Sweet corn planting ??

[coobie]

I have tried to raise a good crop of sweet corn for the last 3 years.I can,t seem to get mine to grow big enough to eat.Any tips on how to make my crop florish?Thanks,coobie.

 

[bp fick]

coobie

Sweet corn is very resource intensive. It takes fertile ground, lots of N, nitrogen, and lots of water. Start with your soil and do a lot of amendments this fall. Do you compost? Chemical fertilizers alone will soon sour your soil. Also, you shouldn't grow corn perpetually on the same plot. Crop rotation.
Remember the fish. (referencing the Indians who gave us corn, beans, squash and so much more. We tend to forget the fish ie. the natural forms of fertilizing)

Finally, change up varieties until you find one that works well for your growing zone. Southern Michigan can take a good 120 day corn, as typically, the frost free days number that many. Your micro area may require you dial that back to a 100 day corn, give or take.

 

[coobie]

coobie

Sweet corn is very resource intensive. It takes fertile ground, lots of N, nitrogen, and lots of water. Start with your soil and do a lot of amendments this fall. Do you compost? Chemical fertilizers alone will soon sour your soil. Also, you shouldn't grow corn perpetually on the same plot. Crop rotation.
Remember the fish. (referencing the Indians who gave us corn, beans, squash and so much more. We tend to forget the fish ie. the natural forms of fertilizing)

Finally, change up varieties until you find one that works well for your growing zone. Southern Michigan can take a good 120 day corn, as typically, the frost free days number that many. Your micro area may require you dial that back to a 100 day corn, give or take.

I usally plant winter rye grass in my garden areas,cow manure in the fall with 12-12-12 fertlizer,with some composting.I did change my corn variety this year maybe that will help.Thanks,coobie

 

[radioman]

Not sure what you are doing, but bp is right, rotate crops. plant in different areas then year before. I plant my corn in 4 short rows for cross pollenation. Always think min of 4 rows next to each other. Every other year, I would plant pumpkins right with the corn, it always seems to help too. I used to get corn seeds from burpee, or other packaged seeds and noticed low yeilds or not straight corn. I ended up going to my local countrymax store and get corn from bulk bin and always got better results.

 

[coobie]

Not sure what you are doing, but bp is right, rotate crops. plant in different areas then year before. I plant my corn in 4 short rows for cross pollenation. Always think min of 4 rows next to each other. Every other year, I would plant pumpkins right with the corn, it always seems to help too. I used to get corn seeds from burpee, or other packaged seeds and noticed low yeilds or not straight corn. I ended up going to my local countrymax store and get corn from bulk bin and always got better results.

This year I went to the local feed mill and bought my sweet corn seed in bulk,hope it helps.I also will plant 3 short rows,about 12 inches apart.coobie

 

[Molerj]

I would plant the rows a little farther apart than 12". You won't be able to walk between the rows. Minimum of 24".

 

[bp fick]

If you are using manure and also tilling under "green" manure, ie Rye, your N count should be pretty good. Still a soil sample might tell you. One thing you have to watch out for with all the manure is N lock, whereby the N gets locked up decomposing the manures. A dose of lime usually takes care of that, but takes 4 weeks to work.

Best of wishes on your corn this year.

 

[Luremaker]

Do as bp fick suggest and get a soil test and space you corn our a little more.

A basic soil test around here is ~$15. It is really easy process. I'd search for on-line for a local lab and follow their instructions. Either drop off or mail your sample to them. Most labs will email results to you in less than a week. Your soil test results will list exactly what nutrients you require for sweet corn. No more guessing!

Corn grows best with a PH of between 6.0 and 7.0 and needs lot's of nitrogen (~90lbs /acre). Your phosphorus and potassium requirements can only be determined from your soil test. In my case my soil test determined the phosphorus level is 5ppm and recommended that I add 90lbs/acre and potassium level is 81ppm and recommended I add 50lbs/acre. Those recommendations are based on my soil type and micro-nutrient levels found. Yours will differ.

You can convert lbs per acre to linear foot of row by dividing lbs/acre by 17500. There is 17,500 feet of row per acre when rows are spaced 30 inches apart. Sweet corn is usually grown in rows spaced between 30 and 36 inches and plants are spaced 7-10 inches in the row.

I have been experimenting for the past ten years with sweet corn. First two years I planted small patches of sweet corn and like you had dismal results. I've been slowly expanding the size of my patches each year with better and better results. Last summer I planted an acre and this year I will plant 2 acres. There are some TBN members who are very knowledgeable corn growers. You may want to use TBN's search to find some of their posts.

 

[dcyrilc]

We tried planting corn in an area of poor soil last year and had some interesting results. The stalks topped out at about 12" tall and had several ears about 1/2" long.:laughing:

This year I'm getting a little more serious about doing it right.

 

[BungeeII]

I usally plant winter rye grass in my garden areas,cow manure in the fall with 12-12-12 fertlizer,with some composting.I did change my corn variety this year maybe that will help.Thanks,coobie

See if you can find Illini Xtra Sweet at a local hardware. We plant about 6 rows, 30" apart, and add Nitrogen when they get about waist high. We keep them watered pretty well, too.

If you planted too soon last year, your crop was doomed. We waited until June 1st and had a bumper crop of corn and tomatoes.

 

[coobie]

Thanks for all of the good information.coobie

 

[dooleysm]

I put out 4 50' rows, spaced about 36" apart. I space the kernels about 12" apart within the rows. I repeat this every 3-4 weeks, starting in mid-April. I move the corn around within the garden each year and have pretty good results.

 

[charlz]

Corn is pretty N intensive and I plant intensively.

Because of the spacing of my wheels and that we flood irrigate I plant corn in 'double rows' or whatever you want to call it. Basically a raised bed about 2 feet wide. I put two rows of corn down each bed with about 15" or less between the corn. About 12" furrows on each side. This (barely) gives me room to walk down the furrows and get to each side of the corn. Almost works out to 15" spacing of rows and the tightness seems to help keep the weeds down. Seeds are about 8" apart.

I use an Earthway seeder and also use it to fertilize. I plant the two rows of corn and then I put in the Beet plate (or whatever one looks about right for the fertilizer granules) and lay a strip of fertilizer right down the middle between of the rows of seed.

I follow the 'side dress' advice of applying fertilizer when it is 8" high and again when it is 18" high. Supposed to be 2" over and 2" down but I end up more like 6" over and 2" down. I just use the Earthway again for the side dressing and go right down between the corn. I think with flood irrigating it migrates anyway and seems to work fine.

I have gone with 16-16-16 at planting then 46-0-0 for the side-dressing but last year I used 46-0-0 for all three and got the same results. Keep it wet when it is at the 'kernel fill' stage.

Basic lab soil tests here start at $38 to $42 so I don't even bother to send it out. I have done some testing with the home test kits but those really don't help all that much (other than determining your PH)