Sweet Corn Tips?

[sticknstring]

We put in small veggie garden (10'x50') every year and everything does pretty well except sweet corn which is hit or miss. Two years ago, we had a really good crop. Last year, it was stunted and we didn't get anything. The area is full-sun and receieves a fair amount of moisture from the irrigation system. Any tips or tricks of the trade you guys & gals can share to ensure a good yield?

[Nainoa]

Corn is one of those things that while it can grow in MN's growing season, we're sort of the northern edge.

Here's the system I've teased out that has come to work reliably for me.

1. Select a corn that hits that sweet spot between productivity and short days to maturit... Something in that 75 to 80 range... I've not had good luck with cultivars over 85... This year I'm growing Buhl (Heirloom) sweet corn which is 81 days.

2. Corn like warm soil... Cover tilled and exposed soil with a floating row cover or black plastic as soon as you can to start warming the soil.

3. I start my corn early in peat pots. (They just started sprouting yesterday) Corn notoriously HATES being transplanted OUT of a pot and into soil, and will suffer transplant shock pretty easily this way. But the roots will grow through peat pots and stave off a lot of the transplant shock problems.

4. Corn is a Heavy Feeder, especially sweet corn which basically just a bio-sugar machine. I'll straight up fertilize garden grown sweet corn with tomato food once a week until husks form.

*This year, I'm going to try growing some of my sweet corn in "Three Sisters" Corn, Pole Beans (Shade Tolerant) and Butternut squash. The Corn gives the beans something to climb, the beans pull nitrogen from the air and put it back into the soil to feed the corn, and the squash spreads on the ground shading the soil to help keep it moist and deter racoons.

This ^^^^ Is what the Amerindians taught the Pilgrims when they came to the new world.

[Dotch]

- Splitting the N up in 3 or 4 applications given your location and irrigation is probably a wise idea. It will take roughly 170 #/acre on lighter textured sandy soils. With low sulfur diesel fuel and lower smokestack emissions, sulfur is another mobile nutrient that may be lacking. Use of manure generally supplies us enough in our garden so we don't worry about it.

- Getting a soil test to know where you're at to start with is a good idea for phosphorus and potassium. Part of the garden here was old cattle lot so that part needs very little for phophorus or potassium. Where it wasn't, potassium deficiency can show up on the sweet corn, hence the use of well rotted sheep manure from our stockpile. Sweet corn is a modest user of phosphorus and potassium relative to vegetable crops like potatoes or even squash.

- Planting into warm soil is a must. If you're conventionally planting with tillage, tilling the soil and letting it set for a day or so to warm up this time of year is a good idea.

- On later planted sweet corn here, (mid to late June) silk clipping by rootworm beetles can be an issue. Daily scouting and timely insecticide applications are necessary when that occurs. Otherwise we get squat.

- Variety selection is a matter of personal preference. I've liked the supersweets (sh2's) such as Supersweet Jubilee and Prelude and some of the se's like Bodacious, Jackpot or Ambrosia simply because they keep after picking in the fridge and don't convert the sugars into starch as quickly as normal sweet corn does. And compared to the Iochief's, Jubilee's and Sugar and Gold of my youth, there is no flavor comparison. Have to make sure you don't plant the supersweets close to other sweet corn that pollinates in the same timeframe though or they are pretty flat tasting.

- Maturities that work will vary with the ground as well as latitude. 75 - 85 day hybrids work well here and until you try them, you won't know what does and doesn't work there. Sometimes irrigated sands allow you to get by with things you can't do on heavier soils, irrigated or not.

[KEN W]

I also start some of my sweet corn inside.I use 6 packs....12 to a flat.72 plants.I pre-germinate between wet paper towels and put into a zip plastic bag.

There is some transplant shock and the stalks will be shorter than when direct seeded.But the cobs are normal size.Mine is just popping through now.Will go into the garden end of May.

Since corn is basically a grass and likes nitrogen....I till in lawn fertilizer where the corn will go.

Plant a minimum of 2 rows....3 or 4 are better to get good pollination.

My Family likes the augmented SH2 varieties.This year I am planting Northern Super sweet....this is a plain SH2 and is the one I start indoors.Vision,Mirai 131,and my favorite....277 A are augmented.....A cross between SH2 and SE parents.One bite and you know this is the best you have ever eaten.

[Nainoa]

With the 2.25" Jiffy peat pots (Which I buy in bulk for something around 6-7 cents a piece) I don't get the transplant shock... And as long as you put a little scrap of newspaper over the weep hole to keep the tap root from escaping prematurely, it will allow me to grow a stalk to around 6 inches before it starts showing signs of being root bound.

[sticknstring]

Good info everyone - thank you. I'll work a little harder on the fertilizer/manure application this year. Hopefully be dining on some succulent cobs come August!

[Down2Earth]

Where do you guys buy your sweetcorn seeds from?

[scott b]

Nainoa will you marry me? Just kidding, because I don't believe in it. But my question is... I harvested my own seed last fall (butter nut) how far away from other plants to keep out the raccoons?

[KEN W]

Where do you guys buy your sweetcorn seeds from?

From seed catalogs.....you won't find the newer supersweets on a rack in the store.I buy most of mine from Jungs Seeds out of wisconsin.

If you have never tasted one of the augmented Sh2's you would be in for a real treat.I have planted over 30 different varieties over the past 35 years and 277A is the best.My family always asks when that 1 will be ready to eat.

You can find it here along with the Mirai supersweets which are almost as good.....http://www.jungseed.com/dc.asp?c=527

[thatoneguy]

Corn does great in MN as long as you have enough sun and good soil. I HIGHLY recommend turkey manure worked into your soil if you can find it (and if you can tolerate the sent for awhile). My grandparents have sweet corn that they have sold to tourists and locals in the Cass Lake area for 40+ years, and other than the soil enrichment and making sure it gets enough water, keeping the weeds down...not much special that needs to be done.

I'll second Ken on the 277a - it's a great plant.

[Dotch]

Ken, I looked at some of those but decided to pass as I had some seed already available and was hoping someone had grown some so I'd know if they were worth trying. From your experience what kind of agronomics in terms of emergence, stalk & root strength are you looking at on say the 277A and some of the Mirai types you have grown? The reason I ask is if I'm going to plant it, it's not going to get a whole lot of special treatment. It gets well fertilized, planted, weeded and eaten except by the raccoons who have to deal with the electric fence. The garden is not sheltered so it stays cooler than what it does for those growing in town. Plus it seems like it's always windy. Emergence, stalk and root issues are some of the main reasons I dump varieties here. Curious to hear how they behave. Thanks!

[Nainoa]

I'm an heirloom guy... So I get mine from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. (Easy to find on Google.)

I was going to go with Country Gentleman this year which is the KING of sweet corn... But they were already sold out, so I went with Buhl.

Country Gentleman needs a pretty long season for this far north so you would have to start them in advance indoors under grow lights.

[Nainoa]

Nainoa will you marry me? Just kidding, because I don't believe in it. But my question is... I harvested my own seed last fall (butter nut) how far away from other plants to keep out the raccoons?

I believe what you're asking here is "Where to plant a vining plant like Butternut squash to deter racoons."

In the three sisters application (Corn, Beans & Squash) the vining squash is grown immediately around the feet of the corn. (Just tame the vines intelligently in the late season to give yourself a couple of "Step In" Spots.)

The reason the vines deter racoons is because The sense of touch is to a raccoon what a sense of smell is to a dog. And the spiny touch of squash vines is to them what "Walking in on your parents naked" is to you.

Now... You still have to be dilligent about your picking... Coons can smell the phenols released by ripe corn. So if you don't stay on top of picking on a daily or every other day basis in peak season, they will work to find a way.

Other deterants like baby powder, ear taping and a bird feeder full of irish spring... If rotated will also help.

When in doubt a cheap chicken wire fence that leans outward can be worth the investment.

*Many a long battle have I had over the years with coons!

[KEN W]

I basically just put fertilizer down and plant it.The turkey/chicken manure is great for nitrogen loving corn.Just have to be careful not to use to much as it will burn the plants.

I plant the seeds and let it go.Here in ND I hill my corn similar to hilling potatoes.We have a lot of wind and it helps anchor the plants.I usually do it when it is about knee high.When the silks start to show....I side dress it with fertilizer so it goes to the cobs.

When the silks are showing on about 1/2 the cobs.....I put CORN on the calander 20 days later it should be ready to eat.

I usually plant the seeds 4-6 inches apart just in case a seed here or there doesn't germinate.You can transplant some to fill in the blank spaces from where it is to close.

I usually plant an early....mid....late variety to get a continous supply.

This year I am planting 67 day Northern SS....70 day Vision....77 day 277A twice....10 days apart.That's 4 shots of sweetcorn.

DO NOt plant SH2,SE's,or normal corn close together in space or maturity.They will cross polinate and all taste crappy.

[Steve Foss]

That's one thing we have going for us up here in the boreal forest. While the growing season usually necessitates the planting of early maturing varieties, there are no raccoons to spoil things.