Corn and bean plot update

[Dukslayr]

Today was the first time I’ve been out to the farm since my corn and beans were planted. The corn was planted extract my two week ago. The beans were planted about a month ago. Both were planted by my farmer/neighbor using his 8 row no till planter. The beans were no tilled straight into my terminated cover crop of rye, clover and radishes. The corn had the same cover crop but he turned the cover crop under before planting. Both fiends had hog manure knifed in this spring as well. I asked him to up the bean population count to try and get ahead of the deer. Looks like the beans are super heavy and not coming on real strong just yet. The beans were planted about 4 weeks ago so I thought they might be a bit taller, granted we have been dry till yesterday and today. The corn was planted two weeks ago today and hasn’t received any rain since planting till yesterday. The corn is 4-6” tall and given its only been two weeks and no rain I assume it’s doing well. Of note, there’s a ton of clover now sprouting with my corn. A lot of my clover (frosty berseem and crimson) didn’t take last fall I think because it got drilled too deep. Now that he’s turned the soil a ton of it looks to be coming on now. I’ll keep updating my progress.

 

[Bill]

Those beans are going to come on strong. We just need some timely rain.

 

[Dukslayr]

Those beans are going to come on strong. We just need some timely rain.

Man I hear you. Glad we got rain Saturday and Sunday. It’s about all we got in the month of June. Doesn’t look good for July at this point. Hopefully no tilling those beans and the existing cover will provide some protection and soil moisture.

 

[Bill]

Man I hear you. Glad we got rain Saturday and Sunday. It’s about all we got in the month of June. Doesn’t look good for July at this point. Hopefully no tilling those beans and the existing cover will provide some protection snf moi

always that way it seems. I didn’t get my beans in until 6/15. Rained 1/2 4 days later and this past rain will have them up. But.......

 

[Dukslayr]

Well I had a 50/50 success rate with the my spring plots this year. The bean plot tried to take off, but despite hundreds of acres of crops around me the the deer have kept my beans to about shin high. They’re setting pods but won’t likely produce much. My corn, on the other hand, is doing really, really well. The firm was planted late but we got some timely rain and good weather which has helped it take off. Most of it is 6’ tall and setting ears well. I think I’ve got about 4 acres. The edges of the field haven’t been mowed down by critters yet but I assume they will get hammered by the coins once the ears mature. I’m headed back in this week to overseed my beans and a couple other plots with rye/wheat and turnips or radishes. I’m very curious how this corn works out. I’ll probably mow some of it down at some point and spread some wheat for the spring...but I suppose I’ll leave it all standing for now. I’m thinking about preserving this field until late season, as it’s dead center in the middle of my farm and I assume it should draw well through the fall and, in particular, during late season.

I have heard many times that deer prefer corn on the ground versus standing...anyone have suggestions on type and timing of manipulation of corn? In Missouri the regulations state that “Manipulating crops, such as mowing or knocking them down, is not considered baiting for deer and turkeys.”

 

[Bassattackr]

Wow your corn looks great. Did you spray it or fertilize it at all? Curious how you dealt with weeds after the ground was tilled.

I think I would consider mowing an access path to the RN blind. Maybe some shooting lanes depending on gun vs archery use. I would think that would be tough to get a shot through if left standing all fall/winter.

 

[Dukslayr]

Wow your corn looks great. Did you spray it or fertilize it at all? Curious how you dealt with weeds after the ground was tilled.

My neighbor farmer plants all my row crops. I handle the non row crops. He is also a hog farmer so he knifed in hog manure this spring ahead of planting, which I’m sure didn’t hurt. No fertilizer other than the manure. He sprayed and disced once before planting and sprayed once more about 3-4 weeks after planting. This ground hasn’t been turned in 20+ years. After getting it prepped this year we will start no-tilling it next year.

 

[Bassattackr]

Looks great. I need one of those nice blinds next

 

[Bill]

I left corn stand one winter. It didn’t work out so well. Lots of corn still hanging in the spring when I mowed it. I had corn germinating everywhere all summer. Was going to follow with beans but there was just no way I could have kept up with the volunteer corn.
I’d mow a little at a time through the season then get it all on the ground during late season.

 

[roymunson]

Looks real good, Ducky

The farmer doing our place will get 0 beans and 0 ears of corn. He didn't spray in time, didn't take our advice to try a hay crop for a year or 2 (paid no rent for the land) and then got into a text pissing match with me yesterday about how he can't afford to do this.

Well no crap. You were 3 weeks late on spraying the beans, the deer have pounded them since it got dry, and you tried to cash crop a place without the fertilizer needed to artificially make it grow.

I didn't say "I told you so" too loudly, but I thought it at the top of my lungs.

Duckslayr, I want to hunt over standing beans and a stand of corn sometime when there's snow on the ground. You're gonna have a lot of fun this fall,.

 

[roymunson]

on the ground is preferable. You'll get a lot more action on it that way.

 

[Dukslayr]

I left corn stand one winter. It didn’t work out so well. Lots of corn still hanging in the spring when I mowed it. I had corn germinating everywhere all summer. Was going to follow with beans but there was just no way I could have kept up with the volunteer corn.
I’d mow a little at a time through the season then get it all on the ground during late season.

Yeah that’s what I’m thinking too Bill. Would you mow it as opposed to just running it down with the tractor and brush hog? Maybe I’ll mow some strategic strips in mid-late October, then mow more in late November/early December. I’m planning to leave 1/4 or so of it standing to screen my way into that blind. Ultimately I need an MG screen around my entry to that blind. I only hunt this blind when I can sneak in mid morning and then hunt all day.

 

[Dukslayr]

on the ground is preferable. You'll get a lot more action on it that way.

I that’s the common consensus. Just trying to decide how much and when...and whether to brush hog it or just run it over.

 

[Chris/OH]

I'm in the same situation. Planted a long 4.5 acre strip of corn for the first time this year. It has come in great with most stalks holding two ears. My plan is to bushhog one acre 4 times throughout the fall/winter. The corn will give some great cover from neighbors on this 40 acre track, so not wanting to mow all at once. The last mowing will likely be around mid January.

 

[Tree Spud]

I have heard many times that deer prefer corn on the ground versus standing...anyone have suggestions on type and timing of manipulation of corn? In Missouri the regulations state that “Manipulating crops, such as mowing or knocking them down, is not considered baiting for deer and turkeys.”

After being pressured all season long, late season bucks are more prone to enter a field before dark if there is cover. I have sat may afternoons in a stand Dec/Jan overlooking cut corn fields. When there are multiple rows of corn left standing in the middle of cut corn, invariably bucks will move to the standing corn to feed and only move to the open field right a dusk or after dark.

 

[Dukslayr]

After being pressured all season long, late season bucks are more prone to enter a field before dark if there is cover. I have sat may afternoons in a stand Dec/Jan overlooking cut corn fields. When there are multiple rows of corn left standing in the middle of cut corn, invariably bucks will move to the standing corn to feed and only move to the open field right a dusk or after dark.

Agreed. My last mowing won’t come until after 1/15 when archery season closes. This a cool field where the whole thing is surrounded by timber and totally secluded on 3 sides. My plan is to leave 30 yards bordering the open side (and screening my access) to make it feel even more secluded.

 

[Tree Spud]

Agreed. My last mowing won’t come until after 1/15 when archery season closes. This a cool field where the whole thing is surrounded by timber and totally secluded on 3 sides. My plan is to leave 30 yards bordering the open side (and screening my access) to make it feel even more secluded.

Try leaving one side up next to the best travel access side near your timber. Provide food but also a travel screen you could set up a bow stand on either end point.

 

[roymunson]

You can leave part stand and essentially cut yourself an open field. But like spud said, be strategic with it.

We had a secluded 3-4 acres of corn a couple years back that 1/2 was brushhogged before gun season. 30+ deer in during daylight Thursday of firearms season. Which is a big deal in Ohio

 

[Dukslayr]

You can leave part stand and essentially cut yourself an open field. But like spud said, be strategic with it.

We had a secluded 3-4 acres of corn a couple years back that 1/2 was brushhogged before gun season. 30+ deer in during daylight Thursday of firearms season. Which is a big deal in Ohio

I’m planning to cut out the middle, particularly the area that’s within bow range of that blind that in the field. This field sees lots of daylight activity as it is, but I’m hoping the corn cover increases the activity even more.

 

[Bassattackr]

Thoughts on shooting lanes spoking out from the blind? That way there aren't any "wide open" areas they may not want to access?

I think the section cut out in the middle is a good option too, still an interior portion surrounded by cover.

For what another opinion is worth..