Large, heavy seed is preferable to smaller, lighter seed. Early planted wheat will push roots deeper and has a greater ability to use available soil moisture than later planted wheat, he said. Soil testing will help gauge the crop's fertilizer needs. A rule of thumb to follow for forage production is that 60 to 80 pounds of nitrogen will be required for each ton of dry forage produced. But don't neglect phosphorus in your fertility plan.
Adequate phosphorus promotes early forage production.
Deep banding phosphorus is a better bet than a broadcast, incorporated surface application because it puts phosphorus down in the root zone. Another option is to apply phosphorus in the seed furrow at planting by mixing dry fertilizer with the seed, or by directly applying liquid fertilizer into the seed furrow. Early spring irrigation promotes tillering and tiller survival, the agronomist said. The optimum time to pull cattle off wheat is when the first hollow stem appears. When this occurs can often vary as much as three weeks, depending on the year.