Advice needed on corn field

[daugen]

One more thing, while I am thinking about it. Crows can decimate that corn like others have talked about. I have two of them moving owl heads I put out. I move them every couple of days. That has helped me to keep them from eating the seed. I hate CROWS!!!!

Crows...well, I've never seen a crow here, but I guess if I put out a big enough smorgasbord
for them they will soon visit. Never thought of birds. Gulls I've seen...big starling like birds, but not crows.
Who cares if they are dining on my corn.
Motion activated sprinklers probably wouldn't trip on a bird.
birds of prey a good idea

 

[daugen]

Larry, I have six varieties of Baker Creek non GMO heritage corn seeds, plus the two store bought Silver Queen, etc.
They are at least separated by the center twelve foot pathway through the corn field. I wanted to be able to drive through the cornfield...
and now, that separation does double duty.

Am headed to your link now.
I am trying to find out what the local farmer is planting, and will tell him what I have.
He may be more worried about me than vice versa...

 

[WVH1977]

Two more critters to think about are raccoons and squirrels. They will eat all of your corn. A couple of years ago I had to really go after the squirrels. They were pulling stalks and all up into the trees. I started noticing corn cobs and stalks on the ground around my trees. It was a free-for-all for two weeks taming that population.

 

[daugen]

Please check local accepted practices and label instructions when growing either sweet corn, seed corn or another specialty crop

This is the best Dupont has to say? ??? that was for earworm. I'll check out cutworm.

The "locals" would use straight DDT if they were allowed to.....
I suppose accepted by County Agent might be more accurate.

 

[daugen]

Two more critters to think about are raccoons and squirrels. They will eat all of your corn. A couple of years ago I had to really go after the squirrels. They were pulling stalks and all up into the trees. I started noticing corn cobs and stalks on the ground around my trees. It was a free-for-all for two weeks taming that population.

I don't have a good angle on them, but my neighbor does and he collects guns...he must have a .22.
I do, a nice one with a scope. Hollowpoint to the head works nicely.
I have a lot of squirrels here, this isn't good.

 

[WVH1977]

Crows...well, I've never seen a crow here, but I guess if I put out a big enough smorgasbord
for them they will soon visit. Never thought of birds. Gulls I've seen...big starling like birds, but not crows.
Who cares if they are dining on my corn.
Motion activated sprinklers probably wouldn't trip on a bird.
birds of prey a good idea

Once you start noticing your corn not growing and wondering why, look for the crows. They will go down each row and pull the seed and the tiny plant once it pops out. I asked my neighbor (long time farmer) how to handle that situation. He told me plant enough for the crows and yourself. LOL

 

[DrRod]

Its the raccoons that are most maddening. They will take one bite out of an ear and then move on to the next. Wouldn't mind sharing a bit of it but they will ruin a whole field in a night.

The best defense against birds and beasts is the right sort of dog. I have tree farmer friends who put a nice dog house out in a field and kept a couple of outside dogs in it. They ringed part of the field with an invisible fence -- didn't need to do it all because even fifty yards is close enough to scare a deer, raccoon, or crow. The dogs seem happy with the situation and actually stay outside of their house most of the time -- even in snow.

 

[JamesHW]

Had an idea for a modern scarecrow using those dancing wavy arm guys you see infront of stores (think they call them air dancers). They cost a few hundred dollars, but making one and constructing the fan assembly doesn’t seem like that difficult.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I go through lots of Neem oil on other things, have separate fruit and nut orchards also. I need to learn more about what to spray on these crops now that things are growing. I see chomp marks on my little cabbages already. I always try to find a less toxic alternative but this is bugland and I have to spray my fruit trees six or seven times a year. Have a 50 gal. gas powered sprayer that pulls behind a garden tractor nicely.
Would "vegetable" spray work on corn?

yeah, I really am bumbling around here. I've read the local Master Gardener guide and need to read it again to see what they recommend for
vegetable sprays. Until then I use the TSC stuff. Specifics to follow; I need to learn the chemistry here.

There should be a small booklet in a packet on the side of any insecticide jug. You need to study up enough to understand it. It will specify application rates, techniques and withdrawal times. Corn is pretty easy, because the ear is completely enclosed in a thick husk. The moth and flies are laying eggs weeks before the crop matures, so the ear mostly does not even exist when you are applying the insecticide. Pesticide residues are not a problem, if the chemical is applied as directed on the label. If your state has an extension service, you might be able to pick up good info there. It's also a great idea to get an agricultural pesticide applicator license. Your local community college might have a class for that, or your extension service can direct you to educational resources.

 

[fried1765]

First, I have never heard of anybody transplanting corn after it comes up. Why in the world are you doing that? Get you one of those cheap walk behind planters and put the seed in the ground.

Corn types will cross pollinate. You can read on the seed company's websites and each variety will have a maturation time and instructions as to how far it must be from other types. I solved this problem when I had five or six different varieties in one garden by planting the quickest maturing first, Early Sunglow at 59 days. Then the next shortest maturing time type a week later and so on until the last which was a 129 day type. I may have the times wrong because I am doing this from memory. Anyway I don't think I ever had cross pollination problems. BUT if at all possible do not plant different types close to each other. And corn is wind pollinated. I have always been told and read that you need a minimum or eight rows for successful pollination. If fewer than that keep the plot as close to square as possible.

Corn does not like a hardpan where the ground has been broke repeatedly at the same depth. One of the most successful row cropping corn farmers I ever knew stayed with a six row planter long after everybody else in the area had gone to twelve or more rows. He had the planter rows lined up behind the teeth of a huge ripper and pulled it behind a large four wheel drive tractor. I remember a neighbor borrowing the ripper and his 130-hp 1466 International would not pull it. The point is to tear that hardpan up.

After our last large garden we have stopped growing corn because it is easier to buy it at the local trade day. And the last time with all the different varieties coming in every two weeks it seemed like all we did that summer was pull corn.

And my wife forbid me to buy any other seed except Honey Select Triple Sweet. It was the favorite of everybody who tried it.

Riddle: How do you know when your sweet corn is ready to be pulled?

Answer: When you go to your garden one morning and the coons have ate most of it.

RSKY

Damm coons!
Truer words were NEVER spoken!