Applicator Puts Nutrients Closer To Growing Plants

Applicator Puts Nutrients Closer To Growing Plants CROPS Miscellaneous Illinois corn producer John Miller says the N-Place™ liquid and dry fertilizer application system that he designed puts nutrients just above the roots of growing plants exactly where they’re needed and will do the most good     “This idea came to me as I walked past a large toolbar fertilizer applicator at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville a few years ago ” Miller says “I thought to myself ‘That isn’t going to work ’ and in 90 minutes I’d sketched out my own idea ” After getting positive feedback from a few farming friends a manufacturer and his attorney he began a patent search Since then different prototypes have been tested and revised and the current N-Place model is seeing good acceptance in the marketplace     “It’s a unique concept because it delivers fertilizer next to two rows at the same time and covers lightly with soil so nitrogen stabilizers don’t have to be used ” Miller says “Moving the application of 28 percent N 7 1/2 in closer to the corn row rather than dead center between 30-inch rows can provide a yield advantage ” Miller thinks the device can also be used to deliver nutrients to other row crops like soybeans cotton or peanuts A soybean grower used the N-Place to apply 3 different products by themselves and then in combination and realized a $34 to $45 return on the investment “We’re bringing nutrients to the soil directly in front of coulters that are angled from inside to outside ” Miller explains “The coulters then roll soil toward the plants so the growing roots can capture the nutrients quicker which makes them more effective It’s also a design that saves money on application costs because we’re using an applicator on every other row compared to between every row with a conventional applicator ”     Each N-Place unit has its own independent down pressure settings an adjustable gauge wheel and coulter angle adjustments so precise application can be done without cutting the soil any deeper than 3/4-inch N-Place row units mount on any size tool bar frame and also work on high clearance applicators     “The application speed will vary depending on the size of the crop ” Miller says “and high-clearance rigs can work at speeds greater than 12 mph while delivering nutrients on target at the base of growing plants ” Contact Miller for pricing and availability     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Nitrogen Sealing Systems 10916 Catlin-Homer Road Catlin Ill 61817 ph 217 304-1109; www nitrogensealingsystems com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.