Step 2: Choosing Corn Seeds (Kernels) to Plant

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Like many fruits and vegetables, corn has a range of different varieties that are different colors, sizes, and flavors. There are varieties of corn for making flour, for popping, and for eating raw/cooked. Most people growing corn in home gardens are growing corn to eat raw/cooked, which is usually a type of sweet corn. Some of the key qualities to keep in mind are the level of sweetness of the corn and the time to harvest. The time to harvest is important because corn needs consistently warm temperatures where the soil does not get below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you are in a area that has only a short span of warm summer temperature this it is crucial to choose a variety with a shorter time to maturity.

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Where to Get Seeds

Like anything nowadays there are lots of varieties online which allows you to get picky with the characteristics you want. Another fun thing to try is to use dried out kernels from a friend or local farmer who grows corn near you. This is a great option if it is available because you know that the variety has already been successful in your area, and you can probably get some old dried kernels (seeds) for free. We will discuss the process of harvesting and preserving kernels to grow the following season in a later step.

Step 3: Preparing Soil for Growing Corn

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Corn needs lots of food to grow so you are definitely going to want to do some soil amending before planting. Start by mixing 2 inches of compost in with the top 8" of your native soil. Corn needs well drained soil so till sand and silt into your native soil if it is high in clay. You can tell that your soil has a moderate to high clay content by moistening it and squeezing it in your hand to form a shape and then leaving it to dry. If you can pick up the dried soil and it holds its shape, then you probably have a soil with a fairly high clay content. 

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It is also a good idea to add some fertilizer to your soil before planting because of the amount of nutrients that corn absorbs, any vegetable and herb fertilizer will do. Shoot for a soil pH near 6.5, if you need to raise or lower your pH then check out some of the methods we outline on our Soils in the Garden page.

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Keep in mind that it is best to do soil amendments a couple months before you plan to sow. Composting and and pH adjustments are typically more effective if they are done in the fall and allowed to stabilize over winter. 

Step 4: Planting Corn Seeds (Kernels)

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You can start seeds indoors in starter trays or small containers if you live in an area with a short growing season and want to get a jump on it. I prefer sowing the  seeds directly in the location a plan to keep them for the growing season so I do not have to mess with transplanting but your sowing strategy will really depend on the climate you live in. Wait at least 2 weeks after the last frost to plant seeds because corn seedlings die when temperatures reach freezing and can weaken substantially when the soil temperature drops before 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to plant closer to the last frost date or you are just worried about cold nighttime temperatures in general, you can cover your planting area with dark plastic or dark mulch after sowing seeds. At the end of the day though it is best to plant corn during the hottest part of the year and since sweet corn (the corn most people grow for eating) takes 10 - 12 weeks to harvest, plan to grow your corn during the hottest 10 - 12 weeks chunk of time in your area.

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Sow more seeds than you plan to keep and then you an go back and thin out the seedlings by pulling up some that are too close together. Keep rows about 1 foot apart and plant seeds 2 - 3 inches apart within your individual rows. Ideally you want to end up with the plants within individual rows being 4 - 6 inches apart after thinning out seedlings, but it is best to initially plant a seed every 2 - 3 inches apart in case some of your seeds don't germinate or critters get to some of your young seedlings. Plant each seed at a depth of 2 inches and give your entire bed (or area) a good initial watering.

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If you are transplanting seedlings into your garden then plant them around 5 inches apart within each row and keep the rows about a foot apart. If you are in a area with lots of wind, it may be beneficial to plant the seedlings a few inches deeper than the current depth of the roots to help with stability in the long run.

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After sowing your block of corn rows, cover the spaces in between each row with mulch to help retain water at shallow soil depths.

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Step 5: Watering Corn

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Corn absorbs a good amount of water and has a shallow root system which results in the need for consistent watering. In hot climates this means a light watering every day, preferably in the morning around the base of the plants. In more moderate climates plan to water every other day or do a deep watering 2 times a week (being careful to to drown your plants, which shouldn't be to much of a problem if you have well drained soils).

 

As mentioned earlier, mulching around your rows of corn will help the soil retain water. If some leaves are starting to dry out or turn a yellow/rust color then it may be time to switch to light daily watering. 

Step 6: Fertilizing Corn

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The best way to ensure nutrients for your corn plants is to follow the soil amendments talked about in Step 3, adding compost to your planting area weeks or even months before planting. Some people insist on adding fertilizer part way through the growing season given that corn sucks up a lot if nutrients. When it comes to corn though, under-fertilizing is better than over-fertilizing. If you added a good amount of compost to your growing area before sowing, I wouldn't worry about adding any fertilizer at all while your plants are growing unless they are staying a very light green - to yellowish color for an extended period of time. If you do end up adding a fertilizer, sprinkle a high nitrogen fertilizer (46-0-0) very lightly between rows but be sure to wait until your plants have at least 8 leaves before doing so. Water the area after adding a thin layer of the fertilizer between rows. If you still aren't seeing results after a week and a half, add another light layer on top of the soil in between the rows.

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Remember that under-fertilizing after you have planted your corn is better than over fertilizing it and if you amend your soil correctly with a good amount of compost before growing, then you shouldn't need to worry about fertilizing at all.