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Guidelines for planting corn

An extension corn agronomist tells farmers a good seed bed is more important than planting date.

“I don’t get too concerned if we start planting a little later than normal. My big concern is that we plant into good soil conditions.”

Jeff Coulter with the University of Minnesota says farmers should resist the temptation to work ground when soils are too wet.

“Making sure we’re not creating compaction, that we’re getting good seed to soil contact. I think that’s most important.”

For Minnesota, he tells Brownfield corn planted in late April or early May can still achieve optimum yield.

Coulter’s other corn planting guidelines include a seeding depth of two inches and populations of 34,000 to 36,000 seeds per acre.