Corn should be planted after spring cereals. Emerged seedlings can be damaged by frost, although the growing point stays under the surface for three to five weeks after emergence and the plant usually survives. Corn needs a soil temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit for active growth, so there is little advantage to very early planting. May 1 to 15 is ideal. As corn yields decline with late planting, consider planting before cereals in a late spring.
Corn is adapted to a wide range of management systems, from no-till to conventional tillage.
Corn benefits from higher fertility levels than cereals because it produces nearly twice as much vegetation and up to three times more grain yield per acre. Effective nutrient planning starts with soil tests and knowledge of field history. In manured fields, corn may need little fertilizer, although even in these fields, phosphate applied with or near the seed will produce more vigorous seedlings. Nitrogen nutrition is key to grain yields. Phosphate and potash produce a healthy, vigorous stand.