Planting is just one part of the in-furrow puzzle.
“We always say never let corn have a bad day,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie.
To do that requires a good fertility plan that matches not just the environment but the farming system being used.
“As you’re making plans, figure out how to keep corn luscious and green from day one,” Ferrie explains. “If farmers make a change from corn-on-beans to corn-on-corn or to corn-on-corn and a cover crop adding in a high carbon source can be a problem if they don’t manage the carbon penalty on the front end. The corn can stumble for three or four weeks just trying to get itself moving.”
Farmers can use the planting pass to prevent any stumbling blocks.
“When we’re making that planting pass, it’s an opportunity to put some nutrition out there,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer.
Nutrition, fertilizer, biostimulants and even fungicides all work together to kickstart plants so they can handle the typically cooler soils and early season growth.
“Getting those plants off to a good start will have some pretty important effects on that initial root growth, which translates into above-ground growth as well,” Bauer says.
That fertilizer or pop-up can go in-furrow along with the seed or in partnership with a 2x2 band creating a fertility relay system. In addition to improved health, the plants mature significantly faster.
“I get the fertilizer into a plant right away and then as my plant gets bigger it hits that 2x2 to begin to see some good response,” Bauer explains.
In some soil types, seed burn might be an issue. In that case, consider low salt or applicators that shoot the liquid into the seed trench sidewall.
“Now we can go with a 10-34-0 type of product compared to a more expensive low salt,” Bauer says. “It’s really changed the economics for us.”
For farmers such as Michael Vittetoe in Iowa, early season fertility, especially when planting into a cover crop, is key.
“The main thing that we’re doing with our planting is we’re putting on about 10 gal. of 32% UAN nitrogen and then we’re also coming in and doing a sidedress pass as well,” Vittetoe says.
His goal, like farmers everywhere, is making sure those crops never have a bad day.
