Organic Fertilizer for Corn: A Growers Guide
Want to learn more about organic fertilizer for corn? Are you an existing corn farmer looking to switch to organics? Read on!
The Organic Difference
What sets Organics apart from other fertilizers? Foliar feeding! Liquid 2-4-1 makes an excellent organic fertilizer for corn because it can be applied directly to leaves. Research shows that foliar feeding can be up to 20 times more efficient than other application methods. Then there’s the cost difference. It costs less because of the efficiency of foliar feeding. In fact, you can sometimes treat an entire acre for less than $30. That’s great right?
Finally, I wanted to speak for a moment on the long-term benefits. Organics helps to feed the soil bacteria. Over time, this will unlock inorganic sources of nitrogen. Therefore, your need for fertilizer decreases over time. Sounds like a winning strategy for corn, right? Let’s look at some specific application techniques next.
General Fertilization Requirements for Corn
Initially, corn needs some phosphorus and potassium. However, nitrogen is the heavy hitter here. You want to have plenty of bioavailable nitrogen in the soil. Corn just eats it up! An effective strategy involves limiting runoff which can leach nitrogen away. Soil leaching is especially bad in sandy soils.
So, be sure to keep a close eye on your corn plants. Corn with a nitrogen deficiency might have light green leaves. They may fade all the way to yellow in some cases depending on how bad it gets. You will notice this first in the older leaves. Fortunately, these symptoms can be reversed quickly with an application of Liquid Organic Fertilizer for Corn.
Fertilize 50 Acres of Corn Affordably with Neptune’s Harvest
The Neptune’s Harvest product pictured above treats 50 acres for an entire growing season and provides about 640 gallons of liquid fertilizer that can be applied as a foliar spray for larger organic corn growing operations. If you grow larger fields of corn, check out our bulk organic fertilizer page instead.
Foliar Application Guide
Combine 3 gallon of all-purpose organic fertilizer and 30 gallons of water. Next, apply as a fine mist. Use enough solution to thoroughly cover leaves. Increase spray volume as crop develops. This will ensure thorough coverage. Perform your first application at planting by watering into the soil. From then on, it’s recommended that you stick to a foliar spray for all three subsequent feedings.
Once your corn emerges and begins to average 8-10 inches tall, you’ll want to create the same mix mentioned above and apply as a fine mist. When plants are 4-6” tall and pre-blossom or pre-tassle, apply the third feeding. Repeat this with your fourth and final feeding prior to harvest. Here’s a step by step list:
- 1st Application at planting – Broadcast or drip furrow
- 2nd Application using a fine mist or foliar spray at 8-10 inches tall
- 3rd Application using a fine mist or foliar spray at pre-bloom or pre-tassle
- 4th Application using a fine mist or foliar spray at least 10 days prior to harvest
You should increase the application rate if leaves are chlorotic. Be sure to spread out your applications by a minimum of 10 days. If your soil is worn out, you might need higher rates of application. Lower dilution rates are more effective than higher dilution rates. Two or three lighter applications may be more effective than one heavy application. Do not exceed a 4 percent dilution rate (4 gallons organic fertilizers to 96 gallons of water).
Banded Application of Organic Fertilizer for Corn
This is how you want to manage your initial feeding at planting time and we also recommend adding a little bonemeal at this time as well. Add three gallons of organic 2-4-1 to 60 gallons of water. Apply at planting. The addition of 1 gallon Liquid Bonemeal to this mix may be beneficial, especially when soil phosphorus levels are below 30 ppm.
There you have it! You’re all set to pick up some fertilizer from the links above. However, if you need to grow more than 50 acres of corn, you can also check out our store page for a list of bulk organic fertilizers that ship direct to your farm. With fast shipping, you’ll be able to get your corn started in no time! Let us know if we can be of assistance in the ordering process. You can reach out to sales@fertilizerforless.com for help and more information on this article.
