Don't think it's smooth sailing just because the corn seed has germinated and is up and growing. Young seedlings are often found toppled over. There are three possible culprits for this dilemma.
The two most common offenders are birds
and rats. Netting will help to exclude the birds and maybe a scarecrow,
too. Rats will come at night and nibble
on the succulent seedlings. Bait or trapping is the solution for rats.
There are also some caterpillars like cutworms, that at night will feed
on the seedlings, cutting off the stem at ground level. The plant is not
consumed but damaged enough to cause the seedling to topple.
Removing old crop residue and surrounding weeds will reduce the cutworm
population. Worms can be hand-picked from the ground at night. Spraying the
seedlings and the ground with Bt (Bacillus
thuringiensis), an organic pesticide, may also help.
Photos: University of Minnesota Extension
Photos: University of Minnesota Extension
