So, when is the best date to plant corn in Michigan?
Of course, the answer varies from year to year, based on weather and field conditions. However, some generalizations can be made regarding date of planting that can be used for guidance. Figure 1 shows a response curve based on net returns generated from a corn date-of-planting study conducted at MSU. Although the curve will shift from year-to-year depending on weather conditions, the shape of the curve is very typical for Michigan conditions, and it illustrates three important points regarding corn date of planting. 1) There is a yield penalty for planting corn too early or too late. 2) There is a relatively short “optimum” time period to plant corn. 3) At some point in the planting season, it pays to shift from a full season hybrid to a short season hybrid. Regarding point one, most varieties of corn will not germinate if soil temperature is below 50 degrees. As stated above, emergence and growth of young corn seedlings is temperature dependent and slows down considerably with cool t
