farm hunter

OK - I' m going to present my proposed corn planting project for this spring. I' d be interested in receiving any input from the members on the forum, please be critical - sometimes it takes a different point of veiw to point out better options. After I present the plans, I' ll list the most important things I' ve learned in planting corn over the last 4 years. Again, if you have some suggestions for the project, I' d like to hear them.

I' ve indicated a couple times this year, that our big 4-5 acre clover field this year will be planted to corn - for the most part. Below is a picture of the proposal, as you look at the picture, North is to the top of the screen. All the field on the west side (left)of the roadway through the feild has been our large clover plot, and the one we really started with:


The feild total is about 15 acres, including the 2 acres of pines/spruce I planted last year in front of the cabin.

The goal, is to take advantage of the Nitrogen in the soil on the west side of the field where the clover was, and grow corn, for 1-2 years. Also to provide a couple acres of hidden clover plots, the long skinny plot on the East Side, is about 1-1/2 acres and already well established. We will replant the clover on the middle west side plot, and use the existing clover on the small NW corner plot, since it is still very good. In this situation we hope the corn will screen the plots from the roadways, and encourage more day use during the fall.

The second part of the project is the replanting of 2 acres of corn in another feild, and another acre or so there to " screen" the clover plot a little more. Also, we are considering planting corn on the pipeline to the south, since the bedding are is to the south. We want the deer to feel secure crossing at this point - and this is the main reason for planting corn in this small section:




So thats this year' s plan in a nutshell - any comments?

As far as planting corn in general - there are some things that really need to be considered. In the last 4 years that we' ve plant at least some corn, we' ve learned alot. Below, are some of the points I' d consider very important if you are considering a corn planting this spring.

1. The soil must be plowed - then, disked as level as possible. It sounds elementary, but really can be a big issue when planting corn.
Most corn planters can be set up as you wish. The ideal set up is to place the corn about 2" below the surface, with a band of starter fertilizer just below and just to the side of the kernals. If the feild is " wavy" because its not disked level, some seed will be too deep, and others will lay on top, as the planter traverses the field. The more level it is the more consistant the planting, and then crop. If the corn is planted too shallow you get the condition as seen in this picture: - and the plant, will likely " tip over" before ears can develop. If the planter passes over without covering up the kernals in the row (common if the soil is still damp at planting - or heavy in clay) - consider rolling the field after planting - we use a cast iron cultipacker as a general practice these days, after planting corn.

2. FERTILIZER - A starter band of fertilizer at planting may be very important, depending on what your soil sample indicates. Our land is generally low in Nitrogen, and phosphorus. Our K levels are good. We try to put down 200 lbs/acre of 15-15-15 at planting - we could probably leave out the K (last #) - but the cost is low, 15-15-15 is very available, and I don' t think it hurts any. Contrary to what some people say, the soil fertility means very little for germination of corn. For that reason, its advisable not to put down to much Nitrogen at planting - for two reasons: The more N put down - the more weed growth is encouraged. Also N tends to leach downward with rains, and the corn plant cannot access it well for at least 4 weeks, and usually 6 weeks. Therefore, if your soil sample indicates a need for Nitrogen, 2/3-3/4 of it should be applied when the corn is about Knee high (around the 4th of July in my area). We just broadcast UREA granules, but if you can " knife in" Anhydrous Ammonia, that might be better. Generally, we try to give the corn at least 100 lbs/acre of Nitrogen - Roughly - this equals about 200 lbs/acre of 46-0-0 Urea (take into consideration the residual N content of the soil, and figure accordingly). FYI - NITROGEN is the most important consideration in ear production - and if you have to skimp due to cost DO NOT skimp on Nitrogen application (unless your soil is already high in N). Corn can suffer from other mineral deficiencies (like low P) - but that can be noted - and corrected in time to help it along. By the time Low N levels are noted (small ear size, early tasseling, etc.) its too late to change it with N application, and a waste of money - You need to know what N levels must be put down as a minimum - and you should plan on it being knee high (or slightly less) at application.


3. WEED CONTROL - This is a topic that gets a lot of debate, and the jury' s still out for us. I' ve had a local farmer sray atrizine, and I' ve applied roundup prior to planting. I' ve done each by itself and in combination. Generally, from my experience - I' ll skip atrizine in the future - as it remains in the soil for a couple years, and can limit the next year' s plot. It does however reduce weed growth considerably. Last year, I sprayed with Roundup, plowed, disked and planted. For weed control - I used a 3-point hitch Manual cultivator - two times during the growth of the corn. While this worked OK, I really do not think the roundup did a heck of a lot - since the soil was turned over well. We do not use roundup ready corn - so I' ve never tried roundup after the corn germinated.

4. Ph - I' ve mentioned this alot on this site - and have taken some flack for it at times - but corn will grow, and well, on acidic soil. If you plan to follow the corn with clover or alfalfa - then you should lime to try to acheive 6.5 Ph, when you plant corn. In general, corn will grow well, and ear out as long as the Ph is 5.5 or higher - with the proper N, P & K.

5. PLANT CORN SO IT CAN BE HUNTED. It took us a couple years to realize, what should be obvious. Especially if you hunt in snow, deer WILL come to the corn, at some point. It is important to be able to hunt the plot itself, and/or the funnels leading to it. A plot that allows no access for deer - will only be good at night. A plot planted tight against cover, with few trees to hunt from, will make it all but impossible to intercept deer entering the plot. When we plant corn now - we try to allow for sections of corn to abutt cover - and others to be field. This creates " funnels" where deer are likely to enter a corn plot. The trick is to create this corn/cover connection - where you can hunt it. Think about laying out the plot before actually planting it. In some cases - you can acheive this effect by brushogging sections down, in the fall - prior to hunting season.

I' m sure I forgot some info, and if you have questions - I' ll be glad to answer the best I can. Please post your thoughts......

Thanks.....

farm hunter

I forgot to include some GREAT links on corn that I've accumulated of the last few years. In no particular order - the links below I've found to be very helpful:

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pag...nPlantHow.html

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pag...antGrows1.html

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/1...wrec4corn.html

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/1.../corngood.html

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/i...roduction.html

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pag...antStages.html

http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegal/plantpath/corn/

These are just some I have - If you have a specific concern thats not addressed, let me know and I'll look to see if I've covered it already on my end.

RonM

Loooks like a great set-up, would like to come up for a visit this summer just to check out your operation. Try some Dekalb RR, it's a little more $113. a bag for 80,000 units. You had said earlier that you use silage varieties for extreme heigh, apparently they will hold up better ,longer . When do you plant, we start Apr 15-20 in Delaware.It appears that you plant for top production, where I think many would not fertilize for deer, just take a chance on providing some food. I was thinking on a recent thread that you should increase your population, but I dont know your area or rainfall, we plant 27,000 or better. Sounds like you have a winning management plan, good luck.. Ron

Dan O.

farm hunter; it looks great but just a few questions:
- where are your stands located
- where are the bedding areas
- where are the deer trails
- why oats rather than rye or wheat
- is the apple orchard commercial or just old trees
- are the roads real roads with traffic or dirt paths
- what is the red area to the south of you
- how are the properties located to each other?

Dan O.

Dan O.

Just bumping you farm hunter to keep you up top.

Dan O.

lawnfarmer

Wow, Farmhunter, thank you. That is just what I needed. And relatively simple too. I have a 2 row cultivator that came with my tractor, I' ve never used it but will when I get the corn in. I know you said you used it twice but you didn' t say at what stage of growth. Also, how deep did you Plow? I have a double bottom plow. These are the only 2 questions I could come up with now. Your layout and the reasoning for it look real good to me (that doesn' t count for much). Thanks again for go' n out of your way to post this stuff. I really like your progress pictures and I hope when I grow up to be just like you. < a little humor terry

farm hunter

Thanks Everyone. I want to apologize for not posting back sooner. I quit smoking 3 weeks ago, and its been a real battle. I usually post late, this is the only time I really have time, which is also the time I' m most likely to " cave-in" so, I' ve been going to bed early - and am happy to say I' m still on the track to quitting.

Ron M - I shoot for planting the first week in June here. Any earlier - and the risk of frost is real - its also very difficult to get the fields ready to plant much before that - as we often still have snow in May. We can get by with corn planted as late as June 17th - but preffer 2-3 weeks earlier.

Dan,

I' ll answer the questions you put to me:

1. Most of the stands we use take advantage of inside corners of fields, and
edges where different types of cover converge.

2. The bedding areas are varied and changes by season. Remember the
property is about 200 acres. In the 1st picture, the bedding areas are mostly
to the west and southwest, with some, smaller ones to the North and East.
In the second picture, the bedding areas are to the West & East.

3. Dan, where we are, its hard to go 100 ft without crossing a deer trail. Even in
areas closeby, that I' m familiar with, I do not see trails like I see here, on our
property. Most of the trails, are along terrain breaks, and or edges of cover
types. Also, trails converge, along the corners of fields with some regularity.

4. Oats - just because traditionally the are more available in the spring in my area.
I' ll probably mix the planting with a perenial grass of some sort. This is an area
I' ll never really want or need a food plot, too close to the cabin. Eventually I' d
like to put in some apples, grapes, and maybe plum trees, for me - not the deer.

5. The apple orchard on my map is the largest of 5 apple orchards from the
original homestead that burnt down in 1941. In fact - Its also probably the
oldest - some trees are probably 100 years old, maybe a bit more. Most of
the apple trees in the surrounding area, are " wild" offshoots of the original
orchards. Its worth noting that the land has been in our family since 1829.
My ancestor' s farmed this land from that time until 1961 when the farm went
defunct. I feel very strong attachement to the land, the fields, woods, and
animals here. So much so - that in over 20 years of hunting, and taking over
40 deer in that time - every single one has been taken here - on this property.
You can probably tell that I' m a rather serious hunter - yet I have only little
interest in hunting anywhere else.

6. The roads on the map are old farm lanes, and trails that we' ve made and brush-
hog to get around the property on. The only public road - is visible on the north
edge of the field in the first picture - where it comes to a dead end on the fields
NE corner. The road is a remnant of the original turnpike to cut through the
area dating back to 1803. There is only one other hous on the road, and it is
1.6 miles to the east.

7. The " red" areas to the south are hay fields - owned by my uncle - and mowed
once a year for horse hay. He owns another 180 acres that borders our' s.
while there is no management program on that property, only a few deer are
taken there anually.

8. To put the two pictures in perspective, the first picture lies about 1/4 mile due
north of the Cabin Field picture. The fields are separated by a pipeline, and 20
acre sections of secondary growth - dominated by poplars (last plowed in 1961).
The full extent of the borders are not seen in the two pictures I posted.

I appreciate your posts, and comments.

farm hunter

Lawnfarmer (Terry) -

Thanks - You' ll be an expert in corn planting in no time.

A two row corn planter, and cultivator is just fine. In fact - you' ll pay more attention to detal, and your planting will be successfull as a result.

As far as plowing, I too use a two bottom plow. Occasionally, I hire my neighbor to plow and/or disk depending on the time I have. However - I' d rather do it all myself - and a two bottom plow is good enough. I probably plow about 8-10" deep in most cases. The first year you plow - the sod may be real thick and you' ll have to go a bit deeper. In fact, if you have a farmer freind, it is wise to have the first plowing of an overgrown feild done with large equipment, not that it cannot be done, its just a little more difficult to " turn over" .

For cultivating - I do the first cultivation when the plants are 6-10" tall - this is the most important one to do. You may be able to skip the second cultivation in some areas - but I like to do it once more when the corn is 18" -24" tall - usaully around July 4th in my area. Its at that time I usually put down the Nitrogen, after cultivating.

Thanks Terry - Post other questions if you have them - I' ll share what I' ve learned - If I can think of any other important things I' ll add them to the post as well.

TimberPig

Farm hunter, all I have is an ATV so I was thinking of hiring a neighboring farmer to plant corn for me next year. About how much do you think you have invested in your corn plots, per acre? Since whoever I hire will most likely supply everthing, labor, seed, fertilizer, herbicide, etc, I was wondering what his expense would be per acre. Does anybody hire it all done, and how much do you pay?
Thanks, TimberPig

farm hunter

Timberpig -

You are right - it would be difficult at best to get a decent plot of corn with an ATV.

I hired it done the first year I planted corn. I thought it was a good deal, had a local farmer plow, disc, and plant for about $300 for 5 acres. I also paid for gas, seed, fertilizer - and a couple cold beers. He had a large tractor, a very large set of plows and discs and did it in about 4 hours - planted in about 1 hour. This was about 4 years ago.

I think thats $60.00/hour - plus materials.

The hardest part is finding a farmer that has the time to plant corn - when it needs to be planted - as this is the time of year they are most busy. You can be sure that your plot will be the last one planted (unless he needs money).

When I plant my own, I estimate our group puts in about $80.00/acre in fertilizer, seed, gas, - not counting time. Corn is very expensive (and risky) to plant compared to clover or more traditional plots. Before I would plant corn - I' d access whether I really need it - We decided we really do - and put a bunch in each year.