Question about growing sweet corn -NEWBIE HERE-

[bigtiller]

:shocked: He said the "N" word!!

If you were an Iowa farmer, that would be funny. For your corn, i think i would let mother nature do her thing for 10 days or so. Corn likes warm sunny days.

 

[gdk22984]

If you were an Iowa farmer, that would be funny. For your corn, i think i would let mother nature do her thing for 10 days or so. Corn likes warm sunny days.

Yeah, I agree i'll probably wait a little bit and see what happens. There is a few places around me with corn that is doing much better than mine. Unless they planted super early, which it's been so cold I can't see how. Those are much larger fields though.

 

[dave1949]

Yeah, I agree i'll probably wait a little bit and see what happens. There is a few places around me with corn that is doing much better than mine. Unless they planted super early, which it's been so cold I can't see how. Those are much larger fields though.

That corn is being raised by people who know what they are doing. :laughing: Seriously though --although there is a lot of truth to that--the commercial sweetcorn growers will always beat me by about two weeks even when I think I'm having a good year and being diligent in my gardening.

 

[sixdogs]

Silver Queen does not do well in new England cold soil. It a mid or late season variety. You should look towards an early season, short maturity bi-color with good cold emergence. I grew plenty of corn in Maine--north of Bangor.

The ground needs to be worked in the Spring to get the soil warmer for early growth.

You need "corn starter" fertilizer _low N, real high P and high K) that's high in P to get the corn growing. Then sidedress both sides of the row with something like 46-0-0 after the corn is foot tall. You can get around this by just putting down something like 19-19-19 when you plant. Both sides of the row, 4 inches from the row and 4 inches down.
19-19-19 will be hard to find in Maine because of P runoff concerns so you can maybe find 10-10-10 and just put down twice as much.

You aren't going to grow much sweet corn in New England without fertilizer. Probably need lime as well. New England is tough nd sweet corn is a struggle. Yours just sounds like it's hungry and could use some hot sun.


The fields around you are likely field corn and that will do better in the cold and damp.

 

[Duwop]

Golden queen in and growing, pick up Urea with 43 percent nitro yesterday should shoot up nice now.

 

[smstonypoint]

With my apology for thread drift, I hope you folks realize that you are growing and eating an artificial food.

Steve

 

[gdk22984]

Well, it appears these plants are starving for N. I can see yellowing on some and they still haven't done much. Still very small at 3-4 inches, some smaller. I found a supply of 46-0-0 Urea local to me, 50 pound bags. I would like to try to side dress later in the week as it supposed to be a rainy weekend. How far out from the corn should I side dress, as the corn being as small as it is and hitting it with a high N value? My corn spacing is 3 feet. Thanks.

 

[DFB]

2 inches out is recommended by UMass

2 inch deep inch banding prior to planting is also recommended

Cultural Practices | UMass Amherst New England Vegetable Guide

 

[sixdogs]

Your corn also needs P and K. Yes, N but you aren't going far without the P and some K.

Fertilizer goes on both sides of the row, 4" to the side and 4" down.
My numbers are from Univ of Maine when I lived there.

 

[gdk22984]

Your corn also needs P and K. Yes, N but you aren't going far without the P and some K.

Fertilizer goes on both sides of the row, 4" to the side and 4" down.
My numbers are from Univ of Maine when I lived there.

The only other readily available stuff around me is 10-10-10 or 36-8-12 (or something along those lines) lawn fertilizer, and the 46-0-0 urea. Do you think 10-10-10 would work if I applied it heavy enough?