Consider Replanting Very Carefully
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If you’ve been thinking of doing some replanting, the clock is ticking. While it can be useful to transfer plants from one area to another, when it comes to crops like your corn fields, you really have to keep some important considerations in mind when deciding to replant.
Image: Suat Eman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Keep these three important factors in mind:
- The date:
It’s already getting very late to start thinking about replants. Historically, it’s been shown that the yield potential for replanted corn crops drops off quite dramatically as the season continues. To even be thinking about doing a replant at this point in the year, your corn stand should be very, very low. - Current condition of your corn stand:
Take the overall condition of your corn stand into consideration when deciding to do a replant, and make a careful assessment of the benefits of replanting versus the risks – such as the possibility that yields will be considerably lowered. Also take into consideration whether or not you plan to move the whole crop or only a part of it. - Chemical use on the soil:
If you’ve already put down herbicides or pesticides, you may be limited in what can now be grown in that field. This is as true for where you are replanting as for where the corn is being removed from.
If, after doing a careful assessment, you decide that replanting your corn is still in your best interests, it’s time to start considering the heritage of the corn itself. Hybrid seeds with a strong resistance disease will be your best bet, since corn that’s been planted late has an increased potential for disease, and is more vulnerable to infestation.
And this climate is perfect for the spread of disease, which fares well in hot, muggy climes. Replanting or not, it’s definitely time to start walking the fields and scouting for signs of disease.
At this point, unfortunately, if you do find disease, there’s not all that much action that can be taken. But knowing what the situation is, at the very least, can help inform your marketing decisions down the line, come harvest.
