As the date for corn planting approaches, farmers who planted cover crops last fall need to prepare to terminate that growth and apply the right amount of nitrogen at corn planting to ensure the best corn yields.
Research by Practical Farmers of Iowa has found that killing the cover crop two to three weeks before corn planting, the common timeframe on most Iowa farms, combined with an effective fertilizer strategy can maintain corn yields while saving farmers money.
Stefan Gailans, research and field crops director for Practical Farmers, says there’s a misconception among new or inexperienced cover crop farmers that extra nitrogen beyond their typical corn fertilization rates must be applied to corn following a cover crop, a belief that leads these farmers to spend money needlessly. In reality, it’s not rate that matters, he says, but the timing of application.