Plant Corn Early or Wait?

It was about April 10 when soil conditions were fit to plant corn. However it was very early and many farmers decided to wait. Farmers with a lot of corn acres to cover did start planting. It then rained and soil conditions were not fit until the weekend of April 24. While it was now prime time to plant corn, according to the calendar, many farmers waited because the forecast was for 10 days of very cold wet weather. Larger farmers planted corn and hoped for the best.

There was a lot of discussion among farmers and agronomists about cold chilling injury and if corn should be planted or to wait for better conditions? Again farmers with a lot of acres to cover planted corn. Many other farmers waited. One farmer I know began planting and said we just have to trust the modern corn hybrids these days. When corn hybrids are developed, one trait they breed for is cold tolerance and early season emergence. You can see in the picture that this corn field looks very good. Even though the corn seed was in the ground for three weeks before emerging, the population looks very good!