Corn, having edible grain also known as maize, belongs to the grass family. We will try to cover each and every phase from soil preparation to sowing the seeds, from planting to growing and then caring for harvesting corn. You will learn in details basic and crucial conditions and fundamental requirements to grow unexcelled corns. You will be able to find out the exact time that when to grow corns? A detailed guide for growing corn from seeds. How to grow corn and protect them from unseen threats? When and how to harvest corn.
Is there anything better than to eat like fresh and sweet corn growing by yourself in your own garden? It has a unique flavor and sweet taste that make it quintessential during summer. Whenever someone thinks about growing corn then it comes into mind that it requires a vast field for planting corn. Is that so? If you are thinking the same, then you are absolutely wrong. It is just an impression, you can grow corn wherever you want. You can grow it both in your garden and containers as well. We will guide you on how to grow corn and make it very easy for you. Let’s have a look at different types of corn which you can grow easily and precisely.
Types of corn
Whenever you want to grow your own corn, do think about different varieties of corn and choose one which suits you most in the perspective of time and place. Here are few most famous and good varieties of corn which you can try:
Ambrosia Hybrid produces yellow and white ears on 6-1/6 feet tall plant. It takes 75 days for its mature growth. Jubilee Hybrid takes 81 days for full growth and 8-1/2 feet ears with sweet yellow kernels. Celestial Hybrid has good disease resistance capabilities. Its stalks grow six and a half feet tall. Silver Queen, Sugar Buns Hybrid and Trinity Hybrid are some other varieties of corn.
Conditions for growing corn
After choosing a suitable type for planting corns, you should know appropriate conditions for best production of corn. If you miss proper time to grow then you will not be able to obtain optimum crop. If you want to vigorous quality of your crop, you must learn all crucial and pivotal conditions for growing corn. If you fulfill all basic requirement and sow exactly on time then you will procure healthy and qualitative yield.
It requires warm climates and full sun for 6 to 8 hours, so try to pick a site where it can have enough sunlight. If you fail to choose a sunny place then you will be unable to obtain fresh and tasty corn.
To acquire the ideal yield, overwinter in the soil before planting corns. Your soil should be the effective mixture of different organic material like well-rotted compost and manure so that you can have maximum production with sweetest grains. Make sure that the pH of the soil should be neutral. Sweet corns should be grown in blocks instead of a single row, by doing so, corns will be well pollinated.
When to plant sweet corn?
Corns are warm weather crop and really susceptible to frost. Be careful while growing your crops, otherwise, frost will destroy your crop. It doesn’t like transplant so it’s superior to wait until all risk of frost passed away and the soil becomes warms up 60 F for best germination.
Growing corn from seeds
If you are growing corns just for eating purpose then 10 to 15 plants are enough for one person. It’s not best practice to grow seeds indoors. Its root is shallow so transplantation is a difficult process because it will disturb the roots while transplanting. You should always go with growing corn from seeds.
How to plant corn
Till now, you have learned the most important aspects for growing corns. We have covered different types of planting corns. You are familiarized with the basic requirements and primary conditions and by utilizing this you can grow sweetest corns into your own garden. In this section, we will learn in details how to plant corns for best production.
- Select a sunny place which almost receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day.
- Spend your winter for preparing your soil. Make your soil loamy but avoid soggy soil.
- Add compost and manure to boost your production.
- When the last date of frost in spring passed away then after two weeks, sow the seeds outdoors.
- Make sure that soil temperature should be 60 or above for best germinations.
- Sow the seeds half to 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Corn seedlings rows should be 30 to 36 inches apart.
- For best production grow the corns in blocks and try to avoid planting corns in rows.
- Corn seedlings are not good to transplant so always grow them on a permanent place. Corn spacing should be 15 to 20 in a single row.
How to grow corn
After planting corns, you should continuously be attached for your crop. You will learn here how to grow corns after sowing it.
- Corn spacing should be maintained properly when corn seedlings attain a height of 3 to 4 inches.
- During weeding, be careful about corn roots.
- Soil should be well-drained and capable to keep moisture.
How to care corn?
Your effort after planting corns is not ended yet. Try to protect and care them as much as possible. Caring corns will give you maximum yields. We have learned how to plant corns and how to grow corns? Let’s move toward the caring of corns.
- In colder regions, use black plastic cover to warm the soil for best germinations.
- Corn spacing should be maintained. Try to cut the dead foliage.
- Weed the crop carefully.
- Water the crop well.
- Protect corns from pests.
When and how do you harvest corn?
Harvesting corns is the final step you were waiting for. Start harvesting the crop when tassels turn brown and kernels become full and milky. Pull ears and twist to cut it from the plant. It will start losing taste even after the small duration of harvesting.