4/11/2022 – This sowing follows what we did on 3/20/2021. Sowed 8 rows of the 10 planned of G90 corn in the south half east side where we first planted corn 3 years ago. The seed was bought last year, luckily, as there is a shortage like everything else in these Biden times. Found some finally at Hurley F&F and sowed the final two rows (east most) to complete the 10. The plan and what was done were as follows.
- Soil has been plowed and disked to level.
- Drove the tractor to draw the 10 rows.
- Spread 13-13-13 with Zinc Sulfate and Borax in the groove. For each row threw 3 (actually 4) pints with tablespoons each of zinc sulfate and Borax per quart of fertilizer per the soil test report and my plan here. For the 10 rows of G90 corn mix 20 pints/10qts of 13-13-13 with 6 tbsp each (10×2/3) of zinc sulfate and Borax. Spread 1 quart per row. [need to recheck this application against the recommendations as I think it is a little off.]
- Used Frank’s hiller to pull the soil back over the fertilizer and build very short hills over the fertilizer often leaving a groove where the seeds were sowed.
- Sowed the seeds with the HOSS seeder with plate #6 drilled larger for the wrinkly seeds. That is a four-hole plate so the spacing is 19/4 or 4-3/4 inches. On 4/11/2022, only had enough seed to sow 8 leaving the two along the east edge empty. On 4/12/22 found some finally at Hurley F&F and sowed the final two rows (eastmost) to complete the 10. No one else had any.
The intent of all those steps was:
- to have the fertilizer spread in a band covered by the hiller while not worrying about the seeds being too close as the fertilizer granules at the seed location are few.
- seeds are not on top of a high hill so the corn stalks can be hilled for wind stability.
- thinning may be necessary but given the advice at HOSS. i.e. their soil is in good condition and the water the stalks and they sowed 3″ apart.
The great part of this sowing was that before dark we got 0.15 inches of rain.