Starter fertilizer is put on during planting on perhaps 90% of the corn planted around here. About 125-150 lbs of granular fertilizer, placed 2 inches deep, 2 inches to the side of the corn row. This will not be enough N, but enough P & K. Of late, liquid starter has become much more popular, easier to handle. It is low-salt fertilizer, & put on the row, directly on the seed up to 5 gal per acre, or beside the row up to 10 gal. Here in Minnesota, NH3 is put on in fall after the temps are 50 or lower/ or in spring before planting/ or as sidedress after the corn is up, about 100-150 lbs per acre of actual N. We aim for 150 - 225 bu of corn here. Granular N is not much used for the bulk of N needs other than starter, tho some few use it for all N. I certainly woulda put on up to 150 lbs of fert while planting, that woul give you the P & K, and up to 20lbs of N. You get into salt issues if you put on more ganular in a band too close to the row, so need to do something else to add more N. All forms of N are better off if incorporated into the soil, where they bind up with moisture & soil particles, and need to be converted into useable N. NH3 applied in fall in our cold soils will be there in August yet, as it slowly converts to useable form. If you need more N than the 20 lbs, I would look to the more stable types of granular & spin them on with a cart, or dribble on liquid N down the rows. I assume your acres don't allow knifing in NH3 reasonably. I have not heard of NH3 for fertilizer being outlawed anywhere in the USA, but I sure don't know everything. :) I understand granular is easier to deal with in some locations, and liquid is rapidly gaining popularity. --->Paul
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