maize plastic or not

dar31

dose the extra cost of maize under plastic pay for its self, when you take in all the extra costs involved
going to sow 25ac maize this year ourselves, first time in 6/7 years

what varieties do people find the best

blue5000

Why grow maize at all? This year I'm growing barley instead, I'll sell the grain and feed the straw to dry cows, I reckon the straw will be better feed than last year's maize.

Varities I grew last couple of years were Loft, cougar and konsort, all without plastic. Ok crop in 2010, but brutal last year, only putting in about 4 acres this year. It will be fed to weanling bulls.

bob charles

depends on many factors. Firstly what end result do you want, starch, high Dm, big yield, % of diet its going to make up. We are after 2 horrid years for maize growing especially in the open. Many people had forgotten the basics of maize growing as there were allot of handy growing years in the noughties. If you have a required tonnage and a limiting amount of land available then you have no option but to go with plastic. If you have plenty of acres then you can go without but only on fertile soils. As regards varieties - again what are your criteria for next winter diet