Sweet corn

[chummer]

I am going to plant 1/4 acre of sweet corn. I was wondering if I could use winter rye as a cover crop of sorts for the corn. The family will be eating the corn and I am going to fence it in. I was hoping to plant the WR the same time as the corn so when we are done with the corn I can take the fence down and the deer can finish it off and have some WR as a bonus. I am hoping the WR won't stunt the corn but will keep the weeds down. What do you think?

 

[tooln]

I'm kind of thinking the WR will take off a lot faster than the corn and smother it out. Here's a thought, maybe after the corn is up 6-8" try broadcasting some WR just before a rain

 

[chummer]

I'm kind of thinking the WR will take off a lot faster than the corn and smother it out. Here's a thought, maybe after the corn is up 6-8" try broadcasting some WR just before a rain

I like that idea. Then the corn can act like a funnel and bounce most of he seed to the center of he rows.

 

[tooln]

I like that idea. Then the corn can act like a funnel and bounce most of he seed to the center of he rows.

If you do it let us know how it works.

 

[sandbur]

We tend to be moisture short. I would broadcast the rye later as stated above.

 

[kabic]

I've wanted to always try the same thing, but with clover. We plant sweet corn every year, but do a horrible job of keeping it weeded. Last year we gave up and the tall grass and corn had a doe and fawn bedding there. My plan is to till it once a week for a few weeks trying to kill off some of the seed bank, before we plant.

I was debating how much moisture would be used versus saved from evaporation.

 

[chummer]

I don't think I will have a moisture problem. We normally get rain all summer and have very few days, if any above 85. I like the idea of seeding around July 1st with a shot of fertilizer. Maybe I will through a little red clover in too.

 

[Doug Galloway]

Sure rye is a great soil cover for sweet corn.....you will want AWP, crimson and vetch in there for additional N. We've do a garden this way every spring.

From last year:





This year we have a lot of the N fixers with the rye.....I will take a different path next week on half....hand sow the seed into the standing mess....use a weedeater starting and the top of the cover letting it eat all the way to a 4" stubble......the other half we will do the same seeding but lay the covers flat and then spray.

 

[chummer]

That looks great. I sprayed the area this weekend, I will probably spray again next weekend. I think I am going to plant half with WR at the same time and the other half I will wait until the corn gets a head start before I plant the WR.

 

[wildfire]

Tried sweet corn 3 times two years ago. Sandhill crains decimated them as soon as the emerged. Lesson learned. Our DNR wanted to intoduce them in Mn, and make a sanctuary for them, now they are a farmers nightmare. They make an innoculant for corn seed the makes it taste bad, additional cost for farmers.