Growing Sweet corn, also corn,maize

Zea mays, var. rugosa : Poaceae / the grass family

Jan	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
	S	S	S	S
T		T	T	T
	P	P	P

(Best months for growing Sweet corn in Australia - temperate regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays
T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
P = Sow seed

September: sow after risk of frost

Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: 20 - 30 cm apart
Harvest in 11-14 weeks.
Compatible with (can grow beside): All beans, cucumber, melons, peas, pumpkin, squash, amaranth
Avoid growing close to: Celery.

Your comments and tips

27 Nov 13, Angel (Australia - temperate climate): when is it the best time to plant sweet corn
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11 Nov 13, jeanne baker (Australia - sub-tropical climate): the question how to grow corn. Corn does not like too much water. If you grow pumpkin, plant corn with it. Neither of them like to be watered too much. Just a short watering by hand held hose in the mornings is usually all that is needed, but of course you must also mulch. Sugar cane is good for this
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09 Nov 13, Roger (Australia - temperate climate): Hi, I planted sweet corn seedlings a week ago. The tips of the leaves are turning brown. Not sure why. Seedlings are in full sun and have been watered every day.
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25 Mar 14, Mathew (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Hi It always depends on your climate and how much water your giving them, remember they don't like too much water. if your leaves are squishy they're being watered too much. if they're dry there not getting enough water.
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06 Dec 13, (Australia - temperate climate): i had this problem and read it may be not enough nitrogen, so i used some nitrogen rich liquid fertilizer and the brown leaf ends are now gone.
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23 Oct 13, Kite (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Thanks a bunch to whoever who created this website.
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15 Oct 13, TONY (Australia - temperate climate): When you say avoid planting with ,is there a distance you go by, eg. is ten metres enough
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27 Oct 13, Ferran (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Depends why it is bad to grow it with it. Some anti companion plants attract the same bugs while others emit natural chemicals that hinder each other, some cross pollinate or need different conditions from one another. I do not know why Celery should not be planted with corn but 10meters should be plenty Have you tried an Aztec plot when growing corn? 3 crops from same patch. 16 corn 3 squash, zucchini or pumpkin and 1 bean growing up each corn plant (for nitrogen) per meter square. - Ferran
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03 Nov 13, Zelle (Australia - temperate climate): Aztec plot - sounds interesting! How do I find out more detail on how to plant one? Googled, but not much comes up. Thanks!
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01 Dec 13, Michael (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Try googling 'three sisters' planting technique.
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Perth: This impressive crop does take up a bit of room but it's well worth it; the sweetness of fresh picked home-grown sweet corn is hard to beat. Plant from September through to January. Preparing the site Choose a sunny site that’s protected from strong winds. Sweet corn is a hungry crop so it’s important to enrich your soil before planting. Add a plenty of aged manure and a handful of blood & bone per square metre and fork it in well. Sweet corn will do well in a bed that’s previously grown healthy peas or beans. In the right conditions, each plant will usually produce 2 ears of corn. Planting Plant seedlings or seeds (ensure seeds are fresh). Space 30cm apart and plant in blocks rather than a single long row. Planting in blocks assists pollination which is essential for the development of kernels. Plant early and late varieties in separate blocks for a longer season. Water seeds well after planting then sparingly until germination occurs as the seeds can rot easily. When the stalks are about 20cm high, mound the soil up against the stalks. This process, called hilling, encourages more roots to grow which will help stabilise the plant during windy conditions. You can also achieve the same result by planting the seeds in a furrow and backfilling as the plants grow. Watering and fertilising Once the plants are well underway it’s important to ensure an adequate moisture level, especially since the plants will be at their peak of fruit production over the hot months. Drip irrigate if possible and mulch well to retain moisture. As soon as the tassel appears at the top of the plant, give the soil a boost with a granular fertiliser that’s high in nitrogen. Insufficient pollination results in ears of corn with lots of missing kernels. Planting sweet corn in one long single row can result in most of the pollen being blown away, which is why gardeners plant corn in blocks instead.Can be hand pollinated by cutting off a pollen-laden tassel each day and gently brushing over the silks . Sweet corn is ready to pick 2-3 weeks after pollination and it's important to keep up the water during this time.

- Mike

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Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Sweet corn, also corn,maize

Zea mays, var. rugosa : Poaceae / the grass family

Your comments and tips

Gardenate

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Sweet corn, also corn,maize

Zea mays, var. rugosa : Poaceae / the grass family

Your comments and tips

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