So I really wanted to garden this year and I thought, why not try out corn? So I bought a packet of Peaches and Cream sweet corn. It said 225 seeds, and I took that personally.
Instead of doing research on smart things like spacing corn, I did the math on how I could fit them all in these three 12×3 plots. So basically three rows within 36 inches wide and plants are spaced 6-8 inches apart in the rows. Ouch. And here I am now 9 weeks later. Trying to learn as much as I can from my eagerness and stupidity.
Some more info: From left to right, the plots are 9 weeks old, 7 weeks old, and 5 weeks old. Every single corn was made in a soil block and then transplanted into the ground 2 weeks from start date. I had cut out as much weeds as possible and then put down 2 inches of compost and almost an inch of straw, and would put the soil blocks of corn into that. I've also side dressed left and middle row with blood meal 2 weeks ago, and will probably do so for the third row next week. A lot of the left plot stalks are growing ears, and I included a pic with the silks, but we will see how big they actually get.
Anyways, next year I will space better and jump in and control weeds better. Happy gardening everyone!
by meatcheeseandbun
12 Comments
You got a cornfield in your backyard! They look amazing tho. I also made the mistake of planting too many zucchinis and tomato’s in my resided bed not knowing how massive they get. Oh well
One of the many reasons that I love gardening. It is the ultimate trial and error. You learn from what works and what doesn’t work, and then improve the next year.
I wouldn’t consider this a mistake, other than the fact that you’re going to have a ton of sweet corn to deal with. Corn likes to be packed in tight. Its wind pollinated and close proximity to other plants increases the chance of pollen falling onto the silks of the ears, and getting a fully developed ear. Corn that’s too spaced out won’t have a cob full of kernels.
Over zealous with the amount? Maybe, but give yourself more credit! You’re doing most of it the right way. Keep an eye out for worms eating the tips of the cobs, and get ahead with regular applications of bt spray to get them picture perfect!
Could you please post a follow-up after you harvest the corn? I’m curious to see your yield.
Dude this is awesome.
Get an old time baseball uniform and walk in from the garden when your guests arrive.
Mulch them, mulch them nice and high. Make sure they don’t get the stocks too wet. That they are dry near the stocks.
Corn is considered a heavy feeder.
When the silks start showing be ready to spray with some bt or other insecticide, Corn pests are a common concern for sweet corn growers. They lay their eggs on the silks, and the larvae that hatch burrow into the ear, feeding on the kernels.
Corn actually likes to be planted close together. It helps to plant anywhere from 6-8 seeds together in one hole. You will thin them out. They will support each other when growing up, keep each other upright, balance each other out, and help pollination. They will grow in a big bush and don’t mind the crowding.
If you build it they will come… pspspspsps
“And I took that personally” has me dying hahahahaha
More enthusiasm than sense is probably my motto. I think I went a bit overboard this year, and am not spending as much time as I should managing my garden. Thankfully, the plants are decent enough at managing themselves.
That is a huge amount of corn to deal with. You’ll have a lot to give away or freeze unless you have pigs or livestock to feed. That being said, the density and spacing might help you. I’ve only planted about a dozen or so plants, and I have to hand pollinate. You probably don’t need to worry about that, which is nice.
If you really want to up your game, check out some youtube videos on hand pollinating corn.
I think it looks beautiful. I went to school in Iowa in the late 70s and I remember all those fields of corn. As a Chicago girl, that sight was something to behold.