Choosing the Right Fertilizer for Your Crops

Posted: February 24, 2025

Boost your farm’s output with soil testing and a customized crop nutrition regimen.

Ensuring that your crops and soil get the precise nutrients they need to thrive is essential to maintaining the productivity and profitability of your farm. Montana farms and other agricultural businesses depend on a range of fertilizers to keep their growing operations running smoothly.

For nearly 90 years, Valley Farmers Supply has been there as a trusted, farmer-owned partner with extensive resources. Our cooperative has a range of crop nutrition products and services that we’ve refined over many decades to provide the support that farms in our region need.

In this article, we will discuss some of the considerations and preparations that go into choosing the best fertilizer.

Categories of Fertilizer

As a farmer, you have several options for adding nutrients to your soil and crops. Here are the general categories of fertilizer available to you:

• Organic Fertilizers: Come from natural sources such as plant material or animal waste. They release nutrients gradually, improve soil water retention, and promote healthy microbial activity.
• Inorganic Fertilizers: Chemically processed and packed with concentrated NPK nutrients. While they deliver nutrients quickly, improper use can harm soil health over time.
• Liquid Fertilizers: Applied directly to soil or plants, offering a fast and flexible way to deliver nutrients with rapid absorption.
• Slow-Release Fertilizers: Use coated granules or controlled-release technology to supply nutrients steadily over time, minimizing leaching and fostering long-term soil vitality.

How to Identify Your Farm Nutrient Needs

To determine the right fertilizer mix for your growing operation, you need to know what nutrients your crops require that your soil may lack. The agronomy team at Valley Farmers Supply offers a range of crop nutrition services to help you select the best course of action. These services include the following:

• Soil Analysis: Maximize your crop yield and protect long-term crop health with our soil testing services. Using NutriScan® diagnostic technology, we deliver immediate, comprehensive results.
• Leaf Tissue Analysis: With Valley Farmers Supply’s tissue analysis, you’ll always know the nutritional status of your crops. No need to wait for lab results — NutriScan® testing delivers results within minutes.
• Field Scouting: Our team offers expert field scouting throughout the growing season. We’ll help you stay on top of potential crop health issues and respond quickly. With deep knowledge of the crop varieties in Montana, we’ll catch abnormal growth patterns early and provide informed nutrition recommendations.

The dedicated agronomic experts at Valley Farmers Supply are always available to assist you in analyzing your fields and plants and make recommendations.

Custom Fertilizer Solutions from Valley Farmers Supply

Once our team has identified the crop nutrition needs of your agricultural operation, we can get to work developing a fertilizer regimen that’s tailor-made for you. We carry top-rated dry and liquid fertilizer products. We’ll blend the ideal mix for your farm and can even include additional soil amendments and weed control products.

Don’t go into your growing season without the right crop nutrition tools. Contact Valley Farmers Supply to receive expert analysis and fertilizer blends.