PERFECT Corn Every Time

If you have had problems growing

corn

in the past, I have some helpful suggestions that will surely help you. Hi, I'm Ben Vanheems and today I'm determined to help you achieve the harvest of your dreams, and it all starts with how you plant. Poor germination often occurs in colder conditions, so it's a good idea to start seeds indoors if warmer weather tends to arrive later where you are. A temperature of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 21 degrees Celsius, gives the fastest results, as it leaves less

time

for the seeds to languish and potentially rot.   Germinating indoors also reduces the risk of mice or other rodents discovering the seeds and eating them.  There is also no rush to sow.

Mid to late spring is fine, because you don't want to be in a situation where you have plants desperate to be planted outside when there is still a very real threat of frost. These guys are now ready to plant. We'll see.   Oh yeah, there you have it: it has a really healthy root system. However, they are still quite small and while there is nothing wrong with that, once they are planted, birds may still be able to lift them to reach the seeds underneath. To prevent this and help them transition to fresher air, I will keep them covered with this row cover until they have uprooted and settled into their new home, in about two weeks.

Slow or lackluster growth can be caused by several factors, including poor light levels, lack of moisture, or lack of nutrients.   All types of

corn

need plenty of direct sunlight.  Look at this block here: You can clearly see how the plants on the right are stunted because they remain in the shade for much of the day.   These tall plants are hungry plants, so it is important to enrich the beds with plenty of organic matter, such as garden compost, and then, at planting

time

, spread a balanced general-purpose organic fertilizer. Don't plant them too close together or we risk having disappointingly small ears.

I can leave about a foot (i.e. 30 centimeters) between plants in my wetter climate, but if you are growing in a drier climate, you may want to leave about 15 or 16 inches (i.e. 40 centimeters) apart. so that each plant the plants have more resources to draw on.   If it is dry, water very thoroughly, aiming for the base of the plants to avoid disease problems. Consistent moisture is essential to ensuring those big, fat ears we're after, so it's hard to overstate the importance of this. While wind is good for this wind-pollinated crop, strong gusts can sometimes knock plants over.   Soft, fleshy growth makes plants more susceptible to falling over, something that is more likely when there is too much nitrogen, so avoid using fertilizers with very high nitrogen content.   It is not uncommon to see roots poking through the surface near the stems.

If this happens, mound soil over the roots to keep them covered, or simply cover the entire area with compost mulch, which will help with growth anyway. If you notice plants swaying in the wind, consider tying them to stakes. Planting in blocks helps plants support each other to some extent and has other benefits as well. Look at these ears. It's tempting to think that a pest has eaten the grains, but in reality they never developed at all. Incomplete or inconsistent grain development (with ears only partially or sporadically full) is due to poor pollination. The silks that protrude from the ends of each ear are responsible for carrying pollen to the kernels.   A strand connects to a core, so for complete filling, each silk strand must be pollinated.   Getting this right starts at planting time.

Because corn is wind-pollinated, it is important to plant it in a block rather than just a single or double row. Planting in a block like this increases the chances that pollen released on the tassels at the top of the plant will fall to the female strands at the bottom. If you only grow a few plants, try hand-pollinating them.   Wait until the anthers are hanging from the tassels at the top, then cut off one of the sections of the tassel and then run it back and forth over the silks below. Be thorough so that each strand receives some pollen.

You can also touch the stems on calm days to help expel pollen.   American and Canadian gardeners will be very familiar with the damage that corn bollworms cause to grains. Corn earworms are the caterpillars of a nocturnal flying moth that lays its eggs in silks. Once they hatch, the caterpillars head straight for the ears. One way to combat them is to drop about a quarter teaspoon of oil on the point where the silks enter the ears about a week after they first emerge. You can also try planting varieties with tight shells that make it difficult for caterpillars to enter, or simply grow an early variety that has a good chance of maturing before earworms peak towards the end of summer.

Another pest that can bore into ears (but more often stalks) is the appropriately named corn borer.   Exposed caterpillars can be controlled with Bt, a spray made from a naturally occurring bacteria, but try to prevent infection in the first place by keeping your corn patch free of weeds.   Both pests overwinter as pupae, so take extra care at the end of the season to remove old plants to your compost pile. And if they have been a problem, dig up the area to expose anything that may be lurking underground and plant in a different area next year. Have you ever had the experience of eating what looks like a sweet, juicy ear of corn and discovering that it tastes bland?

This is the number one reason why paying a little more for your seeds is really worth it.   Hybrid (or F1) varieties are bred for their taste and flavor, producing superior ears, especially if you choose one of the super sweet varieties. Sweeter varieties of bread will also retain their flavor longer, although of course the closer you can pick the cobs to cooking them, the better. Another reason behind tasteless or starchy sweet corn ears is that they are picked late.   Pick the ears as soon as the silks have turned brown, not later. If in doubt, check for doneness by dipping a fingernail into one of the grains like this.

It should exude a milky liquid.    If not, you've left it too late, as most of those precious sugars will have turned into starch.   If these common problems are mastered, corn will be a wonderfully easy crop to grow. Share your tips for growing the best corn below, and if you found this video helpful, consider hitting the subscribe button because it really helps us out. Thanks for watching and for more tips on growing sweet corn, check out this Sow to Reap video. I'll see you next time.