Corn stress and potato frogs

We are growing our own food in an area new to us in northern Michigan. This is our second season. Soil was all nearly pure
beach-sand and neutral. I trucked in 120 yards of compost and tilled it in. Put in rhubarb, asparagus, pumpkins, broccoli,
sweet corn, peas, potatoes, etc.

Everything has grown great except sweet corn. Emergence or theft is the issue. Still have not figured it out. Once it gets
6" tall, it takes off and grows great. But - this year we had to replant three times, and still are missing many plants. We
are often away 3-4 days at a time so not here every day to see what is happening.

Last year we used 15-15-15 fertilizer. We had problems but this year things are twice as bad. This year there was a sale on
19-19-19 and I an wondering if it can be stressing corn seeds and sprouts? I see some that looked curled and some that come
up and die. I am not sure what the heck is going on. But - we have one row of corn that was planted by accident and got no
fertilizer and it came up better then all the rest. Note that we used the same 19-19-19 on alL the other crops and all else
is doing great.

Also - about the potatoes. Best we have ever had. Now the potatoe beetles are starting to show up. We had none last year. I
was picking off beetle larvae this morning and found this frog perched on a potato branch. Kind of neat. Never saw one like
it before. I hope he (she) eats potato bugs.

Corn is a grass. Corn is very different than broad leafed plants in the rest of the garden. The PH level and level of nitrogen are also unique to corn. Some compost may be highly acidic and work for vegetables. A fertilizer that has uniform numbers is often not needed. Have the soil tested by the county extension service. Adjust your application to match their recommendation. Jim

How much rain have you had? My corn that went under water for a while is just coming out of being yellow. The sun shine's doing miracles for it.

I like the frogs, they probably munch on beatles and protect your crop. I have never seen a frog/toad eat vegetables!! Jim

My field corn on my real sandy farms look yellow because it's growing fast than it can take up nutrients. A little time and heat is what it takes. Might try a little urea on the corn too.

Looks like your corn needs more nitrogen.

I would agree, looks like lack of N.

Different crops need different nutrients at different times.

John, I had a terrible time with my garden this year also. Planted seeds Memorial Day weekend. Treated sweet corn germinated well, but robins plucked a lot of it out and had to replant where they pulled it. Planted peas and nothing came up. Planted them again about two weeks later and got about 50% germination. Planted green beans and 0 germination. Round 2 I bought treated seed and replanted. Maybe 10% germination. Tried a third time and have about 60% germination. The week after M Day we planted our nursery plants. 5 of 12 tomato plants died. 7 of 12 cauliflower plants died. 3 of 12 pepper plants died. Strange thing is that our cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprout, and celery plant did great. Got the tators in real late, but they are doing very well. Had to plant our summer squash and cuks twice also. Sun flowers came up spotty but the pumpkins planted with them all came up. We also had a bumper crop of volunteer dill every where. pulled bunches of it out and still have bunches. It however is way ahead of our cuks that we raise to make dill pickles.
Every box we planted had triple 15 mixed into the soil.
I blamed my problems on lack of sunshine, and cold and wet soil.
Loren

If that frog eats potato bugs I'll take all you can send me. Think my garden's the worst I ever planted, too wet, too cold, no sun. Wanted to get sweet corn planted, needed another day or two of drying out but storm coming, planted anyway,, couple inches that night packed the ground like cement and now a herd of gray squirrels is digging every where, but they are starting to get gun shy.

Soil needs to be above 6.2 pH or higher to grow good corn, if below that, need to get some pellet lime from the farm store and apply it. A soil test is needed to determine your soils pH level, your P nutrient gets tied up (bound to clay) below this pH level. Could be the corn just needs some heat units , it grows best around 80-85 degrees.

Your fertilizer ratios are the same on each product...so that is irrelevant, the amount you apply is. You need a soil test to establish available plant food, and balance it with yield goal and crop requirements. Also look at micronutrients. Looks like your plants are very close together. Field corn at 32,000 ppa is about 7-8(?) inches apart, IIRC. Weeds are thick and draw nutrients.

I planted some of my sweet corn twice, also Loren. Cucumbers twice, emergence is still spotty. Beets were a complete failure. Going to replant them shortly and see what happens. My peas. on the other hand, are doing well. Taters doing well, but the stinking tater bugs are something fierce this year. About everything is suffering from wet feet.


That corn does look like it could use a shot of nitrogen.

I like that frog picture!