Corn Silage may be planted up to 30 days before the last anticipated frost of spring. Pictured here is a field planted under plastic in the area of St. John’s, NL. Despite snow, the corn seeds germinated and went on to produce a healthy crop.

A forage grass field planted in the area of Goulds NL. This is first year growth. The field had been clipped to control weeds.

Pictured is a newly planted forage field in the central area of NL. When not using a companion crop (such as oats and peas), it is important to use chemical and mechanical controls to control weeds. In this instance, Lady’s Thumb, a common annual weed, got ahead of the seedlings, and smothered out the grass crop.

Shown in this picture are germinated corn plants, still under the plastic. The plastic mulch provides a warm environment, with protection from wind and frost. Small perforations along the seeded areas allow the exchange of gasses and the entry of rainwater.