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Soil Management

Efficacy of Fall versus Spring Nitrogen applications

Tractor spreading artificial fertilizers in field.

Cristie Preston, Ph.D.

The age-old question of which is better: fall or spring applied nitrogen. The short answer is, it depends. Everything from nitrogen source, soil type, and weather conditions can affect nitrogen availability and loss.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) offers these factors to consider if planning on fall and winter nitrogen applications.

  • Apply anhydrous ammonia because it’s not initially leachable.
  • Apply after soil temperatures are below 50°F. (Check CropWatch Soil Temperatures for your area.)
  • Because of the potential for N loss, UNL N recommendations for corn are increased by 5% when applied in the fall.
  • Fall applications of nitrate (NO3) forms of N are discouraged due to substantial risk of leaching and denitrification.
  • Fall N applications are not advisable on sandy or other easily leachable soils, or where surface ponding occurs.
  • Nitrification inhibitors can help reduce the potential for loss through leaching or denitrification, but fall applications are less effective than spring applications.