Similar to sunflowers, corn can make an excellent backdrop to any type of garden. Matter of fact, methods on how to grow corn are now being sought after by a lot of homeowners for the home gardens. Learning to plant corn has become very popular because it is not only delicious; it is also noted as a worthwhile vegetable for gardens.
The best location to grow corn is along the northern sections of the garden as long as there is full sunlight. Frost is still its worst enemy but as long as the soil is well-fertilized, it may grow in light frost as well. However, during the dry summer season, it may need extra water for quality ears.
As for very hot weather conditions, pollination of corn may be affected. You can go about this by planting corn on a staggered basis. Plant corn a few weeks apart. Another option is to select corn varieties that have different maturities.
When it comes to propagation and sowing, keep in mind that corn is actually wind pollinated. It needs to be planted in blocks of several rows to enable even pollination. Corn seeds should be sown 3 to 4 inches apart and •½ to 1 inch deep. This is in rows that are 24 to 32 inches apart.
You also need to thin the corn seeds to about 10 to 12 inches. This is since crowding can greatly reduce its size or it won't even form at all. As for ornamental corn, they should be isolated from sweet corn varieties.
For a longer season full of harvest, it is best to plant different types of corn with varying maturities. You can also plant corn with beet, bush bean, cantaloupe and parsley as well as cucumber, pea, pumpkin, squash and early potato.
To grow corn successfully, exposure to full sunlight is necessary. Since it is a heavy feeder, it needs well-drained, fertile soil having a pH of 6.0 to 6.5.
You can prepare the soil by adding well-rotted manure or even organic matter. Good examples are bloodmeal, liquid fertilizer of partially rotted manure. Once corn plants grow knee-high, you can apply a side dressing of nitrogen. This can give corn some additional boost in its growth.
As corn needs lots of moisture, you can hill the soil by the base of the plant once they reach 6 inches in height. This helps anchor the plants - keeping the roots cool and covered. To keep the weeds down and to conserve moisture, use mulch.
You'll know when it's time to harvest corn once the ears seem completely filled. Plus, you'll notice a pierced kernel showing some milky white liquid. Once the silk turns crisp and brown, this is a good sign that means the corn cobs are ready.
