Few things are quite as pleasant as sweet corn on the cob during a summer barbecue in the Rogue Valley.* Combine that with the all around seasonal use of corn in a variety of dishes from soups to salads and you'll likely find more than enough reasons to try your hand at growing some corn in your garden.
 |
| Stock Exchange |
Germination
If you're getting started with corn, consider fighting the common problem of sluggish germination by pre-sprouting it.
- Soak your kernels in warm water for about 12 hours
- Drain the kernels and spread them out on a damp paper towel
- Place a second damp towel over the seeds
- Slide the seeds/towels into a re-sealable plastic bag, leaving about 2 inches open at the top of the bag
- Leave them like this in a dark, warm place until they sprout (2 to 4 days).
- Check each day and add moisture to the towels as necessary to keep them damp.
|
|
Remove the sprouts from the towel as soon as you see roots, and immediately plant them in the garden, 1 inch deep and about 5 inches apart. Be careful not to break the roots as you're planting; they're pretty fragile at this point.
As you add rows, leave 2 feet of space between them. (Don't bother trying to pre-sprout if you're using a super-sweet variety. These types need evenly warm, moist soil for healthy germination. Just plant the seeds as early as you can, usually at the beginning of May. Continue staggered planting dates as desired, through June.)
To keep your corn varieties from getting too cozy with each other and cross-pollinating, stagger the time that you plant the varieties. If you plant every 2 to 3 weeks or so, you should be able to enjoy a continuous harvest. If you're shooting to enhance pollination, 4 shorter rows rather than a single long row is what you'll want to plant.
Fueling the Growth
If you've planted sweet corn, it happily gobbles immense amounts of fertilizer and water. When the plants are around 8 inches high, and then again at about 3 feet, utilize some complete high nitrogen fertilizer or ammonium sulfate and water it down. If you're wondering about maintaining your corn, don't worry about removing suckers--it's not necessary. Just keep the patch free of weeds and thin the rows a bit if you planted too many seeds or sprouts. Do this when the plants are at least 4 inches high, leaving a healthy plant every 10 inches or so.
A Few Other Corny Notes
Corn likes a neutral soil pH, meaning it should be between 6.0 and 7.2. If your soil doesn't fall within that gap, you'll need to amend if you want your corn to be successful. Also, though it's said frequently, corn gets tall. It will shade your other plants, so take its growth habit into account as you plot your garden. Plant in front of fences or other out-of-the-way spots.
Grilled Corn
When you're barbecuing your corn, remove as much of the silk as you can, and all but two layers of the husk. Cook the corn on medium-high heat, turning it every two minutes. The husk will burn a little, giving your corn a unique roasted flavor. It'll also help hold in some moisture.
