This digital offering allows CAWT professionals to meet their mandatory training requirements from the convenience of their homes! z.umn.edu/CAWT_2026

08/27/2026

Nitrogen is mobile, which means it moves through the plant toward the places with the highest demand. Educator Brad Carlson explains what this can look like as the growing season progresses - and what farmers should keep in mind.

Learn more: z.umn.edu/nitrogen-nuggets

08/25/2026

Don't stop thinking about water just because harvest is approaching.

By: Vasudha Sharma, Extension Irrigation Specialist For many Minnesota farmers, this growing season has been hot and dry with limited rainfa...

08/24/2026

Is there a penalty for overapplying N? Specialist Dan Kaiser explains the consequences of overapplying nitrogen in both corn and oats. Learn more: z.umn.edu/nitrogen-nuggets

08/20/2026

"I was over in southwest Minnesota and I was just really surprised. I looked at a couple of N studies in Lamberton and really only the nitrogen check, the zero N treatments, really looked N deficient. All of the other, even low N rates that are less than 100 pounds of N per acre, looked quite good, and 100 pounds or something around that looked like it was gonna optimize yield in in both of those studies, which is pretty surprising.

But at the same time, that area has had some timely rain. It's certainly not been wet by any means. It's probably been on the dry side. Crop still looks fantastic, but clearly there was a lot of N mineralized from that soil. And I think that's generally the consensus across much of the state.

But there certainly are some areas in west-central and northwest and in the extreme southwest corner of the state that are in that drought category, and those might be areas that might be of interest to take deep soil nitrate samples this fall after that crop comes off. And I don't know that I would necessarily sample the soybean fields, I think that's kind of hit or miss, but if you've got a cornfield that's gonna go to corn again, and it was good and green and lush, and maybe was a little on the droughty side, it might be a field that you could find some deep nitrate in and maybe save some money by reducing your N rate in there for that next corn crop."

- Jeff Vetsch, U of M soil scientist

Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension August is in full swing, which means it's time for the Fall Fertilizer Outlook on the Nutrie...

08/17/2026

A recent price quote from a southern Minnesota fertilizer dealer has anhydrous ammonia this fall at $865 per ton. This puts the price of N at $0.53 per pound.

Current prices for urea and UAN on the world markets are over $0.70 per pound of N.

By: Brad Carlson, Extension educator Urea is now the most used nitrogen (N) fertilizer source in Minnesota. The switch away from anhydrous...