PLANTING CORN
In the Garden of Eden where I live, I'm planting corn part to my intake to feed the animals, and to sell on the trade. Use seed and early hybrid. (Valdemir Mota de Menezes)
CORN
Botanical name: Zea mays
Plant type: Vegetable
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Soil type: Loamy
Soil pH: Neutral
Sweet corn is an annual with yellow, white, and bi-colored ears. A long, frost-free growing season is necessary after planting. Sweet corn is wind-pollinated, so it should be planted in blocks, rather than in single rows. Early, mid, and late-season varieties extend the harvest. If you miss the optimal harvest time, corn will go downhill fast as sugars convert to starch.
Planting
* Corn is picky about its soil. Work in aged manure or compost the fall before planting and let over winter in the soil.
* Starting seeds indoors is not recommended.
* Plant seeds outdoors two weeks after the last spring frost date.
* Make sure soil temperature is above 60 degrees for successful germination. (Up to 65 for super sweet varieties.) In colder zones, the ground can be warmed by a black plastic cover if necessary. Plant seeds through holes.
* Plant seeds 1 inch deep, 9 to 12 inches apart.
* Leave about 3 feet between rows.
* For sufficient pollination, plan your plot right. Don’t plant two long rows, rather, plant corn blocks of at least four rows.
* You may choose to fertilize at planting time, corn is meant to grow rapidly. If you are confident that the soil is adequate, this can be skipped.
* Water well at planting time.
Care
* Be careful not to damage the roots when weeding.
* Soil must be well drained and able to keep consistent moisture.
* In dry conditions, be sure to keep corn well watered due to its shallow roots. Water at a rate of 5 gallons per sq yard. Mulch helps reduce evaporation.
* When the plants are 4 to 5 inches tall, thin them to stand 16 to 23 inches apart.
Pests
* Spotted Cucumber Beetles
* Flea Beetles
* Cutworms
* Corn Rootworms
* Raccoons
Harvest/Storage
* Harvest when tassels begin to turn brown and cobs start to swell. Kernels should be full and milky.
* Pull ears downward and twist to take off stalk.
* Sweet corn varieties lose their sweetness soon after harvesting.
* Prepare for eating or preserving immediately after picking.
* Sweet corn freezes well, especially if removed from ears before freezing.
Recommended Varieties
There are three types of sweet corn: Normal, sugar enhanced and super sweet. Each one contains a different level of sucrose, changing the flavor and texture of the corn. Sweeter varieties will stay sweeter for longer after harvest.
* ‘Iochief’ Midseason normal-sugar variety. Yellow.
* ‘Silver Queen’ normal sugar-variety. Resistant to some bacterial diseases. White.
* ‘Challenger Crisp n Sweet’ supersweet variety, resistant to some diseases, high yield. Yellow.
* ‘Pristine’ sugar enhanced variety, good taste. White.
In the Garden of Eden where I live, I'm planting corn part to my intake to feed the animals, and to sell on the trade. Use seed and early hybrid. (Valdemir Mota de Menezes)
CORN
Botanical name: Zea mays
Plant type: Vegetable
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Soil type: Loamy
Soil pH: Neutral
Sweet corn is an annual with yellow, white, and bi-colored ears. A long, frost-free growing season is necessary after planting. Sweet corn is wind-pollinated, so it should be planted in blocks, rather than in single rows. Early, mid, and late-season varieties extend the harvest. If you miss the optimal harvest time, corn will go downhill fast as sugars convert to starch.
Planting
* Corn is picky about its soil. Work in aged manure or compost the fall before planting and let over winter in the soil.
* Starting seeds indoors is not recommended.
* Plant seeds outdoors two weeks after the last spring frost date.
* Make sure soil temperature is above 60 degrees for successful germination. (Up to 65 for super sweet varieties.) In colder zones, the ground can be warmed by a black plastic cover if necessary. Plant seeds through holes.
* Plant seeds 1 inch deep, 9 to 12 inches apart.
* Leave about 3 feet between rows.
* For sufficient pollination, plan your plot right. Don’t plant two long rows, rather, plant corn blocks of at least four rows.
* You may choose to fertilize at planting time, corn is meant to grow rapidly. If you are confident that the soil is adequate, this can be skipped.
* Water well at planting time.
Care
* Be careful not to damage the roots when weeding.
* Soil must be well drained and able to keep consistent moisture.
* In dry conditions, be sure to keep corn well watered due to its shallow roots. Water at a rate of 5 gallons per sq yard. Mulch helps reduce evaporation.
* When the plants are 4 to 5 inches tall, thin them to stand 16 to 23 inches apart.
Pests
* Spotted Cucumber Beetles
* Flea Beetles
* Cutworms
* Corn Rootworms
* Raccoons
Harvest/Storage
* Harvest when tassels begin to turn brown and cobs start to swell. Kernels should be full and milky.
* Pull ears downward and twist to take off stalk.
* Sweet corn varieties lose their sweetness soon after harvesting.
* Prepare for eating or preserving immediately after picking.
* Sweet corn freezes well, especially if removed from ears before freezing.
Recommended Varieties
There are three types of sweet corn: Normal, sugar enhanced and super sweet. Each one contains a different level of sucrose, changing the flavor and texture of the corn. Sweeter varieties will stay sweeter for longer after harvest.
* ‘Iochief’ Midseason normal-sugar variety. Yellow.
* ‘Silver Queen’ normal sugar-variety. Resistant to some bacterial diseases. White.
* ‘Challenger Crisp n Sweet’ supersweet variety, resistant to some diseases, high yield. Yellow.
* ‘Pristine’ sugar enhanced variety, good taste. White.
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