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This agronomist believes in early planting, but says it doesn't guarantee success.

Tom Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

January 17, 2014

2 Min Read

If you live in central or southern Indiana, Mike Earley would like to see you have your corn planted sometime between April 20 and May 10. If you live in southern Indiana, starting by April 5 is OK, he says.

"If you plant late there is a bigger chance for insect and disease problems, and also the odds for pollinating during the hottest, driest part of the summer are higher," says Earley, an agronomist with Seed Consultants, Inc. He spoke recently to farmers from Richmond to Batesville and beyond who gathered for a meeting at Seymour.

Earley points to data that shows a 0.3% per day loss for planting after May 10, on average, with the loss jumping to 1% per day in late May.

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However, he's also a realist. "Early planting in good conditions is a recommended practice, but it doesn't guarantee good yields," he says. Earley realizes that over the past few seasons, weather conditions haven't always favored early planting. Year in and year out, however, he still recommends the practice.

Related: Early Planting and Two More Practices for Top Corn Yields

However, he adds one big caveat. "If you have to mud it in, then wait," he says. "You can lose more yield by mudding it in than what you would lose in planting delays by not having it planted by a certain date."

If you mud it in, the risk of soil compaction is much higher, he said. Depending upon weather conditions later in the season, soil compaction can cause restricted root systems, and lead to stunted corn and yield reductions, especially if it turns dry.

Sidewall soil compaction created by the planter openers running in wet to muddy soil is also an issue, he says. If roots are restricted to the planting trench as they grow downward, they won't be as healthy or as strong or productive as if they can branch out in non-compacted soil.

About the Author(s)

Tom Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

Tom Bechman is an important cog in the Farm Progress machinery. In addition to serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer, Tom is nationally known for his coverage of Midwest agronomy, conservation, no-till farming, farm management, farm safety, high-tech farming and personal property tax relief. His byline appears monthly in many of the 18 state and regional farm magazines published by Farm Progress.

"I consider it my responsibility and opportunity as a farm magazine editor to supply useful information that will help today's farm families survive and thrive," the veteran editor says.

Tom graduated from Whiteland (Ind.) High School, earned his B.S. in animal science and agricultural education from Purdue University in 1975 and an M.S. in dairy nutrition two years later. He first joined the magazine as a field editor in 1981 after four years as a vocational agriculture teacher.

Tom enjoys interacting with farm families, university specialists and industry leaders, gathering and sifting through loads of information available in agriculture today. "Whenever I find a new idea or a new thought that could either improve someone's life or their income, I consider it a personal challenge to discover how to present it in the most useful form, " he says.

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