Let’s talk about your corn plots

[Dukslayr]

This is my first year with corn. My farmer is late this year, but ultimately I’m not harvesting anything so I think we will be fine with the later planting date. He just turned under my cover crops (rye and various annual clover) and knifed in a good load of pig manure. Corn should be in the ground within the the next few days.
Presuming I get a good stand, which I believe we will, I’m curious what you all do with corn in the fall. Here is what I’m trying to figure out:
I want to get cover crops in for next year - rye and clover again - what do you do to get cover crops into your corn? I have about 4-5 acres going in. The edges (10ish rows) will all be left standing. How much do you all mow or knock down in order to get cover crops in and what method do you use to get them in? My thought what was to knock down strips (20’ mowed/knocked down, 20’ standing, etc) throughout the plot and then broadcast up and down the mowed strips, but I’m not sure I’ll penetrate the standing segments with seed. For those of you who routinely have corn and also use a cover crop, what’s your method/plan? Thank you!

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I'd plant the clover after you spray and when there is a good rain in the forecast. In your area I'd be willing to try subterranean clover. Plant the winter rye when the corn is about waist high. I'm guessing that will be late July. That is plenty early but you aren't using it as forage.

 

[roymunson]

I've broadcasted into a pretty crappy corn stand last fall and did ok w/ my cereal grains. But the corn wasn't thick enough to shade everything out. The deer or groundhogs or coons had done their damage and there was a lot of sunlight getting to the ground, so i broadcasted as best I could.

I wonder how thick your first 10 rows will be if your deer are getting into it all summer. May not have as much issue broadcasting into it as you think. What is too thick, i'd roll over and knock down somehow. We did it with the polaris ranger last year to make shooting lanes, etc.

 

[Dukslayr]

I'd plant the clover after you spray and when there is a good rain in the forecast. In your area I'd be willing to try subterranean clover. Plant the winter rye when the corn is about waist high. I'm guessing that will be late July. That is plenty early but you aren't using it as forage.

Hadn’t really considered getting it that early. You’d plant the annual clover mix in June/early July (around a rain) before the corn is remotely mature?

 

[Dukslayr]

I've broadcasted into a pretty crappy corn stand last fall and did ok w/ my cereal grains. But the corn wasn't thick enough to shade everything out. The deer or groundhogs or coons had done their damage and there was a lot of sunlight getting to the ground, so i broadcasted as best I could.

I wonder how thick your first 10 rows will be if your deer are getting into it all summer. May not have as much issue broadcasting into it as you think. What is too thick, i'd roll over and knock down somehow. We did it with the polaris ranger last year to make shooting lanes, etc.

You’re right. Might be the first 20 rows. Not sure what it’s going to take to get a little bit of a screen out of the corn. The deer around have plenty to eat, including the 4 acre bean plot next to this one ag field around me...hoping the deer at least leave my corn be until it matures. Coons is probably going to be a whole different story.

 

[Bill]

I don’t plant corn any longer. My last 4 acres corn plot was a disaster. It was beautiful corn if you were going to harvest it. But I didn’t and ended up with a field full of corn on the ground come spring. So much so that planting beans would have been impossible because of the volunteer corn. I ended up letting the field go that year.

If I were in your position I would mow anywhere you want to plant cover crops early. Like when the corn is 6” tall to kill it and then plant what and when you want.

I know that sounds crazy and I’m only 1 opinion. Guys swear corn is king, I say beans are better. But I’m only 1 opinion.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

If there is plenty of cover in the area, a good bean field will be full of dear every evening, night, and morning around here. If there is very little cover, a small corn field helps to supply food and cover for them.

 

[MRBB]

ok my 2 cents here
you really need to consider a few things here
first off is what is your deer population at on YOUR land, as its not the same every where
on the one farm I managed, 3 acres of corn would last MAYBE to about mid Jan and be picked clean, but on another, it would last till spring time( and even have some lest when mowing down to plant something else)
so what and how you work with the corn depends a LOT on what the deer numbers are and how hard or fast or slow they will eat your corn down
and something else to consider, the outside edges will be the first sections GONE, many will not even have a ear of corn on them by hunting season, crows will eat them HARD< as will deer and other things in the forest, like squirrels and coons and such, as they will always eat the outside edges in!

so, trying to leave these rows standing, is honestly more likely going to be wasted stalks left standing no corn on them, and NO draw to deer come hunting season!


your way better off MOWING the outside edges first and planting them if that is a plan , as if you plant something like winter wheat or?? that will green up in time, it can also be a draw for deer for you, and may get them out in the open to see as they work there way into the standing corn!

NOW< next, food for thought
if your farmer is harvesting corn, maybe ask in advance, that if you have LOT of standing corn with ears o it when he is harvesting HIS corn near by
maybe have him come and TAKE some of your standing corn for you, in exchange maybe for costs to plant more next yr! or the likes
working together you can save some $$ and he can make more $$ in yields on his side(so long as your corn is harvest ready when he cuts his)

as long as he is CLOSE to your place when harvesting
and come harvest time, you will also, see what your deer are eating and how much you need to make it thru winter, keep in mind , if your place is the ONLY far with standing corn in winter, you WILL pull deer from far and wide, so it will go faster than normal!


I would NOT again plan to leave outside rows standing, just won't be much corn on any of it

your better off cutting strips in the field
a combine will make better cleaner passes too, that you can then brush hog/mow, and then turn over and plant if you wish.

as a LOT of standing corn in the sporing time, can be a lot of trash to cut up and disk down!

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Hadn’t really considered getting it that early. You’d plant the annual clover mix in June/early July (around a rain) before the corn is remotely mature?

Yes. Subterranean clover is a low growing clover made for growing under a canopy. I'd say plant it now but if you are going to spray with roundup you will more than likely kill it.

 

[j-bird]

I don't worry about it! Now my plots are smaller....but I simply mix some cereal grains and brassica (normally wheat/rye/turnips) and walk every other row or so with a hand or chest broadcaster. What grows, grows. The seed is fairly cheap. My intent however is to leave the corn stand all winter long. This provides cover and food the deer don't have to work as hard for beyond hunting season. Most ag cover crops here are put in with a drill as shortly after the corn comes out as possible. Keep in mind....planting anything that is going to compete with the corn for soil moisture and soil nutrients is coming to detract form the performance of the corn. You can plant a clover in it if you want....after you have sprayed....but you don't get anything for free. By doing what I do....the corn is pretty much done growing and filling out he ears by the time the other plants start growing. Also keep in mind your baiting laws regarding knocking down corn. Here in IN....you knock that corn down to the ground to where ANY grain is affected....the site is considered baited! What I do to get fall annuals in with my corn is simply don't plant particular areas and then go in later and plant what you want. I have one area that holds water and is perfect for this since I tend to not be able to plant it in the spring. I just control the weeds and then plant a traditional fall plot come the end of summer early fall when the soil is much drier.

 

[Dukslayr]

I don’t plant corn any longer. My last 4 acres corn plot was a disaster. It was beautiful corn if you were going to harvest it. But I didn’t and ended up with a field full of corn on the ground come spring. So much so that planting beans would have been impossible because of the volunteer corn. I ended up letting the field go that year.

If I were in your position I would mow anywhere you want to plant cover crops early. Like when the corn is 6” tall to kill it and then plant what and when you want.

I know that sounds crazy and I’m only 1 opinion. Guys swear corn is king, I say beans are better. But I’m only 1 opinion.

I get that Bill. Part of my need with corn on this one is that I’m hoping it helps with screening. I’m also hoping that almost all of it gets eaten over the winter. I’ve never had corn so not sure what to expect. I would be happy with beans but I couldn’t get 9 acres of beans to maturity last year. I don’t want to fence 9 acres.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

sunflowers make for good screening as well. If you couldnt get beans to mature sunflowers may be out.

 

[Dukslayr]

sunflowers make for good screening as well. If you couldnt get beans to mature sunflowers may be out.

Once they’re dried down my sunflowers wouldn’t do much for screening last year. I grew a nice plot of 4 acres of sunflowers last year but they’re in a different location than my deer plots. By November they were tiny stalks and the heads were shrunk to 1/4 or so the normal size.

 

[Bearhtr67]

I've tried corn on two occasions but with disappointing results. Not because it didn't grow but because of our black bear population. The first time we planted 2 acres or corn and the last week of September the bears ate the entire field in less than a week. The next year we planted 10 acres with the same results. Now I'm glad it was eaten by wildlife and not wasted but I was hoping the deer would get some of it and that it might last at least part of our bow season which starts the first Saturday of October.

 

[Dukslayr]

I've tried corn on two occasions but with disappointing results. Not because it didn't grow but because of our black bear population. The first time we planted 2 acres or corn and the last week of September the bears ate the entire field in less than a week. The next year we planted 10 acres with the same results. Now I'm glad it was eaten by wildlife and not wasted but I was hoping the deer would get some of it and that it might last at least part of our bow season which starts the first Saturday of October.

Fortunately we don’t have bears or hogs (yet) where I am. Hopefully we have many, many years before the hogs get to us.

 

[WTNUT]

Dukslayr, There is a lot going on here. Lots of advise so far. Corn is my number 1,2 and 3 go to plot. Then beans and finally clover, rye, oats and brassica. Some of this is duplication from others, but bare with me.

1. My goal with corn plots is to feed them in the winter which is our biggest stress period and to keep deer sucked in to the center of the farm as much as possible. I also plant some fields in corn to screen from poaching. What is your goal?

2. If you are wanting a cover crop that suggests to me you don’t plan on planting that field in corn next year. Why not?

3. If you think the deer will eat all your corn and you still want something from March to May for the deer to eat mow the corn after season and plant rye. If laws permit and it is not a baiting violation there is nothing wrong with mowing strips in the inside of the field to get corn on the ground to eat and allows you to spread cereal grains. I would not waste money on clover if you are planting corn next year.

4. If not all eaten while standing mow corn in January to get it on the ground to be eaten or rot. As someone said volunteer corn is a pain. IMO, It is not a problem with beans. You can kill roundup ready corn easily with Clethodim. The problem is when you plant corn again and have volunteer corn. No way to kill it without harmming new corn.




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[Dukslayr]

Dukslayr, There is a lot going on here. Lots of advise so far. Corn is my number 1,2 and 3 go to plot. Then beans and finally clover, rye, oats and brassica. Some of this is duplication from others, but bare with me.

1. My goal with corn plots is to feed them in the winter which is our biggest stress period and to keep deer sucked in to the center of the farm as much as possible. I also plant some fields in corn to screen from poaching. What is your goal?

2. If you are wanting a cover crop that suggests to me you don’t plan on planting that field in corn next year. Why not?

3. If you think the deer will eat all your corn and you still want something from March to May for the deer to eat mow the corn after season and plant rye. If laws permit and it is not a baiting violation there is nothing wrong with mowing strips in the inside of the field to get corn on the ground to eat and allows you to spread cereal grains. I would not waste money on clover if you are planting corn next year.

4. If not all eaten while standing mow corn in January to get it on the ground to be eaten or rot. As someone said volunteer corn is a pain. IMO, It is not a problem with beans. You can kill roundup ready corn easily with Clethodim. The problem is when you plant corn again and have volunteer corn. No way to kill it without harmming new corn.




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Thank you for the response. See my response was to your questions below:

1. My goal with corn is to provide an attractive forage through the winter months, screen a blind that’s in the field I’m planting, and hold deer in the heart of my property during late season (the 5 acre field is dead center in the middle of my farm).

2. The cover crop is really just to hold soil in place and provide something green in the early spring. My plan is terminate it and plant directly into it. We did that this year. This year we planted beans straight into my cover crops and then terminated the standing crop. The corn field we turned the cover crops under and spread a big load of hog manure on the plot. Last year I had beans in both plots and neither made it to real maturity so I drilled cover crops into what was left of the beans in August.

3. That’s what I’m planning right now. I’m going to check with our agent to verify, but I believe I can mow or knock down strips to plant rye, which is what I had this year (along with some annual clovers).

4. I was definitely planning to mow the whole thing as soon as deer season closes on 1/15 and I no longer need any standing corn. I guess I will see how it euros out.

The farmer just planted my corn last weekend and my beans a couple weeks ago. Curious to see how we do this year with the tweaks we made (I.e. planting beans into the standing rye and leaving it standing dead...hoping it provides some cover for the beans to establish before the deer destroy them).

 

[Dukslayr]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I’ll post back how things work out this year. I’m kind of excited to see what happens with the corn because it’s something I can easily plant each year. The input costs for corn, for me, are minimal because my farmer is also a pig farmer and provides plenty of free manure for all my plots. I just pay him for seed and he trades his time for mowing and baling some of my farm. It’s a pretty good trade off for me.