Delivered and ready to use: The many benefits of liquid fertiliser
IPF EASY Liquids Team
With spring fertigation season approaching for permanent horticulture plantings and annual vegetables, it’s timely to evaluate the many benefits liquid fertilisers can have in terms of not only your crop nutrition, but also manual handling, labour and health and safety.
EASY Liquids products such as the N-CAL range (liquid calcium nitrate) offer several benefits when compared to dissolving of solids on farm.
Storage and Safety
Having bulk N-CAL delivered on farm eliminates the need to store and handle bagged product. The following quantities of dry calcium nitrate would be required to meet the nutritional analysis of common load volumes of N-CAL 15-18:
- 1,000 L IBC = 39 x 25 kg bags
- 16,000 L Single bulk load = 13 x 1.2 T bulk bags
- 26,000 L B-double bulk load = 21 x 1.2 T bulk bags
Storage and handling of bagged product is often cumbersome and has inherent safety risks, including the movement and disposal of pallets, as well as the lifting and cutting of bags with sharp hand tools that can cause injury to operators.
EASY Liquids, such as the N-CAL range, are delivered on farm ready for use. Delivery of bulk N-CAL is direct to an on-farm storage tank where it can be dosed directly into fertigation systems and reduces the potential of on-farm risks associated with the storage and handling of bagged product. EASY Liquids provide fit-for-purpose temporary storage tanks that are safe to transport around the property as programs and operational requirements change.
Time and Cost
Avoiding the need to de-bag and solubilise fertiliser can reduce time and labour costs for growers, with liquid fertiliser instead delivered ready for use to the storage tank.
Some operations estimate mixing around 24,000 L of product can take between 3-4 hours, which is time and money that can be spent elsewhere.
Additionally, the reduced risk of accidents resulting from less handling of bagged products and less chance of time out of action while recovering.
Application
Accuracy when it comes to rate and source of N and Ca is important for both maintenance and capital applications. Applications of EASY Liquids are complimented by continued advances in connectivity and capabilities of fertigation systems which allow nutrition to be applied accurately.
EASY Liquids are formulated by industry experts and each batch meets the same specifications. Dosing a chosen EASY Liquids N-CAL product ensures growers are confident the desired rate and timing is being achieved to ensure optimum health of the soil, plant and produce.
N-CAL Range
| N Total | N Nitrate | N Ammonium | N Urea | Ca Calcium | SG | |
| N-CAL 15-18 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 1.0 | 18.1 | 1.5 | |
| N-CAL 20-10 | 19.5 | 13.2 | 6.3 | 9.8 | 1.32 | |
| N-CAL 28-9 | 28.5 | 12.2 | 5.8 | 10.5 | 9.1 | 1.41 |
| N-CAL 35-6 | 35 | 5.0 | 30 | 6 | 1.29 |
With N-CAL 15-18 and N-CAL 20-10 available from all EASY Liquids sites (Moree, Whitton and Boundary Bend), it is a popular choice for horticultural producers ensuring they apply a high-quality source of 139g/L nitrate (NO3–), 10g/L ammonium (NH4+) and 181g/L Calcium (Ca2+).
The broader range including N-CAL 28-9 and N-CAL 35-6 available from EASY Liquids Moree and Whitton provide further flexibility with the addition of the urea {CO(NH2)2} component.
All N-CAL products are available with Boron included and are physically compatible with a limited number of other EASY Liquids products that can be dosed with the N-CAL range on-farm if required.
Contact your local EASY Liquids Sales Representative below for more information about the N-CAL range or any other of the EASY Liquids products and services.
Further Information
Contact your local EASY Liquids Sales Representative below for more information about the N-CAL range or any other of the EASY Liquids products and services.
Conrad Leeks (Boundary Bend) on 0466 664 026; Email: conrad.leeks@incitecpivot.com.au
Robert Moorfield (Whitton) on 0488 067 736; Email: robert.moorfield@incitecpivot.com.au
Matt Urquhart (Moree) on 0429 789 298; Email: matthew.urquhart@incitecpivot.com.au
Customer testimonial – Anthony Fulwood, citrus grower, Riverland Sth Australia
“My transition from soluble solid fertilisers to liquid fertilisers has been a benefit for my farm. The benefits of convenience, rapid absorption, precision, soil health improvement, and cost-effectiveness have all convinced me that this is a benefit to my farming practices.”
