With all of the rain we received last week, it is nice to finally see sunshine our forecast for Macon County. Now is the time of year to get your planting equipment in working order and ready to plant corn. The past few weeks of endless rainfall have put us all behind schedule, but there is still time to get your crop planted and expect a prosperous yield.
Timing is always an important factor to consider when planting corn. Typically in our area of the state, early March through mid April is the optimal time to plant corn. Getting seed in the ground early will help to maximize yields due to the lower temperatures during pollination; however, planting too early can increase the risk of frost or freeze damage that will negatively impact yields.
Planting corn after tax day is very risky. According to UGA’s experts, we start losing 3/4 of a bushel per acre per day after the optimum planting period. Rising temperatures and low amounts of rainfall during May and June can create corn losses up to 2.5 bushels per day.
With corn prices being what they are, planting corn during the optimal period will help to increase production yields while lowering input costs. For more information on corn, click on the link for the 2020 Corn Production Guide – Read more here beginning on page 5.
Always reach out to your local County Agent with any further questions.
