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
S           S S S S S S
T T T         T T T T T
P P           P P P P P

(Best months for growing Sweet corn in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 16°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 cm 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

29 Nov 11, JOSEPH (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Dear Leo, Corn require a soil temperature of at least 15deg to germinate, as added point interest last year I placed my corn seeds in a tray of toilet roll holders fill with pottting mix and water them with a small amount of epsom salts at the recommend rate of a dessert spoon to 4:5 litres of water. The results were suprising to say the least, try it and let me know. The plants tillered quite amazingly with three plants from each seed and tasty cobs when havested. Hope you as much success as I had.
07 Nov 11, Macka (Australia - temperate climate)
I have always found if planting seedlings for corn, it is best to use a seedling tray therefore when you transplant the seeds the soil which they are planted in will hold in the roots for a more successful corn growth post transplanting. its best not to use a sandy soil for growing the seedlings and also i recomend trying to use mature chook manure as a fertilizer particularty the manure from the side of the road, as i have had nothing but trouble using poultry manure from a nursery. Hope this helps you leo
08 Oct 11, Vanese (Australia - temperate climate)
When it says avoid growing with say tomatoes....how far away do you have to be? I have a small garden. Thank you
12 May 11, Barbara Campbell (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have just pulled my sweet corn plants out, and I am wondering what would be the best vegetable to plant in that spot.
19 Oct 12, Ferry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
corn sucks minerals from the soil so beans, peas or a green manure crop would be good for the soil.
13 Jan 11, FRANK (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The best advice about sweetcorn and its growth is to plant seeds,add plenty of compost,well aged manure and or blood/bone and be generous with these, water well if rain is limited. Also add grass clippings or lucerne as a mulch.
11 Jan 11, Charis (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm a first time grower, our corn plants were growing so well, but once the actual corn started growing it stayed small, the silk went brown and everything seems to be dying, we have had a lot of rain this summer, could that be a problem? We were really looking forward to harvest and the kids and hubby are so disapointed. Is it too late to try again? or wait till next time? Is corn meant to be easy to take care of?
11 Jan 11, Russell (Australia - temperate climate)
My corn has turned out realy well, I have got 2 cobs off each plant, do the plants re- shoot or do I pull them out and plant new seedlings
26 Nov 10, Pru (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I found out the hard way that transplanting seedlings is not worth it. They were pale and stopped growing. A month later I planted seed next to the seedlings and now the seed I planted is as bigger and looking healthier than the transplanted seedlings. The transplanted seedlings still look sickly pale. I'm going to pull them out. If the cobs are not forming properly, this means that pollination was not completely successful.
23 Nov 10, Bev Joannou (Australia - temperate climate)
My corn is about 4' high and the leaves have opened up to reveal the immature green corn cob, it isn't encased in it's protective leaves, what is going wrong?
Showing 231 - 240 of 323 comments

1. How do you know when Corn is ready to harvest? @ How many cobs can you expect from just one plant ( i have six plants which are pretty near harvesting - I think they seem to have 2 - 3 cobbs per plant?

- Bill conry

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