Plant Food for Soil When Planting Corn

Function

• According to the University of Illinois Extension, corn without enough soil nutrients can have poor growth. Plant food for soil helps make sure corn gets enough nutrients to grow well. Some types of plant food also help adjust the soil pH to the ideal range for corn, 6.0 to 6.5.

Considerations

• Before adding plant food to the corn planting area, consider using an at-home soil testing kit or having the soil tested by a local nursery or university to check for nutrient and pH levels, as recommended by Purdue University. If soil test results reveal a pH level outside the ideal 6.0 to 6.5 range, add lime or sulfur to raise or lower the soil pH. Also choose a plant food that has a good supply of any nutrients the soil lacks.

Time Frame

• The National Gardening Association (NGA) recommends adding manure to the soil during the fall before corn planting in the spring. The NGA also explains that compost helps improve the texture and nutrient levels of all soil types, so add some compost the fall before planting as well. In the spring, add fertilizer to the area before planting. Use a fertilizer that replaces whatever nutrients soil tests show are lacking, or use a 5-10-10 fertilizer for already balanced soil, as recommended by the NGA.

Amounts

• When applying compost and manure in the fall, apply a layer at least a few inches thick over the entire planting area, and till it into the soil to a depth of several inches. The NGA recommends 3 to 4 pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer in the spring per 100-foot row of corn.