RR Corn without fertilizer
 

Long question short-

I have some fresh RR Corn- I wanted to broadcastit over a (disced) field that has been planted and maintained for sunflowers. I intended on spraying roundup to kill off the weeds and competition a week or so after immergence. Would it be a total waste to do this if i did not have any intenion of going crazy spreaidng N like everyone else does? Just trying to save some money . I had no idea corn was such a costly pain to plant.

Mydesired end result is corn for deer to eat- nothing more.

Thanks

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

It might not be a total waste, but you stand a good chance of the corn not getting much of an ear. If you could get access to some poultry litter or any manure, that would work. The price of nitrogen has came down in price from what it was last year. I just recently purchased mine in bulk for .56 cent a pound, half of what it was last fall. It would be worth the investment to add nitrogen at least 80lbs per acre, it really needs closer to 200lbs. Check out your local feed store for Urea 46-0-0 that is about the cheapest form you can buy, maybe a big box store would have it as lawn fertilizer cheaper. Corn is expensive to grow, but its hard to beat for fall/winter.

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

The minimum is 80#s or urea per acre, correct?

What is the shelf life of RR corn (in terms of germination)?

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

I would spreadcheap lawn fertilizer if the area is small. Get the bag with the biggest first number, but do not get the crabgrass preventer. You get the biggest return from the first pound of fertilizer applied, so any N is better than no N. 80 lbs/a of N (about 160 lbs of urea, 46-0-0 is 46% N) would be great if you can afford the fertilizer. A bag of lawn fertilizer applied according to the bag instructions is usually 50 lbs/a of N. If the corn isn't too thick, you can get away with less N as well.

Keep the excess seed cool and dry, and it will be fine next year.

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

great thanks!

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

Another option you could consider is soybeans this year and corn next spring. Soybeans can get by without any fertilizer (some would be best) and it will possibly add 30-40lbs of nitrogen to your ground, for next years corn. For a food plot 50-70lbs of soybeans per acre is about right depending on your deer population. If you do decide to plant soybeans, use an inoculate, the correct type should be available where the soybeans are purchased.

Like Soilman said, seed corn will stay good stored correctly till next year.

But I'm still stuck on 80lbs of nitrogen per acre minimum [8D] :D

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

I think I am going to go 2 acres (1 bag) of corn, 2 acres of soys and 2 acres of buckwheat.

Then I will rotate the three of them each year.

Good idea?

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

Yeah, that sounds like a very good idea. Let us know how it goes and Good luck!!

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

YES. It would be a total waste. A farmer will put 200 - 300 lbs of Nitrogen on a acre of corn.200 lbs of 46-0-0 will give you 92 lbs of Nitrogen. If you are going to take time and expense of tilling and planting "2 acres (1 bag) of corn, 2 acres of soys and 2 acres of buckwheat." .... go the extra 10% and at least give the corn 100 lbs of Nitrogen. You and the deer will be glad you did.

RE: RR Corn without fertilizer
 

I plant 2 acres of sweet corn that my son sells for his spending money and a 1/2 acre of RR corn for deer feed every year. The corn will not produce much if you dont fertilize. The way I do mine is the first application I use triple 13 and side dress it. The second application I use urea and side dress the other side of the corn. This works real well and saves money on fertilizer to boot.