A mid-rotation pine stand fertilization calculator
for material needs, cost, and rate of return R. Hitchcock, D. E. Kissel, and D. Dickens

Calculating pounds per acre of fertilizer materials needed and cost for a single NP or NPK fertilizer application in a loblolly, longleaf, or slash pine stand based on a publication by Dickens, Moorhead, Morris and Kissel (2010):

A checklist for fertilization of loblolly, longleaf, and slash pine stands

Usually a stand is fertilized with N and P so there will be many cases where K is not needed.
Stands that need K added are where foliar K < 0.25%, especially in longleaf stands.

Options

P Source:

1. Fertilizer materials needed

Nutrient	Pounds per acre needed
Nutrient	Elemental nutrient	Urea (46-0-0)	DAP (18-46-0)	MOP (0-0-60)
Nitrogen	75 - 250
Phosphorus	20 - 50
Potassium	40 - 80

2. Cost per acre for fertilizer materials

Enter total cost per acre if known: $

Otherwise, enter the data below:

Fertilizer
material

Pounds
per acre

Cost per
ton ($)

Cost per
pound of
nutrient ($)

Cost per
acre ($)

Urea

DAP

MOP

Fertilizer cost per acre

Application cost
Cost per acre	$
or
Cost per pound of fertilizer	$

Total cost per acre

3. Rate of return (ROR) estimates based on fertilizer cost and anticipated extra wood value grown

Up-front cost	Final harvest numbers
Total cost per acre	Estimated extra wood growth rate (tons/ac/yr)	Value of extra wood grown ($/ton) ^*	Number of years to final harvest	Extra wood grown final value ($/ac)	Rate of return expressed as interest rate
			5 - 10 years

* Current pine stumpage price for your area can be obtained from your County Agent, State Forester, Consulting Forester, or Wood Buyer.