Cultivating corn generously pays off if you give the crop sufficient space, warmth, and water. Yet, because the crop is very sensitive to climate and field conditions, there is no single-size-fits-all answer on growing corn. It is still a no-brainer growing up, though, when put in context. With today’s readily available technologies, crop producers can quickly adjust the process of growing corn for maximum yields by monitoring various factors in the field like the current and predicted weather, soil data, and potential threats including weeds and pests, and much more. They can conduct proper soil analysis in the USA to determine the accurate amount of nutrients in the soil.
Which Type of Soil Does Corn Grow Best In?
Corn plants are particular about the soil they grow in; therefore, understanding the soil type and its overall condition is vital for a healthy harvest. Corn prefers light, free-draining soil that is full of organic matter. This type of soil provides excellent drainage, water retention, and nutrition, but there’s more to it than that. To maximize yield, it’s recommended to grow your early varieties in sand or loam and the late ones in silty or clayey soil. Like many other vegetables, corn prefers acidic and neutral soils with a pH level between 5.5 and 6.5. Thus, soil testing should be conducted to ascertain that the soil’s pH is suitable for growing crops.
The soil’s moisture and efficient drainage are essential because of the growing plant’s thirsty nature. Also, corn is a heavy feeder, particularly in the case of nitrogen, so rich soil is necessary for the growth of corn. It grows well where soil-improving crops like beans, or clover were cultivated the previous growing season. Adding organic matter to the soil layer like compost, sawdust, manure, and grass clippings, can also enhance its quality and drainage for a successful corn growing, especially in the areas with thick clay soil.
Corn seeds have a much easier time germinating in the light soils because they warm up more rapidly than heavy ones. Ensure the soil temperature is always between 60 and 65°F (16–18°C) before you sow. They won’t germinate well if it is not warm enough. Soil solarization, which involves covering the soil layer with black plastic, can speed up warming in cold regions and help you start growing the crops at the right time.
Source: Freepik
Liming and Fertilizing:
A soil pH of 6.0-7.0 is preferrable for sweet corn variety. Strongly acidic soils should be limed according to the recommendations. Have your soil tested or mapped, and then follow the recommendations given. Lime is most effective when worked into the soil in the fall. Many nutrient deficiency symptoms that may appear very early in the season are often due to low pH content.
When corn is about 12 inches tall, it is a better idea to apply a side dressing of fertilizer. This is especially essential on light sandy soils. For best results, work the fertilizer into two with light cultivation. Watering the crop at this time would also be beneficial.
Replacing Depleted Nutrients:
Even though you will likely have a fertilizer plan for the maize, due to the seasonal rainfall, particular nutrients will undoubtedly have leached over winter and early spring.
We know that maize tends to have most of its nutrition front-loaded, even before the crop is growing. So, what considerations do we need to make for the maize?
The first step is to clearly understand what has been lost and conduct a “crop nutrition check.” This blog outlines how best to monitor crop health as we enter the period of application peak.
-
Nitrogen:
As with all crops, residual nitrogen will have been significantly reduced following excess rainfall. We’ve recommended that farmers consider reviewing the crops’ potential soil nitrogen supply (SNS). In some instances, this review may lead to an increase of as much as 30kg/ha in nitrogen applications.
Therefore, it’s essential to consider the total nitrogen rate when finalizing nitrogen fertilizer plans over the coming weeks.
-
Sulfur:
Nitrogen is the first element to consider when replacing nutrients lost due to high rainfall. However, it’s vital to remember the other nutrients. In this blog about early nutrition strategies for winter cereals, we mentioned that sulfur behaves similarly to nitrogen—the same principle will apply to maize, too.
In some autumn cereal crops, where sulfur has leached from the soil and not been applied, we see visual effects on the plants. Paling of new foliage is becoming apparent, and although maize hasn’t emerged yet, there will likely be a high risk of the crop suffering from the lack of sulfur, too.
-
Potassium:
Potassium plays a massive role in maize and is responsible for internal water movement, drought resistance, and protein/starch formation.
Although not as mobile as nitrogen and sulfur, potassium is likely to have been impacted by excess winter rainfall, so it’s possible this nutrient has moved down through the soil profile and is now beneath the early rooting zone.
-
Phosphates:
While phosphates don’t leach as much as nitrogen, sulfur, or potassium, their availability depends on soil temperature, moisture, and pH. Given their importance for establishment and rooting, you should always check the soil index to understand how much to apply to meet this early-season demand. Along with fertilizer applications, early post-emergence foliar phosphate can significantly fuel early growth.
In Conclusion:
Soil fertility tests should always be conducted at least every other year to verify that appropriate soil fertility levels are maintained. Suppose there is concern about fertility, mainly due to high or low yields. In that case, yearly soil tests can aid with fertility decisions. It is essential to apply fertilizers based on the values of the soil test. P and K fertilizer application may be unnecessary when soil test levels are high. When soil testing levels are in the optimum range, an application rate almost equal to the amount of nutrients removed at crop harvest is recommended. When determining fertilizer application amounts, consider residual fertility from previous crops and manure applications. It is tough to raise soil test levels if they are deficient, and soil test levels can only be increased if nutrient application rates exceed the crop removal rate.
For information on utilizing high resolution topsoil mapping to optimize your corn production, contact us at www.soiloptix.com
