COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • NOVEMBER 2019


29 Growers all ears at silage corn field day


Three-inch planting depth becoming more common


By JACKIE PEARASE MARA – Maizex


representative Shane Jantzi shared 25 years of corn production knowledge with about 80 farmers attending the corn silage field day hosted by Okanagan Fertilizer at Murlene Farms in Mara, September 18. Jantzi says it is important that farmers not be sidetracked by the challenges and new technology associated with growing silage corn. “It is amazing how complicated growing corn can be, but if you go back to basics and look after a few things properly, you’re going to have something that you’re proud of,” he notes. “I can usually count on one hand the four or five things I always tell growers that they need to focus on before looking at (other) things.” He says micronutrient


levels, foliar fertilizers and seed treatments have a place in corn production but producers need to first master the basics of good planting, early weed control, a balanced fertility program and staging the crop properly for harvest. “It’s those fundamentals that a little hiccup in the beginning, or something we didn’t do early in the season with the crop, it costs you big time at the end of the year. And it’s too late,” he adds. Getting the seed in the right spot at the right depth to ensure good contact with the soil is key to good planting.


Jantzi advises producers to use seed firmers to press the seed into the bottom of the trench for more even plant emergence. He also says current


research and planting trials are showing that planting corn at a depth of three inches rather than the accepted 1.5 inches results in more even plant emergence and more consistent cob development. Agronomists have found the first 1.5 inches of soil have


Maizex national sales manager Shane Jantzi came from Ontario to attend the corn silage field day in Mara on September 18. JACKIE PEARASE PHOTO


lots of “noise” – poor seed bed, lumps, inconsistent moisture, air pockets – that work against good seed development.


Deeper soil has less noise and the cooler temperature seems to have little effect on seed development. “There’s quite a bit of chatter in the corn world about deeper planting,” Jantzi says. “I think five, six, seven years down the road you’re going to see lots of people planting at three inches.” Soil type definitely plays a


role in any producer’s choice to plant deeper and Jantzi suggests reading research on the topic from Illinois State University. He says consistent plant


emergence and development


equals more bushels in the bin. “As soon as you get


variation of the plants coming out of the ground, you’ll have variation in the ear development and that also can lead to inconsistency in the stage of the crop.” Early weed control is


important to maximizing a corn crop so Jantzi urges farmers to be aware of corn’s “switching point” – when the plant switches from root development to shoot development.


This switching point is


directly related to weed control because a corn plant with just one or two leaves can sense a weed growing


See WEED on next page o


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