The key to growing excellent sweet corn is providing rich amended soil, ample moisture and fertilizer, and planting in block-rows for good pollination.
When selecting corn seed, you might be puzzled by the many varieties. Three genes control sweetness in corn — Sugary (su), Sugary Enhancer (se) and Shrunken-2 (sh) — and these code letters are included on packets.
Corn requires warm air and soil temperatures to germinate and grow properly and should be planted when soil temperatures are at least 50 degrees to ensure good seed germination. Super sweet (sh) varieties need even warmer soil temperatures, often closer to 60 degrees. Garden soil that has been amended with aged manure or compost and given nitrogen fertilizer will help give plants a good start.
Corn is wind-pollinated and should be planted in blocks rather than long, single rows. Plant two corn seeds an inch deep in each hole, spacing the holes 12 to 15 inches apart. Plant in rows 30 to 36 inches apart, planting several rows together to form a block of rows. After germination, thin the corn to one plant from each hole.
Adequate soil moisture is crucial for plants to form tassels, silks and ears; soil around corn should not be allowed to become too dry during the growing season. Uneven watering might stunt the plant, affecting the size and development of the ear. Fertilize corn around the first week of July and control weeds.
Two ears usually develop on a corn plant; the largest one grows closer to the top. Harvest after the silk is dried and brown and the husk is still green or when kernels are well filled and pressure from your fingernail produces a milky liquid. Pick in the early morning for best flavor.
There are two common but manageable challenges to growing sweet corn. When harvesting, you might find damage at the top of the ear caused by corn earworms. Less often, you might find firm, tumor-like growths on leaves, stems, ears and tassels. This is common corn smut, a fungal disease.
Here are two resources to guide you relative to these:
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/insects-diseases/1468-corn-earworm/
https://extension.usu.edu/vegetableguide/sweet-corn/corn-smut
The Link LonkApril 17, 2021 at 01:00PM
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Year-round gardening: Steps to securing your own summer sweet corn - Colorado Springs Gazette
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