No til corn 2nd year corn ?????

[Soyfarmer]

I am going to try no til corn after corn and I would like to do it without vertical tillage. I am long term (10 years) no till and have tiled ground (well drained). Comments and suggestions are needed. This is sandy loam soils and we get usually  deep frost.

[cowfarmer]

Know a guy real well who does this. He has told me that the most important thing is hybrid selection. He also has very aggressive trash whippers. I think he does pretty well, but I know he fertilzes like crazy. I too am gonna try some corn on corn but I have already started the process of turning it near black before I plant. This same guy I am telling you about is 100 percent corn never plants beans and where the gov. lets him he plows to get rid of residue.

[Pupdaddy]

I did this 2 years ago, and one of the things I felt did me the most good, was getting at least 100 units of nitrogen on early..so it's incorporated before the corn gets planted. I used 28% and glyphosate with 2-4,D to burn down the weeds..came back and planted about 2.5-3 weeks later and applied 19 gallon of 10-34-0  and then sprayed my Harness Xtra as an early post. I finished up the nitrogen with 100 units of 28% side dressed with a coulter injector. If you have a "GOOD" no-till anhydrous applicator, you might be able to side dress with that..or with one of the new disc type anhydrous applicators. I moved as much residue as I could with my residue wheels...and emergence wasn't too bad, considering I got about 20 days of rain after planting.

[Soyfarmer]

Yes I use a coulter type no til uan applicatotor. My plan is to plant in between last years rows with the rtk steering. I have no stones but the trash whippers are yetters so I am not sure they are aggessive enough but if I am not hitting rootballs it may not matter. Do you put the nitrogen because you need that much nitrogen or is it put on to help break down the staclks. In our northern climate (2800 heat units) it would be hard most years to get on 2-3 weeks early to spray unless I waited to mid may to plant the corn.

[Pupdaddy]

I'm not specifically recommending waiting 2-3 weeks..it just happened the rain and planting progress made it that way. I would recommend waiting till after it rains the 28% in if you could...I think the nitrogen being in the soil and making itself available to the seedling is a very important issue. If you have fertilizer openers on the planter..they will cut the stalks enough for the residue wheels to move them...and if you plant on a sunny day when the stalks are dry it will make a tremendous difference. There's nothing more frustrating than bunching the stalks under the planter and dragging them around the field.

[Pupdaddy]

..I guess I didn't address the amount of nitrogen well enough in my reply. In Ohio..with the kind of rain we get, 200 units after soybeans is probably pretty standard nitrogen rate if you're fertilizing for 190-210 bushel corn...more if you're early applying..less if you're side dressing. But the reason I have the rate at about 220 units in this case..is because you really need to help that corn get going when it's planted into cornstalk residue. It seems to hold back seedlings quite a bit..and the only thing you're able to help it along with is ample nitrogen. It won't break down the cornstalks much at that time of year..there simply isn't enough time for it to happen. If it was applied in the fall..there might be some merit to it..but then you're looking at nitrogen loss from leaching, run-off, and de-nitrification...

[Soyfarmer]

Yes now I see what you are saying. We are in a 200 bushel max. situation  (175 av.) and my neighbours that no til corn after corn use some type of vertical tillage which I want to avoid. The soil has responded well with the no till and I don't want to hurt that. We usually get to much rain in April but I would have no problem getting it on a week before planting. The field I am doing this year would have very straight rows so planting between the 30" rows should be easy with the auto steer. Our bt corn stalks were not green this year because of northern leaf blight and drought so it may be a good year to try it.

[cowfarmer]

Pupdaddy when you spray your pre with 28 do you have trouble with residue catching the 28 and it not getting into the soil. Your method sounds awesome I might try that. Thank you

[Nebrfarmr]

We have had a couple small fields in Continuous corn since dad used to feed cattle, over 15years now. Best in our soils is some kind of tillage. If you don't want to do that, here is my two cents worth. UAN is better than NH3 because it helps break down the residue. Starter fertilizer knifed in the soil a little to the side of the row is best, as you can apply more to give the corn an early boost. In furrow is OK but you can't put too much or you can burn the seedling. Trash whippets a must, my favorite are the finger wheel type that either uses a coulter to slice the residue, or the ones sharp enough to cut. Run in between rows. The worst COC stand I had was no till, down into the old roots. Be sure your hybrid is resistant to wilt, at the very least, as I don't think fungicide helps much on it. You will need to do extra scouting for rot, wilt, etc. This is worst at high populations, it does help some if you can find a hybrid with good ear flex, and plant a little thinner. Lastly, plant in dry conditions. Bean ground causes less problems if it is a bit damp. Wet corn trash is tough and ropy.

[Pupdaddy]

..I said I spray my burn down with 28%...and that's why I like it to rain after I apply it. Even if you have bare soil..if it doesn't rain 28% in within 5-7 days of application on cold damp soil you're going to start losing some of it to volatilization...not as much as if it is 85 degrees with sun shining on it every day, but you get the idea. I'd try to time my application the day before it might rain...and see if I can't get it washed right in.