Your Crop’s Secret Weapon
May 14, 2026
Landon Van Dyke
Conservation Agronomist
NITROGEN PRICES might be painful right now, but don’t let that scare you away from one of the smartest moves you can make this season: sidedress applications. The last thing you want to do is discount it and hope for the best. Every year throws curveballs, and the farmers who come out on top are the ones who stay ready to respond.
The key is having a sharp, well-thought-out game plan from the start. For many operations, that plan still includes sidedressing nitrogen. Why? Because it delivers the nutrient right when the crop is hungry and growing fast, hitting the sweet spot for both maximum yield and responsible stewardship.
Deciding whether, when, and how much to sidedress isn’t guesswork. You must answer these critical questions:
Every farm is different, so the best move is to sit down with me or your Key Cooperative Agronomist to build (or tweak) a plan that fits your fields and your goals.
And don’t forget sulfur! It’s still one of the most underapplied macronutrients in Iowa, yet corn loves it. Emerging research shows soybeans benefit too.
Think of it this way: Nitrogen is the weightlifting that builds the size and strength of your corn plants. Without enough N, you simply won’t push big yields. But sulfur is the protein. You can lift all day long, but without enough protein, you’ll never reach your full potential. Get both working together at the right times and you’ll see what a truly exceptional crop looks like. For a visual reference, picture Sylvester Stallone in his early Rocky days versus Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at his peak.
This isn’t just about protecting your input dollars—it’s about unlocking the kind of performance that turns a decent year into a standout one. Let’s make sure your crop has everything it needs to flex its full potential.
Conservation Agronomist
Making Smart Sidedress Decisions in 2026
NITROGEN PRICES might be painful right now, but don’t let that scare you away from one of the smartest moves you can make this season: sidedress applications. The last thing you want to do is discount it and hope for the best. Every year throws curveballs, and the farmers who come out on top are the ones who stay ready to respond.
The key is having a sharp, well-thought-out game plan from the start. For many operations, that plan still includes sidedressing nitrogen. Why? Because it delivers the nutrient right when the crop is hungry and growing fast, hitting the sweet spot for both maximum yield and responsible stewardship.
Deciding whether, when, and how much to sidedress isn’t guesswork. You must answer these critical questions:
- What nitrogen have you already applied (fall, pre-plant, pre-emergence, or at planting)? What form of nitrogen was it (urea, NH3, UAN, Pivot Bio, manure)? At what rate was it applied?
- Did you use stabilizers or not?
- What specific hybrid did you plant?
- What were the planting conditions when that seed went in the ground?
- What is your current financial position?
- What weather patterns and critical thresholds are ahead?
- What is your soil type, and what are its characteristics?
- Are there opportunities to use variable-rate technology?
Every farm is different, so the best move is to sit down with me or your Key Cooperative Agronomist to build (or tweak) a plan that fits your fields and your goals.
And don’t forget sulfur! It’s still one of the most underapplied macronutrients in Iowa, yet corn loves it. Emerging research shows soybeans benefit too.
Think of it this way: Nitrogen is the weightlifting that builds the size and strength of your corn plants. Without enough N, you simply won’t push big yields. But sulfur is the protein. You can lift all day long, but without enough protein, you’ll never reach your full potential. Get both working together at the right times and you’ll see what a truly exceptional crop looks like. For a visual reference, picture Sylvester Stallone in his early Rocky days versus Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at his peak.
This isn’t just about protecting your input dollars—it’s about unlocking the kind of performance that turns a decent year into a standout one. Let’s make sure your crop has everything it needs to flex its full potential.