Corn!?!?
 

i am planning on planting corn around my plot this spring so i was wondereing if i would be able to use a seed broadcaster instead of plantinf it into rows cause i dont have a row planter and i dont wanna walk around all spring planting corn. any info or suggestions would be greatly apreciated

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Corn typically needs to be a little deeper than what you'll find you need with regular food plot seed. It will be hard to just freely broadcast it and expect it to grow. You could try to broadcast it and then lightly disk it into the ground. Or, in freshly disked soil broadcast and then roll a cultipacker over it to give it some depth in the soil

RE: Corn!?!?
 

People do it with mixed results. Generally you hear to broadcast corn 2x as thick as if planted. so that works out to 1 bag (80000 kernals) per 1.5 acres if broadcast.

Personally - I don't like to broadcast corn, it never did as well on ours even compared to the worst row planting we ever did. If you have a lot of turkeys and Geese - shallow and exposed corn seed is GONE in days.

Its an expensive way to go. You can pick up an old cornplanter at auction or at used farm equipment places for $400 - 800 -so after a couple years of wasting seed and fertilizer - you could pay for an old planted that will be better all the way around.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

You'd be wasting your time and corn by broadcasting it. It needs to be covered otherwise your just feeding hungry animals.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

ok thanks guys we dont have many geese or turkeys but ill have to find another way

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Ive had corn grow on accident (fell off bird feeder in the spring) so yea its possible. but it wont grow as well. Try to get it covered with soil. Without the equipment its impossible to make large plots. I did a small one this past year of sweet corn for the deer and my family to eat, and with the equipment I had it was tedious work (rototiller and hand planted rows). If a couple seedlings sprout in a bunched up group pull the slower growing ones out so they dont steal nutrients from faster growing seedlings.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Deer will prefer corn in rows, as it offers running lanes for them. It is also easier to hunt deer in corn rows (if that is allowed in your area).

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Whats wrong with planting by hand Heck I do several acres and I am an ol cripple, First plow and disk, Then have a bag over your shoulder and take seed in both hands and just walk and drop in rows as wide as your shoulders)works real well Take an ATV and pull a drag behind to bury it . Use round-up ready corn (get it from pheasants forever for a few bucks a bag).
RC

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Our family does not allow genticallymodified seed. There is a lot we do not know regarding the long term effects of usingthis seed. You may never be able to grow certified organic produce on land that has grown a genetically modifiedcrop (a soil test can determine if you have planted this type of seed).

RE: Corn!?!?
 

http://www.aaoobfoods.com/gardeningsupplies.htm

There are several types of hand held planters that can be purchused for 40-50 dollars.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Country1 -

I've seen a few posts of you knocking Roundup Ready products. I can respect your opinion - but I don't agree with you. Are you worried about the chemical implications of Glyphosate applications or the fact that the DNA of the plant has been modified to be reistant to Glyphosate applications?

For the Casual foodplotter - RR Corn and Soybeans makes life MUCH easier. I think personally its a better option than Atrazine or other traditional chemicals to control weed growth.

As it is today - much of the Cooking Oils, prepared foods, and sugar that we consume - has been grown with Genetically Modifed seed - and Glyphosate resistant technolgy.

My two cents.

FH

RE: Corn!?!?
 

You talking to me?

RE: Corn!?!?
 

NOPE - COUNTRY1 -

he sounds like maybe an organic farmer or something.

FH

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Oh ok just makin sure.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

farm hunter I have a certified organic farm, what's wrong with that?
As for genetically modified. There are over 100,000 varieties of gm that have been rejected by the FDA for human consumption. Some cause disease, some allergy, some internal organ stress or failure, infertility, tumors,,,,, the list goes on. Each year dozens that were aproved for human consumption are recalled and suitable only for livestock. I'm sure that is why that fellow is warning against it. Since livestock grade is what you generally get when purchasing seed. Will any of those conditions tranfer through meat ingested by a human. I have no idea. But am not willing to take that chance on my family for just a very small monetary difference in seed cost. As for RR being easier, possibly but much more expensive than using traditional bushog/plow/disc methods to kill the vegetation. With the money saved the person can buy a variety of seeds to supply the needed vitamins and protein to the heard delivered via a seed blend. Instead of offering a very low protein source such as corn that is rr compatible.
Blessings

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Nothing wrong with Organic -

I in fact have a pretty good handle on what gets ingested in my family.

Roundup Ready corn and other crops is used so extensively in the US and around the world, that the average person cannot say they are not exposed to their use - mostly unkowingly - whether its Corn, soybean or Canola Oil, Sugar, or store bought Beef. Certaintly in the deer you harvest - many many farmers in most people's hunting areas use Glyphosate resistant crops that the local deer heartily feed on.

At least with Deer taken on your property - you have knowledge of the general forages in the area. I'm just saying that when it comes to chemicals - I'd rather the deer were eating forage that was genetically modifed to be resistant to a chemical that inhibits photosynthesis - than a chemical that KILLS plants and who knows what else. There is a big difference, and I suspect that you and many others understand it better than most.

FH

RE: Corn!?!?
 

When corn pollinates whatever is down wind it picks up the qualities of the upwind corn. Monsanto corn is patented. They recently won a ruling to receive royalties from farmers whose land their crop invaded by pollination. Monsanto doesn't allow reseeding, you have to buy from them. Not only did the farmers lose their human consumption status, they had to pay royalties to Monsanto for their yield and could not plant the crop for next year without buying new. Livestock corn obviously sells at a much lower rate to boot. 400,000 acres have been lost to this in the last 3 years. Since the jet stream pushes East each year more land is overcome by altered corn.
Since the Midwest is the chief supplier of human corn for the world this is a major concern. My corn goes to Asia. A DNA test is done each year on it to see if it suitable for consumption. The reason altered corn usually has a livestock status is it generally causes liver and kidney toxicity in the animal's short life span. With the current rate of GA corn migration there will be major problems within the next 10 years. If it is just round up ready that is fine. But in most cases there is more to it. If you grow a corn with more than 2 ears per stalk there the problem lies.
In closing sir I mean absolutely no disrespect to you. I have read thousands of studies on this subject since it is a portion of my income. Personally I don't like it. If you do I have no problem with it.
Blessings

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Since I hussled this thread off topic I have to give a little tip. Get a piece of pvc. Cut the bottom out of a 2 liter bottle. Attach the top of the bottle to the pipe with duct tape. Get someone to drive something with you facing backwards. The pipe end is hovered over the valley to plant in. The 2 liter is just a funnel. Have the corn in a pail and feed it in the funnel as the person drives slow. Once you get the hang of it watching the output you can get it timed decent to have spacing in the row by letting it fall out of your hand.
Make a drag and pull over the field. It will knock the valleys over to cover the seed. We did this years ago with a bottle and pipe. We were poor and did farming to get by. Funny thing now that I recall the drag was being pulled at the same time. I guess it would have been wasting gas to make two trips over the field. But a mamed kid would have been alright. They can be replaced. ;)
Blessings

RE: Corn!?!?
 

i was looking through a northern tool catalog and i found a handheld corn planter. you just push it and it puts it to the right depth and such. it only 30 bucks

RE: Corn!?!?
 

What a crock, Deer do not prefer corn in rows, they prefer broadcast corn way better it offers them more security. I only broadcast my corn, as long as you can disk up the soil and cove you will be fine. I wouldnt listen to the organic mumbo jumbo either, dont you think monsanto would have to do countless tests to make sure it is safe. The only reason there is organic farmers is because they get paid more for there crop!

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Ok so I will probly go to the feed store and see what they got in terms of good corn seed.BTW I dont really care for organic stuff.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Hey mossberghunter93, It has not been mentioned, and maybe you already know. Corn needs allot of nitrogen,to get a decent ear. For fairly good ground i use 50 to 100lbs per acre. It usually takes 1lb of nitrogen to get 1 bushel of grain. Nitrogen has came down in price some, but its still high. If you got access, poultry litter is a good alternative. Also, sometimes feed stores that sell Seed corn will have a busted bag they will sell much cheaper.
Grown for grain, 1 bag will plant 2.5 to 3 acres, and will need up to 300lbs of nitrogen.

Hope that helps

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Go to pheasants forever and get seed corn for $15 a bag round-up ready. The reason corn is in rows and spaced is because it has to eat (needs nutrients).
Redclub

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Interesting read guys ... I felt like I just got educated on the corn industry!

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Corn grown in rows is much more effecient to grow than broadcast. And its easier to spray - and essential if you plan to mechanically cultivate to control weeds.

True the deer don't care about rows.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Yeah I have heard of that working well as a fertilizer. I actually raise chickens and ducks for 4H/eggs/meat so I do get some manure and I'll figure out a way to spread it over my corn.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Hey Mossberghunter93,

Good to hear you raise poultry, That manure has everything corn needs. It is usually best to apply it before you plant, anywhere from a month to right before the day you plant. Good luck spreading it though it will be work, but well worth it, And besides, Thats what makes country boys well COUNTRY BOYS. If you need any more info,let us know.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Ok thanks haystack for your help ill keep you guys posted and ill eventually get some pics up.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Mossberghunter,
You will need to incorporate the manure. If you do not, most of the nitrogen willbe lostinto the air when the weather warms up.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

What do you mean by that?

RE: Corn!?!?
 

mossberg93,

incorporating the manure, means tilling or mixing it in the soil, keyshunter, is right about loosing nitrogen to the atmosphere, manure is not as bad as chemical nitrogen though. incorporating saves the nitrogen from being lost.
If you apply it right before a good rain, it is not as much lost even with out tilling. Also if you have a limited amount of manure, a good way to make it go farther, is to apply it when the corn is about 10 to 14 inches tall.

Not trying to be a know it all... Just like helping people

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Would horse manure work as well? Because I got a lot more of that than I do poultry manure.

RE: Corn!?!?
 

Hey, mossberghunter93
Yes it can, horse manure is very good for the ground. Only down side is it can have weed seeds in it. And it dont have as much nitrogen. But all of those things can be fixed, by composting both the poultry litter, horse manure,straw,leaves etc. Not sure how big your plot is. But generally you can use about 2 tons per acre. No fertilizer is better than good compost. Can even cut down on how much lime you need.