Need advice from you gardeners

[Dargo]

Okay, after reading all of the suggestions and checking our local weather and frosts, I believe I'm going to start the "project garden" for the wife this weekend. Since I absolutely love sweet corn I think I may take a bit of advice from all you guys and plant a bit of each. Since my wife and kids really like sweet corn as well, I don't think she'll mind if we are a bit heavy on the corn.

Now, having said that, I'm going to have to increase the size of her garden. That will involve taking in quite a bit of area that has lush thick grass growing there now. Will I be better off to get the old plow down off the shelf and plow it before I till? Since I only have a bit of grass here and there in the other part, I usually don't plow...well, I actually never plow. I'm just wondering if I don't plow, am I just asking for a nice crop of grass in my garden?

Also, it sounds like about 30" apart for the rows of corn. How far apart for watermelon or pumpkin? They seemed like they would take 10' rows last year. Oh, I tried to plant some strawberries and none came up. Am I better off just going to a place and picking my own or just buy them at the grocery? Thanks!

 

[4720 OWNER]

Okay, after reading all of the suggestions and checking our local weather and frosts, I believe I'm going to start the "project garden" for the wife this weekend. Since I absolutely love sweet corn I think I may take a bit of advice from all you guys and plant a bit of each. Since my wife and kids really like sweet corn as well, I don't think she'll mind if we are a bit heavy on the corn.

I think they will morph into 1 breed of corn unless they are wide enough to be away from each others pollen.

Now, having said that, I'm going to have to increase the size of her garden. That will involve taking in quite a bit of area that has lush thick grass growing there now. Will I be better off to get the old plow down off the shelf and plow it before I till? Since I only have a bit of grass here and there in the other part, I usually don't plow...well, I actually never plow. I'm just wondering if I don't plow, am I just asking for a nice crop of grass in my garden?

Establishing in the dirt for me is a pain, not only is grass being turned in bu;t the weed bank as well. I finally went to raised beds and was very happy i did. Can raise more in a smaller area and be more intensive but working less.

Also, it sounds like about 30" apart for the rows of corn. How far apart for watermelon or pumpkin? They seemed like they would take 10' rows last year. Oh, I tried to plant some strawberries and none came up. Am I better off just going to a place and picking my own or just buy them at the grocery? Thanks!

With the raised beds actually sowed about 1 corn seed for every square foot (or a little less) and followed up with lettuce in between when established so it was shaded from the summer sun and kept weeds to a minimum. I think 30" rows was for mechanical harvesting reasons not growing reasons.

Anything vines goes on some sort of vertical trellis so grows up instead of out. Easier picking as well.


If you do not want to grow strawberries, maybe you can trade for some of your produce?

 

[Dargo]

" I think they will morph into 1 breed of corn unless they are wide enough to be away from each others pollen."


Ah, maybe that explains my pepper issue a few years ago. I planted some TAM Jalapeño peppers (supposed to be milder than normal) but also planted some Habanero peppers right across from them. Both grew just fine, but rather than being mild, the Jalapeño peppers were the hottest I've ever tasted!

Hmm, now I probably need to decide on which kind of sweet corn to plant. I like most all I've had, but I've definitely had some that tasted better than others.

 

[kenmac]

" I think they will morph into 1 breed of corn unless they are wide enough to be away from each others pollen."


Ah, maybe that explains my pepper issue a few years ago. I planted some TAM Jalapeño peppers (supposed to be milder than normal) but also planted some Habanero peppers right across from them. Both grew just fine, but rather than being mild, the Jalapeño peppers were the hottest I've ever tasted!

Hmm, now I probably need to decide on which kind of sweet corn to plant. I like most all I've had, but I've definitely had some that tasted better than others.

I planted the weekend after easter. Now,I just have to wait for the worms when they start to eat my corn. I often wonder what those worms eat when there is no corn ? I think they just lay around & wait until planting season. Then, O' boy here's the corn everyone come eat !

 

[ray66v]

I planted the weekend after easter. Now,I just have to wait for the worms when they start to eat my corn. I often wonder what those worms eat when there is no corn ? I think they just lay around & wait until planting season. Then, O' boy here's the corn everyone come eat !

Do you dust the tassles? Easy fix.

 

[yak651]

Here's my "stratagy" on sweet corn.

Planting date(s). Unless you want a BUNCH at once, then all gone, you might want to make several plantings. Stage them 10 to 15 days apart so your crops will mature at different times. I'm just a few miles south of you, but in a different world, climate wise. Since you're north of the Ohio River, and I'm south, our season starts a few weeks earlier. Soil temperature is critical in corn germinating. You want (at a minimum) 70 degree soil temps. I plant round 1 in mid April. I'd venture a guess you could go late April/early May. Then stagger plantings as mentioned.

Planting depth depends on a multitude of issues. Moisture, temperature, the soil itself, and to a certain degree, the lay of the land. My sweet corn patch is on a hill, high above most of the surrounding countryside. I liken it to being on a lake. The wind NEVER stops blowing. Corn tends to lodge (blow over) so I want it deeply rooted. Warmer temps/warmer soil allows a little shallower planting. Too much moisture and planting too deep don't mix well either. All things being equal, if you have ideal conditions (like that EVER happens) with 70+ degrees, perfect soil moisture, and good soil structure, I like to plant corn @ 2" to 2-1/2" deep. I planted the first of this years crop on the 19th of April, @ 2-1/2", and saw green above ground 7 days later.

Soil prep. Sweet corn varieties do best in a well prepared, loose seedbed. (plow then till?) Corn THRIVES on nitrogen. It takes a well balanced soil nutrient level, but just a tad heavy on the nitrogen. Soil ph in the 6.8 to 7.2 range.

How to plant. Corn doesn't do well in small patches. Corn needs MORE corn to pollinate. You want multiple rows in relatively close proximity rather than a long single row. I plant in minimums of 8 rows wide (and usually 100 feet long) I prefer narrow rows. (30") That gets me a crop canopy sooner than wider rows. That helps with controlling weeds somewhat. (cuts off their sunlight sooner) Don't mix varieties in a given planting. They'll cross pollinate and USUALLY net a poor crop. Overplant rather than underplant. You can cull through the best and depend on having enough. The fringes of a corn plot don't always produce as well.


What variety(s) to plant. I like Silver Queen. Not huge ears, but S.W.E.E.T.!!!! Also, I've had great luck with Kandy Korn, and Bodashious (sp) One of the best, most dependable, longest reigning popular varieties is the classic NK199.

If you have a seperate planing area where it won't cross with your sweet corn, popcorn is a real kick to grow. (Purdue Pop 410 variety) I've got 1-1/2 acres out this year.

How far apart do different varieties of corn need to be? I would like to try a couple of different varieties of super sweet, but afraid of the cross polunation. If they have different number of days to maturity can they be planted closs together as they won't pollunate at the same time?

 

[charlz]

How far apart do different varieties of corn need to be? I would like to try a couple of different varieties of super sweet, but afraid of the cross polunation. If they have different number of days to maturity can they be planted closs together as they won't pollunate at the same time?

Yes, you can plant different maturity day corn together. I believe the gap needs to be 2 weeks or more to avoid cross pollination. So you can plant 75 day and 90 day corn at the same time and they will mature two weeks apart.

 

[charlz]

Since I absolutely love sweet corn I think I may take a bit of advice from all you guys and plant a bit of each. Since my wife and kids really like sweet corn as well, I don't think she'll mind if we are a bit heavy on the corn.

If you pick a variety that freezes well you can always batch up a bunch of corn and freeze it. Can be a bit of work, blanching, cutting it off the cobs, measuring and bagging but it is great to have good corn in winter.

Last year I grew Gurney's 'Gotta Have It' which is a hybrid. Very sweet and frozen it tasted like it just came out of the garden. Will be planting it again this year. It does not go starchy very fast, we were eating it nightly for a while.

 

[Skerby]

my better half and i are going to follow this block style garden from colorado state u extension office this year.

www.cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/713.pdf

i picked up 200 of the $2 8' posts from home depot (on sale) for building raised beds (will match the sandbox in height too, from the last time these went on sale!). i also bought 20 @ 10' rebar for staking the posts. i just chop them @ 2' lengths, seems to work out.

having a difficult time preparing the garden w/ my 6' box blade. i realized i was driving in circles and thought, what the heck am i doing?

in my head i'm thinking i need it level like a concrete floor with a 1 degree slope... any help on THAT one?
thx good luck too!

 

[derekuk101]

I've had really good luck with "Incredible" variety sweet corn. I've also planted Honey Select this year to see how it compares. I buy my seed from De Bruyn Seed in MI.

Here痴 their price lists,

Corn Prices