My questions is that sometimes during September I only have 1/2 a day to work on my place during the weekend. Can I fertilize my food plot a week or two or even three before I plant oats?
Thank you.

Should be able to. As long as nothing is growing on it there won't be anything using the fertilizer.

I wouldn't if I were you . Fertilizer can either burn up or stunt growth of newly planted young plants . Best recommended to wait two weeks after planting for safety then water immediately after fertilizing . Now if you have cow manure or chicken manure worked in the ground a few weeks before planting you might be ok there .

" Best recommended to wait two weeks after planting for safety then water immediately after fertilizing ."

I've never heard that before, I have always fertilized the same day I throw out seed and then lightly plow it all under. You gave me something to think about.

I wouldn't do it. There's no sense in giving the grass and weeds a two or three week head start on your seed.

I always mix fertilizer and seed together when planting to create a mix that lasts longer in the spreader and makes for a better distribution of the seed.

I always fertilize at the same time, at the rate and production most guys need for a food plot, a "starter fertilizer" program makes little sense, for large scale food production planted in crop rows, makes more sense.

I think the biggest risk you take fertilizing early would be some nitrogen loss, that dissipates the quickest. One option would be to come back when your plot is 5-6" high and top dress with a 32-0-0 a 100 per acre or so, for each 100lbs and acres you would get 32 units of nitrogen, 200# and it jumps to 64 upa roughly.

Fertilize applied at same time can cause yearling plants to burnup as they say (too strong to handle until roots take hold good) . That's also a way to stun growth . It might not happen in every kind of plant but that is the general rule when planting herbs , vegetables and etc.... . When you have plowed under the previous years crop that actually makes compose in the dirt which is very good for the next planting . What's hard to control is weeds.........

Unless you are using a slow release fertilizer, it will be used up before you plant. If you fertilize pre-plant, you will want a high P and K # with low N. If you wait until the plants are starting to grow you can bump up the N. All quick release forms of Nitrogen like Ammonium Sufate or Urea will volatize and you will lose much to the atmosphere plus the Nitrogen starts releasing in about 7 days and will only benefit for about 4 weeks. If you go with a slow or time released Nitrogen source then you will get more residual and less volatization. I would use an organic type with poultry manure, it's good for your soil, does not volatize as much and is more of a sustained released material. If you are just buying an ag grade, ask what the nitrogen source is. If at all possible wait until plants are established the fertilize, if you cant then try to do it at planting but Go with a lower Nitrogen and higher phosphorous and Potassium levels for establishment of roots.

Never fertilize at the same time you spread your seeds. It's too much for the seeds when they are just getting started. Once established, fertilize to help them grow and become healthier. This is the same with grass. Six months ago you should have added lime to give it time to work it's way into the soil.

After your plants have started to grow, wait until you know a storm is coming and fertilize just before it hits.

When you say, wait until established, what does that mean. "just coming out of the ground," 3 inches tall, 5 inches tall. I planting winter oats.

Plants are like people when comparing maturity. You wouldn't give an infant the same medicine you give a teenager or an adult. That's why you want to wait for them to get established. As a rule of thumb, I give them two weeks after I see that they have sprouted. This is still in the growing stage when they need the extra nutrition, but after the initial sprouting stage when they are most vulnerable. A little later is fine, but too early risks damaging them.

Ideally, all your soil needs should have been done in the Spring. Fertilizing at this time only offers a small benefit. I do it because I'm hoping for any little advantage, but it's so lush here in East TX, that I get more activity out of minerals then anything else.

Just to add to this, it's really important that there is rain to water in the fertilizer. If there isn't any rain coming soon, just like spreading seed, your results will not be as good. The longer it sits out in the sun, the less effective it is.

I always plant in mid Sept and fertilize the 1st week of bow season (if they came up). If there hasn't been any rain and they haven't come up - I don't fertilize. Had a couple years where we had zero rain and they didn't come up, so i saved a couple hundred $ by waiting until they come up.

JR

If you get rain in that two weeks it would be okay.