Need advice from you gardeners

[Farmwithjunk]

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?

Far enough that the wind won't carry pollen.


So long as the FIRST planting to tassle still has some pollen left to fall on the SECOND variety that silks, you stand a good chance of cross-pollenating.

I grow a good bit of popcorn as well as quite a bit of sweetcorn. I normally plant the sweetcorn first, the the popcorn as late as 3 to 4 weeks down the road. (This year I'm going about that in reverse order) I plant the 2 plots about 500 yards apart, on opposites sides of a slight hill. I've still noticed SOME cross-pollenation on the edges of the fields. Wind and birds can carry pollen quite a way.


Ever see how seed corn growers "de-tassle" a corn field, then "force pollinate" after the crop silks? They also grow seedcorn in isolated fields, usually surrounded in every direction for a long, long way by hayfields or soybean fields. That's to eliminate random pollination.

 

[4720 OWNER]

made the mistake of planting pumpkin and squash too close one year. That was some interesting tasting veggies. But now that there are fewer bees maybe it will not be as much of an issue.

 

[rcrcomputing]

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!

Hey, gave you seat time didn't it? I didn't level mine at all since it's on a slope. What leveling was needed, I did at the boards and the mulch I spread around it. I did, however, dig out the center of each box with the bucket and filled with hay, leaves, dirt etc.. It sinks a bit each year and gives me room to add more compost.
I also left enough room between rows of boxes to drive my tractor. I'm lazy.

 

[4720 OWNER]

If making raised beds do not need to have seat time (no matter how much fun it is). Collect newspapers and magazines and layer the bottom with 10 or 12 layers and then dump compost, dirt etc inside. No weeds grow thru, good mulched dirt to work in so does not compact down. Worms love it!

 

[Dargo]

Hot dang it!! On the very first pass with the plow I cut the dog's Invisible Fence line! Since I'm going to come within 50' of where I think the cable people put in the new cable line a few years ago I just quit and called to have them marked. With the old cable line they put it in sort of zig zag. I don't know if the operator was drunk or what. Either way, I don't want to cut anything else underground just trying to put in my wife's garden. They should get it marked by the weekend anyway.

You guys have been a plethora of knowledge on this gardening thing! I have a lot of experience at a lot of things, but gardening isn't one of them. I think my wife is trying to domesticate me.

Okay, anybody care to comment on their favorite sweet corn and why it is their favorite? I'm not at all looking to see if anyone is "wrong", but I want to see the positive features of each suggested type of sweet corn and see which I think my family would like the best. Obviously everyone can see that this is gonna be a mostly sweet corn garden.

 

[TBDonnelly]

If making raised beds do not need to have seat time (no matter how much fun it is). Collect newspapers and magazines and layer the bottom with 10 or 12 layers and then dump compost, dirt etc inside. No weeds grow thru, good mulched dirt to work in so does not compact down. Worms love it!

I like this idea especially when converting a lush grass area to garden space. Plan the rows far enough apart for the lawnmower to fit inbetween the rows. It's a lot easier to mow grass between the rows than it is to keep the rows weeded. It makes the garden look really nice too.

Don

 

[kenmac]

Do you dust the tassles? Easy fix.

I try to keep them dusted. When it rains & washes the dust off & dust again . If you give those worms a day or 2 without dust . They will cover the corn

 

[rcrcomputing]

I like this idea especially when converting a lush grass area to garden space. Plan the rows far enough apart for the lawnmower to fit inbetween the rows. It's a lot easier to mow grass between the rows than it is to keep the rows weeded. It makes the garden look really nice too.

Don

Do a bunch of those boxes and you'll want to use the tractor.
Wheelbarrows are out of style around here..

 

[TBDonnelly]

Do a bunch of those boxes and you'll want to use the tractor.
Wheelbarrows are out of style around here..

It takes some planning on the front end for the tractor access.
My wheelbarrow is my tractor.

Don

 

[xlr82v2]

For sweet corn, we use "Illini Extra Sweet" as the old standby, and this year, we are also going to plant some "Peaches-N-Cream" to see how it does.

We like the Illini Extra Sweet because when it is good, it's the best, and it freezes well also. But, the last few years, it has been iffy at best, so we're looking for something better to replace it. We planted some "IOCHIEF" last year, and it was pretty good fresh, but it did not freeze well at all.

Back when I was a kid and Grandpa was a seed dealer, we used to get some sweet corn seed from Poineer seed company that was just incredible. They used to give it out in small sample bags. I don't remember the name of it, but I remember the corn!! Haven't had any of that now for probably 18-20 years. It was THE BEST. Wish I could get my hands on some of that and get it in the ground... I'd be real happy

What are you guys using to dust the silks to keep the bugs out? Sevin?

Do you use any herbicides on your corn to keep the weeds out? My garden has a huge problem with red-root pigweed... you just can't keep ahead of it with a hoe... so when the corn is about 6-8" tall, I've been spraying with 2-4D Amine to help control the pigweed around the stalks... otherwise, it will literally choke out the corn. Anyone else have pigweed problems? It will make you want to bang your head on the wall... it's almost impossible to get rid of... I've been fighting it now for almost 10 years! Although, last year was not nearly as bad as years past, so Maybe I'm starting to make some headway against it. I think burning off the garden at the end of the season has been a big help...