Barry,

The corn stalks you saw mixed with beans were volunteer corn.  All the crops at The Proving Grounds are planted strictly for wildlife.  That is to say none of them are harvested.  Hence, there are usually a few volunteer stalks of corn or beans from the previous crop.  I don’t plant corn and beans together any more.

Years ago I used to mix and plant corn and soybeans in the same field.  However, a bigger yield can be produced by planting either corn or soybeans and managing the field for maximum production of the specific crop.  In addition, the nitrogen produced by beans is a form that is relatively stable in the soil.  That is to say that most of it will remain there till the next crop utilizes it.

It is always a good practice to rotate crops.  Many diseases and pests that are specific to either corn or soybeans can be controlled by simply planting another crop for at least a year in that field.  Hence, if you have a problem with corn, that disease/pest won’t have corn to feed on if soybeans are planted in that field the next year.

Corn typically produces twice too three times as much grain per acre as soybeans.  I usually plant about 2/3’s of my corn/bean acreage in soybeans and 1/3 in corn.  I rotate the location of each crop annually (sometimes I plant beans in the same field two years in a row), but maintain the same overall ratio.  This practice works well on several properties I manage.

Growing Deer together,

Grant