Planting Dates and Nitrogen Keys To Success in NW Indiana

Planting Dates and Nitrogen Keys To Success in NW Indiana

 

Bobby Diener
Bobby Diener

Corn growers in NW Indiana were very pleased with their yields and, according to Bobby Diener with Seed Consultants in White County, nitrogen application was the key to high corn yields this year, “Guys that side-dressed nitrogen or spring applied really did well. The farmers who fall applied ammonia did not have enough left in the soil at the end of the season to give the crops that final push.”

 

As for soybeans, it was when you planted that had the biggest impact on yield, “I had early beans that did very well, and I had late beans that did very well. It came down to if you planted in May or June.”

 

For 2014, Diener is recommending growers consider spreading out their maturity dates, “Growers should spread their risk instead of planting hybrids with maturity dates in that 110 to 115 day range. Instead they should spread dates out all the way down to the 105 day range.” He told HAT that putting all your crops in the same maturity window is putting all your eggs in one basket, but using a wider spread of dates helps spread out your risk.

 

With $4 corn likely for 2014, Diener expects soybean acreage in NW Indiana to be up sharply, perhaps reaching the highest level this area has seen in the past decade. “If the market recovers in February, I would expect to see a lot of order switching; but if corn does not recover, I think there will be a lot of soybeans planted,” he added.

Recommended Posts

Loading...