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mikeingeorgia
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:03 pm
- Location: Senoia, GA
Corn plants turning brown
Hey, I planted some corn about 45 days ago. They are all about 6" tall and the leaves are turning brown. They've been getting plenty of sunlight and it's been nice and warm and I water them about every 3 days. So, what would you think is the matter? I'm thinking if they're getting sunlight and water and still not doing great than the soil must be missing some nutrients?
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jal_ut
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
Are all the leaves turning brown, or just some of the lower leaves?
Too much water, and cool weather often causes some of the lower leaves to go brown, and the upper leaves will be a light green color bordering on yellow, instead of a good deep green. Frost will also turn it all brown. If your top growth is a good green color, don't worry.
Lack of fertility in corn is usually shown by the corn leaves being a light greenish yellow color. Strangely enough, too much water or too much manure will make it go the same color.
I would back off on the water for a week and see what happens.
Too much water, and cool weather often causes some of the lower leaves to go brown, and the upper leaves will be a light green color bordering on yellow, instead of a good deep green. Frost will also turn it all brown. If your top growth is a good green color, don't worry.
Lack of fertility in corn is usually shown by the corn leaves being a light greenish yellow color. Strangely enough, too much water or too much manure will make it go the same color.
I would back off on the water for a week and see what happens.
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mikeingeorgia
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:03 pm
- Location: Senoia, GA
Too much water locks up the available nitrogen in the soil.. Corn requires copious amounts of nitrogen. When they are a light green / yellow they are nitrogen deficient.
at 6 inches tall none of the leaves should be anything but green.. Otherwise you have a disease on your hands... but I think you mean 6 feet (got that from the 45 day period). As the plant matures some of the lower leaves may dry up... not much to worry about.... Other than some leaf blight and rust...
watch for corn beatles, japanese beatles and ear worms at silking and during ear growth... First two will cut silk and the ear won't fully pollinate... last one bores into the ear (generally at the end) to feed.
at 6 inches tall none of the leaves should be anything but green.. Otherwise you have a disease on your hands... but I think you mean 6 feet (got that from the 45 day period). As the plant matures some of the lower leaves may dry up... not much to worry about.... Other than some leaf blight and rust...
watch for corn beatles, japanese beatles and ear worms at silking and during ear growth... First two will cut silk and the ear won't fully pollinate... last one bores into the ear (generally at the end) to feed.