By Daniel Simpson
Corn Planting Season Begins in Pamlico County
Spring has sprung, and for Pamlico County farmers that means it’s planting season. Pamlico County residents may have noticed the flurry of activity occurring in local fields in preparation for the coming season. This includes fertilizer and weed control applications, drainage management activities, and tillage operations. In this article, I will provide a quick insight into the current corn crop and discuss some of the unique challenges that growers face in 2026.
Modern Farming and Pre-Season Planning for Corn Production
The days of horse-drawn equipment are long past as modern agriculture has evolved to become more efficient. This efficiency is driven by low commodity prices, ever-increasing input costs, and the need to produce more bushels of corn on fewer acres with fewer people, just to remain profitable. As a reminder to our readers, farming is a business, and unless farms remain profitable, they cannot continue to produce crops.
Key Decisions Made Before Planting Season
To this end, many decisions about the current crop were made several months ago. This included selecting seed corn based upon yield performance, collecting soil samples and amending soil fertility to optimize growth, and simply deciding how many acres could be planted based upon price and cost projections that change daily.
Corn Planting and Germination Process
Once planting has begun, corn seed is placed into the ground to a depth of about 2 inches. From this moment onward, Mother Nature dictates how the season unfolds. For optimal germination to occur, corn seeds need adequate moisture and the accumulation of a specific number of hours of warm temperatures above 50 degrees. With sufficient temperatures, most of the seeds planted will germinate within 5-7 days after planting and rise uniformly above the soil within a 24-hour period.
Source : ncsu.edu