Corn ?

[Cyngbaeld]

I've asked a few farmers why this is and got blank stares.

When you see a field of corn. The stuff in the middle is tall and really nice looking. The plants all around the edge tend to be shorter and sparser. Why? I've seen this all over the country. Doesn't matter how big the field is.

[mary,tx]

Maybe the inner stalks are getting more of the irrigation water, or maybe it's a factor of shading and protection from elements?

[Cyngbaeld]

No, it is not the water. Don't know about shading?

[uncle Will in In.]

Most of the time when the outside row or two is short, yellow and grungy looking. it is planted next to the road side ditch where weeds and sod is growing. The old sod harbors insects such as stock borers that set up camp in the corn stalks. Much of the commercial fertilizer is spread with a fan type slinger, and the edge of the field often doesn't get its equal share because any thrown in the road right of way is a wasted expense. When you see a field of corn that has its outside rows out away from the road it mostly looks more like the average of the rest of the field. The yellow short patches are mostly caused by an over supply of rain water standing in the corns low spots for a short while.

I would say it is the same reason why the tree's in the middle of a forrest are taller. They have to reach up futher for sun light cause the surrounding tree's (or corn) are cutting the light off.

[BrushBuster]

they haven't planted sweet corn around the outside edge have they? sometimes they'll sew the first 2 rows in sweet corn here.

[Cyngbaeld]

No, it isn't a different corn. I've noticed it pretty consistantly across the country. Could be a combination of things, but I spect unc Will has prob hit on it. Thanx

[Hank - Narita]

We are experiencing the same thing. The area is very windy and we feel that the ends get the brunt of the winds and also dry out more than the inner ones that are protected from the elements.