When managed correctly, limpograss can be a high yielding and good quality grass. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the fertilizer and limestone requirements for limpograss. Thus, growers were forced to guess as to how much fertilizer and lime to apply to limpograss pastures. It is essential that we carefully evaluate how much to spend on pasture management in the hope of obtaining a profit.
Pasture fertilization is one of the most expensive costs in beef production.
It is no longer realistic to apply high rates of fertilizer on pastures and expect greater profits from increased pasture and cattle production. Over the past five years the Range Cattle Research and Education Center evaluated the fertilization and lime requirements for limpograss. The results show that approximately 15 to 20 pounds of P2O5 and 30 to 40 pounds of K2O should be applied per acre in a one time application in early spring. Our results indicate that nitrogen be applied in two or three applications throughout the growing season. Higher limpograss production was also obtained with ammonium sulfate as compared to ammonium nitrate fertilizer.