How Late Can I Plant Corn?
How Late Can I Plant Corn?
With this spring’s challenging weather, I’m asked multiple times a day: “How late can I plant corn?”
Planting status across the region is varied – some areas are finishing up while others haven’t been able to turn a wheel.
With commodity prices at near-record highs, the question of planting corn after the insurance date is on everyone’s mind.
Here is some advice to help make that planting decision. While none of us wants wet corn in the fall, if we can still plant an early 80-day product and get 150 b/A, that will be much more profitable than PP.
The most important thing to know is that every hybrid above 80 RM truly has a 200 b/A potential given the right conditions.
Your two best references for making a good decision are:
1) estimating the hybrid’s “GDUs to Black Layer” and
2) utilizing the “Useful 2 Useable” website.
Estimated GDUs to Black Layer
A corn hybrid typically follows this scale: RM = (Day Length * 25 GDUs). That information will let you know what you can get away with for maturity.
Useful 2 Useable Tools
Next, check the Useful 2 Useable tools at https://mygeohub.org/groups/u2u/purdue_gdd
After selecting your location, click on the graph portion to set your local parameters. Next, enter the planting date and maturity you want to plant. You’ll then be able to compare your hybrid’s GDUs to your estimated accumulation on a given date.
(Note: the Useful 2 Usable hybrid GDUs are not based on 25 per day. Be sure to reference your specific hybrid’s GDUs.)
The gray area of the chart also gives an excellent visual representation of what could occur with above-average vs. below-average summer heat forecasts from NOAA.
Bottom line? The incentive to keep planting corn is still very high even as the calendar gets later.
