Growing Sweet corn, also corn,maize

Zea mays, var. rugosa : Poaceae / the grass family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P P            

(Best months for growing Sweet corn in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 11-14 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): All beans, cucumber, melons, peas, pumpkin, squash, amaranth
  • Avoid growing close to: Celery.

Your comments and tips

03 Feb 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Fertiliser.
27 Jan 19, Michael (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Advice needed: *what species of corn to grow in subtropics (Northern NSW, Australia). *what desities (2, 3, 4 rows, how far apart)? Thanks all.
29 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Plant 20cm apart rows 60-70cm apart. 15-20 seeds in 2-3 rows Try Boondie seeds on the internet – variety “bicolour” nice and sweet.
06 Feb 19, Michael (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks everyone for the advise. WIll check out Boondie seeds! Also found Greenpatch seeds around the corner from them too. Looks promising.
29 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Better to plant 2-3-4 rows to have better pollination.
31 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Google about growing it in WA
24 Jan 19, Noel (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in Perth wa what is the best time to grow sweet corn anfor what period can you grow for
31 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Perth: This impressive crop does take up a bit of room but it's well worth it; the sweetness of fresh picked home-grown sweet corn is hard to beat. Plant from September through to January. Preparing the site Choose a sunny site that’s protected from strong winds. Sweet corn is a hungry crop so it’s important to enrich your soil before planting. Add a plenty of aged manure and a handful of blood & bone per square metre and fork it in well. Sweet corn will do well in a bed that’s previously grown healthy peas or beans. In the right conditions, each plant will usually produce 2 ears of corn. Planting Plant seedlings or seeds (ensure seeds are fresh). Space 30cm apart and plant in blocks rather than a single long row. Planting in blocks assists pollination which is essential for the development of kernels. Plant early and late varieties in separate blocks for a longer season. Water seeds well after planting then sparingly until germination occurs as the seeds can rot easily. When the stalks are about 20cm high, mound the soil up against the stalks. This process, called hilling, encourages more roots to grow which will help stabilise the plant during windy conditions. You can also achieve the same result by planting the seeds in a furrow and backfilling as the plants grow. Watering and fertilising Once the plants are well underway it’s important to ensure an adequate moisture level, especially since the plants will be at their peak of fruit production over the hot months. Drip irrigate if possible and mulch well to retain moisture. As soon as the tassel appears at the top of the plant, give the soil a boost with a granular fertiliser that’s high in nitrogen. Insufficient pollination results in ears of corn with lots of missing kernels. Planting sweet corn in one long single row can result in most of the pollen being blown away, which is why gardeners plant corn in blocks instead.Can be hand pollinated by cutting off a pollen-laden tassel each day and gently brushing over the silks . Sweet corn is ready to pick 2-3 weeks after pollination and it's important to keep up the water during this time.
25 Jan 19, Amanda (Australia - temperate climate)
I’m not from WA but this lady has blogged about her experiments with different vegetables in Perth, including corn. I can’t post the link because of the spam filter, but search for “belle’s veggie garden WA now and then” and click on the veggie link. Basically she only really had success in December.
24 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
All year probably - summer may require a lot of watering though.
Showing 111 - 120 of 418 comments

Colleen, the shallow soil shouldn't be a problem as sweetcorn has a fibrous root system and is shallow rooted. The most important thing is too keep the moisture up and keep them well mulched if soil is shallow. If cobs are small due to not all kerels developing, this due to lack of pollination. Follow the instructions on the site and plant in blocks. Regards.

- willo

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