How low can fertilizer go? Sask. farmer uses deep nutrient placement to combat drought challenges

Severe, prolonged dry conditions in southwest Saskatchewan have many growers rethinking how they manage fertility to protect yield potential and reduce economic risk. Near Hazlet, Sask., Evan Dewar of Dewar Family Farms has spent the last eight years experimenting with soil health and more specifically deep banding — placing a multi-nutrient blend as deep as 10 inches — as part of a broader strategy to build healthier crops in drought.

Dewar says the work starts with targeted soil sampling that compares the 0-to-6 inch and 6-to-12 inch zones across rolling topography. Those tests, he notes, often show the deeper layer is where nutrient deficiencies are most pronounced, even after years of building fertility near the surface where a drill can place product.

To address both compaction and nutrient stratification, Dewar uses a deep banding implement to fracture tight soil, encourage water infiltration, and position fertility where roots can access it later in the season as moisture disappears from the topsoil. Over time, he’s moved from four inches down to 10 inches, applying “a 480 pound blend that contains 12 different nutrients.” He says plants don’t take long to find that band once roots chase water deeper.

Micronutrients are also part of the focus. Dewar is working to raise zinc, copper, and boron to critical soil-test levels to improve uptake and encourage more root mass between the seedbed and the deep band. That root growth, he says, supports both nutrient capture and water movement as roots decompose.

Deep banding, Dewar says, isn’t meant to replace spring fertility, but to complement it, and he encourages anyone interested to start small, learn from others, and evaluate results over time: “It’s best to start with some small acres… just strips on fields… and spend the time examining the results.”

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