bowmanaj

Some timely rain has helped my sweet corn and sunflowers come up and theyseem to be doing well. I will be adding 50 pounds of urea to a small area where I plan to plant turnips for this fall, but I have a question about my garden. How much shouldI spread on the sweet corn and sunflowers if its 30x20 foot garden. Only 1/2 of the corn is planted, the other half will be planted this weekend. I just don't wanna over-do it, but I think they could use the nitrogen. Also, when is the best time to add the urea, pre or post-emergence?

Thanks for any info

Soilman

Adam, If you do not want to overdo it, shoot for 100 lbs/a of Nitrogen. Urea is 46% N, so assume 50% to make the math easy. 30 x 20= 600 ft2. 600 ft2/43560 ft2 = 0.014 acre. 100 lbs N = 200 lbs urea. 200 lbs urea x 0.014 acre = 2.75 lbs urea.

For 2.75 lbs of urea, it can be put on anytime. Work it into the soil or apply before a rain so it doesn't volitalize. On a large area where there are frequent spring rains, side dressing when corn is 6-12 inches tall is the best way to apply urea.

bowmanaj

Soilman, thank you very much, that is everything I was wanting to know. Also, thanks for showing me the math, that will come in handy in the future for sure.I am definitely happy about the all the rain we've been having right as the corn is coming up. Now its on to the electric wire fenceto keep the coons out. They drive me crazy. [8D]

Soilman

Glad I could help. Please send us some rain. We have only received about 1/2 inch for the month in the Twin Cities area.

bowmanaj

Sorry to hear that. Thatsounds exactlylike last year here in the SW Ohio/SW Indiana area during this time of year and well into June. Hope the rain heads your way

dsconnell

Quick Question Soilman..

I am planting RR Corn today and have a PH of 5.8 and was going to add 10 bags of nutralime and disc it in prior to planting and then plant and have been told by some to wait until corn starts to come up and thencome back in and fertilize with 19-19-19.. What is your take on this? Should I add the Urea to give it a boost? Just looking for suggestions!

Thanks

Soilman

It's raining today! Thanks Adam!

Dan, I would have incorporated the lime in last fall, and 100-200 lbs/a fertilizer (maybe 19-19-19, depending on the soil test) this spring the day of planting as a starter for the corn. That would be my suggestion for future corn plots. Lime can tie up fertilizer, so do not apply both on the same day this year.

Do you have a soil sample? If not, what kind of area are you planting? If it was a high fertility field used by a farmer last year, I would use the 100 lbs/a 19-19-19 when the corn is emerging. If the plots are cut out of a forest or low fertility ground, I would add 200 lbs/a of 19-19-19. I would still add urea, so the corn gets at least 100 lbs/a of N (120-150 lbs/a N is even better, depends on your budget). Use the calculations above to determine how much urea you need to apply. You get 19 lbs/a for each 100 lbs/a of 19-19-19 you add. Applying the urea when the corn is 6-12 inches is still the best time for urea.

If you do not have a soil sample, take one in early fall. For best results, send it to your state University or an in-state ag soil testing lab. You can adjust future fertilizer blends and rates on the results. Feel free to ask about the soil results and/or fertilizer recs if you do have questions.

I hope this helps, and I hope the corn work well for you!

dsconnell

Soilman.......

Thank You! We had soil test's done last year and the PH for this particular area came back at 5.8 and we planted a mix of corn and soy beans in part of it so that was farmed per say last year.. The corn that did make it did fine and given the time frame it had grew well.. That being said the deer, turkey's & birds took there tole on the seeds and hammered the beans before they had a chance so this year we are going to try and deter them a bit.. Putting up some fishing line with tinsil hanging off it and a something in the middle to keep the birds out.. Should do a whole lot better this year.. I think that is what we did last year was apply 100lbs of 13-13-13 as that is what the local farmer uses and suggested.. I will however take your advice and take the nutralime back..

timbercruiser

I've had a problem with turkeys and coons for years. Several years ago in an acre plotI took about 25 metal electric fence post and tied aluminum pie plates to them with about a foot of line so they would flash and make noise in the wind. As far as I could tell, it didn't do any good, they kept on eating. I just try to plant extra seed.