A:   Normally, there is no problem in applying pasture fertilizers in late winter or early spring. The exception here is where you are using some urea (46-0-0). Urea does need some water, as little as 0.25 inches, to dissolve and soak into the soil. If urea does set on the soil surface for extended periods and temperatures are greater than 50 degrees, some of the nitrogen will volatolize into the air as ammonia. Now, if your snow cover is good when applying or there is more precipitation shortly after applying; any losses should be minimal. Another weather risk with early application can be frozen soil followed by heavy precipitation or rapid snow melt and there is some runoff. Late March or April applications work quite well. The nitrogen is rapidly absorbed by the plants and the growth response will be seen relatively soon.