In the video below, Rock Creek, Minn., strip-tiller Jon Stevens shares how he's increasing his ROI with phosphorous (P) applications in strip-till.

"This year is a great opportunity to learn how to become much better managers of our phosphorous dollars," Stevens says. "If we're broadcasting phosphorous, the industry tells us we're getting a 15% return. Can you do better than 15% bang for your buck? Absolutely. Let's say you throw 100 pounds of MAP in the buggy and work it in. Where is all that fertilizer? It's in the top 2 inches. When the plant needs it, late in the season, what's the top 2 inches like in July and August? Probably dry and rock hard. How much nutrient transfer is happening in that situation? Zero. In a year they're telling us we're probably going to lose money, I'd be looking at banding fertilizer."