Planting corn specifically for food plot

[DRG3]

Hello,

I am looking to put in 2.5- 3 acres of corn as part of my food plot program this year. It's going into ground that is coming out of no-till beans. I will be tilling and planing using a garden planter. My question is- for Food plot corn vs corn planted for Ag production- what should my process look like. I think most of the recommendations I am getting from my local Co-op and extension service are going to be ag based and probably increase my cost.

Just wondering what folks here who do corn specifically for wildlife do as their process.

Thanks in advance.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Till plot, broadcast corn and fertilizer, drag and cultipack.

 

[Telemark]

First off, I would seriously reconsider whether you need that much corn. I think corn is the most expensive crop to grow for food plots. I wouldn't do things much different from ag suggestions. If I were putting hundreds of dollars per acre into a food plot I wouldn't scrimp on the inputs. I'd rather do one acre properly than more acres poorly.

 

[FarmerDan]

I guess i would ask what you want it to cost if you think the coop recommendations seem expensive? If an acre of ag production costs $500 for the inputs i might be able to cut $100 per acre but you are still into serious money for seed, fertilizer and herbicides. Are yields important? Could you live with 50 or 60 bushels?

 

[SD51555]

If you grew 400 bushels on 3 acres, that'd be 22,000 pounds of corn. At 7 lbs/day for 60 days, you could feed 53 deer on corn alone.

I might consider skipping the fertility req altogether and put a full rate of a beans with it and cut the corn rate to 50%. You'd have to guess whether 3 acres of beans would survive with your deer density. I think you'd get more output overall with a bean/corn blend. And beans and corn love growing together. If there is a heavy buildup of neonics in the soil, that may not work.

You could also break the internet and do a 75% corn rate and use pole beans.

Kelley Bean Co. - Providing Bean Seed Information Since 1927

Kelley Bean Co. - At Kelley Bean, our goal is to work meticulously to ensure only the best bean seed information for our growers.

www.kelleybean.com

 

[DRG3]

If you grew 400 bushels on 3 acres, that'd be 22,000 pounds of corn. At 7 lbs/day for 60 days, you could feed 53 deer on corn alone.

I might consider skipping the fertility req altogether and put a full rate of a beans with it and cut the corn rate to 50%. You'd have to guess whether 3 acres of beans would survive with your deer density. I think you'd get more output overall with a bean/corn blend. And beans and corn love growing together. If there is a heavy buildup of neonics in the soil, that may not work.

You could also break the internet and do a 75% corn rate and use pole beans.

Kelley Bean Co. - Providing Bean Seed Information Since 1927

Kelley Bean Co. - At Kelley Bean, our goal is to work meticulously to ensure only the best bean seed information for our growers.

www.kelleybean.com

Love the "break the internet" comment lol. My issue with Beans is the entire 20 acres was in row crop soybeans for the last 2 years, so thinking I should rotate out for at least a year.

 

[DRG3]

I guess i would ask what you want it to cost if you think the coop recommendations seem expensive? If an acre of ag production costs $500 for the inputs i might be able to cut $100 per acre but you are still into serious money for seed, fertilizer and herbicides. Are yields important? Could you live with 50 or 60 bushels?

I think I could handle the lower yield. I'm wanting the structure and height as much as the food and am also wanting to get somthing planted for the summer while my NWSG establish that provides cover in summer and food late season. Also, neighboring farms are going to be in beans this year, so along with me needing to rotate out of beans, I'd have the only corn for quite a distance.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

If it was in beans for 2 years nitrogen requirements would be minimal. You could more than likely buy seed corn from last planting season if they have any left over at a reduced price. It's just deer food after all. You may also consider planting half the available ground into corn and the other half into a full season brassica like Winfred, Kale, and Swedes.

 

[DRG3]

If it was in beans for 2 years nitrogen requirements would be minimal. You could more than likely buy seed corn from last planting season if they have any left over at a reduced price. It's just deer food after all. You may also consider planting half the available ground into corn and the other half into a full season brassica like Winfred, Kale, and Swedes.

Thanks for that. The partial plantings is actually what I'm doing. I have a continuous 15 acre field that was in row crop up until this year. So my split is going to be 3 acres of grain/warm season food (Corn this year) 3 acres of various green plots and ~9 acres of NWSG and screening.

However- I am editing this because I just noticed you mentioned Full season brassica. I am not familer with these. I will have to do some research. Have you tried them? What's the wildlife response been? Ive done quite a bit of bulb producing annual brassica's as annual food plots- beets, turnips etc. but not the full season.

 

[FarmerDan]

I think I could handle the lower yield. I'm wanting the structure and height as much as the food and am also wanting to get somthing planted for the summer while my NWSG establish that provides cover in summer and food late season. Also, neighboring farms are going to be in beans this year, so along with me needing to rotate out of beans, I'd have the only corn for quite a distance.

I think a minimum cash cost would be $250 - $300 an acre. Just for conversation split it equally between seed, fertilizer and herbicide. No consideration for tillage. Planting 2 or 3 acres by hand is no fun but how you get seed into the ground is up to you but corn needs to be in the ground. Seed selection is problematic. Long season corn will be taller, require more fertilizer snd needs 120-130 days. Roundup resistant - or not. Whatever. Get it into the ground at you last spring frost date or a little earlier. You will need fertilizer. Let your budget be your guide. Equal amounts of N & K on a pure plant food basis. Maybe 100-0-100. Assume ph is ok. Weed control dependent on your seed choice. Weed will destroy both yield and height. Do what you need to do to make your budget and live with the results.

 

[Tree Spud]

Are you planning on using Round-up Ready corn seed? I would think weed & grass control would be important especially if you don't fertilize.

 

[T-Max]

I am prepping for my first corn plot this year and I have gotten a few numbers so far. I have a 3.25 acre plot that was in soybeans this fall. My first attempt at a larger scale food plot and I had SO much fun hunting it.

My soil test returned a recommendation of 120 lbs N/acre for my purposes, a minimum of 30 which are recommended at planting. I am familiar with urea, but was informed on another forum that granular AMS might better suit my needs. The composition is 21-0-0-24S. I guess the 24S is sulfur which I was told corn needs anyway. The granular AMS is supposedly more stable and I will lose less to the atmosphere. Also it is supposedly a slower release. I can get it for $440/ton and the coop will rent me the spreader cart for $28.50/ton. So I will have a total of ~$480/ton. With that composition it would provide right around 129lbs of actual N/acre or a little more than was recommended from my soil test. That is right around $150/acre for the fertilizer.

A typical sack of corn has 80,000 seeds per my research. It also looks like I should plan to spend something like $300 for ag corn. Could be off there, but it is for my estimate. Those 80,000 seeds on my 3.25 acres would yield a planting population of around 24,500/acre. So one bag should do it. A guy could definitely go higher, but that would leave me with a partial bag leftover. Not worth it IMO. That would have a cost of ~$92/acre for seed. So I get $242/acre without time, equipment or consumables taken into account. It also doesn't include any herbicides which will be a must for a successful corn stand where I live. It is worth it for me to try it once. I am fortunate to have most of the large equipment (tractor, 3 point sprayer, 4 row planter, etc...) needed to provide me with the best chance at success.

Hopefully that will provide a little insight into the costs in 2023...

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Let the neighbor plant it (he will more than likely have left over seed and possibly fertilizer) give him some cash?

 

[DRG3]

Are you planning on using Round-up Ready corn seed? I would think weed & grass control would be important especially if you don't fertilize.

That is my plan. I think it's going to be most readily available, and most likely to find left over from last year in my area.

 

[DRG3]

I am prepping for my first corn plot this year and I have gotten a few numbers so far. I have a 3.25 acre plot that was in soybeans this fall. My first attempt at a larger scale food plot and I had SO much fun hunting it.

My soil test returned a recommendation of 120 lbs N/acre for my purposes, a minimum of 30 which are recommended at planting. I am familiar with urea, but was informed on another forum that granular AMS might better suit my needs. The composition is 21-0-0-24S. I guess the 24S is sulfur which I was told corn needs anyway. The granular AMS is supposedly more stable and I will lose less to the atmosphere. Also it is supposedly a slower release. I can get it for $440/ton and the coop will rent me the spreader cart for $28.50/ton. So I will have a total of ~$480/ton. With that composition it would provide right around 129lbs of actual N/acre or a little more than was recommended from my soil test. That is right around $150/acre for the fertilizer.

A typical sack of corn has 80,000 seeds per my research. It also looks like I should plan to spend something like $300 for ag corn. Could be off there, but it is for my estimate. Those 80,000 seeds on my 3.25 acres would yield a planting population of around 24,500/acre. So one bag should do it. A guy could definitely go higher, but that would leave me with a partial bag leftover. Not worth it IMO. That would have a cost of ~$92/acre for seed. So I get $242/acre without time, equipment or consumables taken into account. It also doesn't include any herbicides which will be a must for a successful corn stand where I live. It is worth it for me to try it once. I am fortunate to have most of the large equipment (tractor, 3 point sprayer, 4 row planter, etc...) needed to provide me with the best chance at success.

Hopefully that will provide a little insight into the costs in 2023...

Very helpful. It sounds like we're in similar situations, except that I don't have the 4 row planter. I have all the other equipment and still have a bit of gly on hand from last years plotting so for budgeting I think this will get me close. My soil tests are out currently so I'll see on that front.

 

[T-Max]

Very helpful. It sounds like we're in similar situations, except that I don't have the 4 row planter. I have all the other equipment and still have a bit of gly on hand from last years plotting so for budgeting I think this will get me close. My soil tests are out currently so I'll see on that front.

I think I could apply more fertilizer, but I obviously don't have any expectation or need for 200 bu corn. I am a little lucky that I know and occasionally work with my extension agent. He is really good about figuring out exactly what you need and helping you understand his recommendation and what adjustments to it will yield.

Would you want to buy a 4 row planter? I have an extra!

 

[DRG3]

Would you want to buy a 4 row planter? I have an extra!

I would want to...... but that would really throw my cost per acre out of whack lol. And I've already managed to convince the Mrs that pulling out of revenue producing ag, to revenue draining- me doing habitat management is a good idea. I'm not smart but I try to know when to quit.

 

[bigboreblr]

Typically, Ag corn is about 80-100lbs of nitrogen a year per acre. There's lower yield corn, like forage corn or certain low height growing varieties for food plotters.

T-max, Chop that 4 row in half, they go for good money in category 1 sized.

MY brother-in-law has planted beans 3 years in a row just fine. All depnds on AG market speculation. soybean prices were yo-yo-in a few years back.

 

[Tree Spud]

I would want to...... but that would really throw my cost per acre out of whack lol. And I've already managed to convince the Mrs that pulling out of revenue producing ag, to revenue draining- me doing habitat management is a good idea. I'm not smart but I try to know when to quit.

Check your local feed mill. Ours has people who will rent planters.

 

[T-Max]

I’m thinking about doing that with my extra. Come up with a per acre rate that makes sense and let guys rent it to plant their plots.


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