I will be doing an area of cover crop this year, and I have a good amount of old, generic sweet corn seed. Rather than holding onto it, I am considering seeding with oats and mowing the area until after the main heat ends, then letting both grow and seed in the fall.
Any ideas as to whether it would still grow? Would the mowing kill the corn? I could do clover as well as a legume. I wouldn’t till again, just plant under the biomass cover and mow the residue.
We’ve been using corn for biomass because we can buy feed corn quite cheaply. There’s no gmo corn in Australia so that’s of no concern. Like most grasses, if cut before flowering it often regrows (more biomass).
I keep meaning to sow some late summer so that it winter kills but never seem to quite get there. It’s a busy time harvesting the various summer legumes - beans and cowpeas mostly.
I would bet it would regrow and go to seed after, and specifically if you mow it before flowering. But maybe oats or clover will take over, depending on the sowing density. And it is a bet! I am unsure: this is what would happen 100% with winter cereals, but with corn other summer grains I do not have the experience.
Whatever the result I would love to have a follow up on that.
My corn needs water, so I use “Arundo donax”. For the canes to make trellis and the biomas to put under the trees.
If you got seeds, I definitely sow them.
Sweet corn isn’t going to be making large amounts of biomass but if you have it then go ahead and try it.