Corn choice

[Elkaddict]

I’m hoping for some advice from the diversity of knowledge and expertise available here. I’ve been planting various brands of round up ready field corn for several years. When the weather cooperates, I’ve been using the 93 or 91 day seed planted late May or early June. In comparison, I used 75 day corn this year in a couple plots because that’s all the seed dealer had available. The stalks are much thinner and shorter, and the cobs are only slightly smaller. As I’ve thought about it, I don’t need 9-10’ tall stalks. Because the planting is solely for wildlife, I let it stand through the winter and brush hog in the spring. Those taller thicker stalks are really tough to work back into the soil (the brush hog doesn’t chop those lying flat on the ground). Indeed, last spring I ended up using a York rake to get a signicant amount of it out of the fields. It seems to me, the added mass of tall stalks might make sense for farmers looking to feed cattle and who have the equipment to get most of the biomass out of the fields. Doesn’t make sense to me. What else should I be considering? Thanks!

 

[X-farmerdan]

I'm not sure what you are seeing is a result of "days to maturity." There are so many factors, from soil to weather to planting practice that influence such things. Selective breeding might be another factor. Is the 90+ day corn specifically bred for silage? Is the 75 day corn bred for something like high moisture corn? Grab a cutting of alfalfa, plant the short season variety, and harvest it at about the time of a killing frost? I think all you can do - all any of us can go is try a couple different varieties and maturities to see how they work in our particular situations.

I'm surprised the 90-day corn doesn't work for you. Consider row width? Plant spacing?

 

[Elkaddict]

XFD, I’m broadcasting my corn so not real precise. I shoot for 50% of a bag per acre which is heavy but I know discing to cover corn is not inform and impacts germination. I’m also getting inundated by turkeys which grab shoots to pull up the seed. Nearly all the field corn in this area is for silage. As I said, I’m a newbie.... I’ve spent a lot of time and effort on my soil (it was mixed hardwoods 31/2 year’s ago). Most of the ground is in the 6.0 ph wise (up from high 4s). It’s time to pull more soil samples to make sure things are where they think they are.

 

[j-bird]

I agree with Dan in that the maturity date is one thing, but what the corn was bred to provide is entirely different. These traits are many of the factors farmers consider for their particular needs and how some of this stuff gets really expensive. For wildlife - I plant what I can get my hands on. I agree in that the biomass left come spring can be a bear to deal with, but many farmers will want a healthy stalk for the corn to help it stand up against wind and the like to facilitate harvesting. Down corn is a real nightmare for a farmer. I agree with Dan in planting some different varieties in sections and see what you get and what you like and then try to find that year in and year out or buy enough to get you thru a couple of years. You want to get lost real quick.....start talking corn genetics and the like! Nope - not me - I just plant corn for the critters to eat!

 

[X-farmerdan]

j-bird hit it. I've been searching for some gold nugget and don't find it. Unfortunately, anyone who walks into a coop or a seed dealer's place to buy a couple bags of seed corn and doesn't know what maturity or variety to buy is at the mercy of the seller. As it happens, you'll end up with a variety / maturity in over-supply, and perhaps on the low percentage germination edge.

It would be interesting to hear what an "ideal" corn would like for food plots in your area.

Me, I need a seed that can be planted early in mid April when the average soil temperature reaches 50+ degrees and reaches full maturity in 90 days. It needs to tassel in about 60-75 days and come to full maturity 15 to 30 days after.That's about the time we run out of the likelihood of consistent rainfall for pollination. The problem is the definition of full maturity. Everybody has their own ideas about that. Beware! So, next, the ears are fully formed and it's only the end of July to mid-August. My perfect variety would stand tall and strong. The corn ears would play some sort of repelling noise to keep the deer and the raccoons away until I decide offering corn would be a good idea.

Then, finally, with deserving consideration to Elkaddict's terrific observations about the pains of dealing with corn stalks, the darn things dissolve in March.

I'll keep looking.....

 

[j-bird]

Here is how it goes when I go to the co-op for corn....
Clerk - how can I help you?
Me - I need a bag of corn, round-up ready, cheap.....free if possible?
Clerk - What you doing with it?
Me - planting for deer.
Clerk - (with an odd look on his face) - you plant corn for deer to eat?
Me - Yep, I plant it, they eat it, I shoot them! Pretty simple deal we got going.
The clerk then disappears for a few minutes and comes back with lord knows what in a bag. Sometimes its a mixture of different ones, sometimes its a trial bag or from a busted bag, whatever......sometimes I get an explanation, sometimes I don't. I plant it, it grows, the deer eat it, I shoot the deer! I try to take a roll of summer sausage and cheese and crackers in during the summer....helps "grease the wheels" so to speak!

When I get it from the planter:
Me - Tony, you done planting corn?
Tony - Yep
Me - Planter out in the barn and have you clean the planter boxes out yet?
Tony - Yep and Nope.
Me - still Round-up ready?
Tony - is there any other kind? hahaha....
Me - You care if I clean out the seed boxes if I keep and use the seed?
Tony - Gonna be messy.... graphite dust, I just toss it out anyway, go ahead....
Me - Thanks Tony

I have no idea what genetic traits he has - it's corn, I know its RR and it's free for a little work! Again....I plant it, it grows, the deer eat it, I shoot the deer. Tony get cleaned out seed boxes and I get free seed - with a light coating of graphite.....look like a coal miner when I'm done!

As much info as we have at our finger tips today - I try to simplify as much as I can. I could pour over studying the different phases of the plant growth and try to target each phase and determine all the different traits I want and coatings and all that stuff and just overall make my head explode with all the details.....instead. It's corn (dent corn to be exact), I can spray the crap out of it with gly, it grows, the deer and other critters eat it. I can plant late as long as I get the rain because I don't have to worry about harvest timing and weather conditions and the like. I use my plow and disc or tiller and 2 row planter and plant away.....click, click, click, click, click..... Could I find something better if I really looked....maybe....but considering I have been happy thus far with this process....it's not worth the headache to me. Now....I also live in the corn belt surrounded by agriculture so these guys could talk for days about corn..... Especially the corn I get from the farmer - he is trying to make money on it and he plants that very seed on my ground so I see no reason to second guess him. Stuff from the co-op may be a craps shoot, but I have been fine thus far as well.

 

[Drycreek]

My ideal corn would have grenades instead of ears 'cause the hogs gonna get it first !

 

[farmhunter]

We use 90 day corn and try our best to get it in between 5/15 and 5/31. I've never tried a shorter day corn - did your 75 day corn get brown before frost this year? We plant a Field corn, for picking - but the stalks still get 6-8 ft no problem with adequate fertilizer.

 

[JFK52]

I have my corn no till planted in mid May in Central WI. I don't know how many days it takes to mature. I don't plant it like a commercial farmer. Rather, I leave more space between the seeds in each row. I still get a decent yield and it makes for a great field to hunt over. In the spring I brush hog the remaining stalks. The corn is completely eaten by the end of February. I rotate on a two year basis. It works for me and my needs.

 

[Elkaddict]

We use 90 day corn and try our best to get it in between 5/15 and 5/31. I've never tried a shorter day corn - did your 75 day corn get brown before frost this year? We plant a Field corn, for picking - but the stalks still get 6-8 ft no problem with adequate fertilizer.

Our first frost was very early this year so no. It browned down before typical first frost however. I think I’ll try the 75 again next years as it gives a little more leeway in planting in sufficiently dry soil, and for reasons stated, I like the smaller stalks. With all the brassicas we plant, deer and bear are eating corn into early May so a modest reduction in grain output won’t make a big difference.

 

[FarmerD]

Corn is "bred" to meet different conditions/locations. There are probably lots of varieties you could choose from that are short and still provide you with a good big ear. We "raised" seed corn for Dekalb and a few others (many years ago) and most of the corn we grew was 5 feet tall, with nice big ears. Give a few of the big seed companies a call and "ask" them which varieties they sell, that meet the conditions you want. They will have your answers and I am sure will be happy to give you some free advice.

Not having to deal with a "big" stalk, is good reason to find a smaller variety.

https://www.google.com/search?q=see...n4nXAhVos1QKHalpAygQ_AUICigB&biw=1600&bih=779

 

[farmhunter]

Our first frost was very early this year so no. It browned down before typical first frost however. I think I’ll try the 75 again next years as it gives a little more leeway in planting in sufficiently dry soil, and for reasons stated, I like the smaller stalks. With all the brassicas we plant, deer and bear are eating corn into early May so a modest reduction in grain output won’t make a big difference.

Thanks - I looked ours up and it was a silage/grain hybrid - so not truly a field picking corn like I thought. I like the idea of less stalk too and I’m going to research what’s available this winter too.


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