[rowlandwells]

looking out of our kitchen widow I noticed my famer friend spreading  fertilizer on a cereal crop so I went  and asked him what he was spreading he told me sulphur granules apparently he tells me its good for the soil as a slow release fertilizer? so does anyone out there use sulphur on there allotments or gardens is it worth buying for veg crops

[mumofstig]

It's sometimes used for wheat and brassicas, but that's about all...

The major role of sulphur in all plants is in support of nitrogen in protein production which is hugely important for high crop yields. For breadmaking wheat, protein production and its quality are even more important for loaf volume. In brassicas, (veg, oilseed rape, kale etc) sulphur is also in glucosinolate compounds, which give them their hot taste. Sulphur also reduces the likelihood of immature rapeseed which faces penalty pricing in the market. This explains the greater requirement and importance of sulphur applications to brassicas.

https://www.pda.org.uk/sulphur-nutrient-crops-grass/
Perhaps worth it if you grow on a huge scale, but for most of us, it would just be something else to think about, when there are already enough different fertilisers for Brassicas, to choose from 

[Grubbypaws]

The only thing I use are sulphur chips for the blueberries. It makes the compost more acidic so the plants are happier and fruit well.

[Subversive_plot]

Generally if Im applying sulfur, I am applying it in the form of calcium sulfate (gypsum) or magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts). My soil is acid, so I don't need to reduce pH (if I wanted to, I would apply aluminum sulfate).

Sulfur is an essential plant nutrient.

[rowlandwells]

I think I mite give those Sulphur pellets a try on my veg  ground I always use a balance fertilizer including nitrogen based fertilizers

[Subversive_plot]

I think I mite give those Sulphur pellets a try on my veg  ground I always use a balance fertilizer including nitrogen based fertilizers

RW, I suggest checking your soil pH first. If your soil pH is between 6 and 8 (see attached chart), you may not need the sulfur except on acid-loving crops.  Especially true on ground that has been well-manured, and I know you keep up with that better than I do! 

Dairy cow manure contains about a pound of sulfur per ton https://forage.msu.edu/extension/sulfur-fertility-of-forage-crops-in-michigan/, and horse manure also contains variable amounts of sulfur, depending on management practices https://lpelc.org/plant-nutrient-and-carbon-content-of-equine-manure-as-influenced-by-stall-management-and-implications-for-nutrient-management/

[rowlandwells]

We had our plots soil tested the other year and looking back I see the lab test came back with everything ok except for Sulphur so that's what made me think about putting some sulphur back in the ground as we only use horse manure not cattle manure so it could  be worth  getting the soil lab tested again

[Subversive_plot]

Well RW, that soil test last year gives you good information to work from. If it says you need more, I would go with that. The form of sulfur you apply can change (reduce) your pH though. That might be OK if your soil test suggests your pH needs to change.  If not, you might consider if gypsum or Epsom salts would be a suitable sulfur source (they have less of an effect on soil pH).

[Nobbie]

I remember reading that onions may have lost some of their pungency over recent years due to lower levels of sulphur in the atmosphere in the U.K. due to the virtual elimination of coal burning and that supplementing with pellets may improve flavour. May try it myself this year as just ordered some pellets for my blueberries.

[VegGrower]

Local farmer told me he is now having to put Sulphur on his fields to adjust pH because the absorption of Nitrogen had been falling (and he'd been finding that he had to put more and more on ...)

Turns out that his agronomist reckons that the improvement in air quality, and lack of Acid Rain, is the cause ...