Can't grow corn to save my life

[Hook]

We've tried several times to grow corn, and the results are always the same. Small ears or no ears, an short thin plants. Maybe 3-6 feet tall including tassels.
Plenty of water I thought, and fertilized (side dressed) 4 times with 12-12-12. Roots are shallow and the ball is only about the size of softball. Maybe a little less.

What's the tick?

 

[Bigfoot]

Field corn or sweet corn?

 

[M5farm]

remind me in april next year.

 

[skyhightree1]

When I plant my corn in the garden I use that 19-19-19 I let it get about a foot and a half maybe 2 put 46-0-0 on it " sidedress " and water it pretty heavily and seems to be the ticket. I also hill it with that 46-0-0 on it. You have to be careful with it and not put too much around it.

 

[Hook]

Sweet corn. Maybe not enough fert then?

 

[Bigfoot]

Sounds like enough fertilizer to me. I guessing you have a sandy soil. Are your neighbors successful growing it?

 

[Hook]

No one that I know grows it near me. Some corner veggie stand farms grow it and do well but they are miles away. The soil is a pretty sandy, maybe it's all just running through too fast

 

[skyhightree1]

Hook my soils are sandy as crap too unless you have beach sand that stuff should grow. What brand of seed do you use?

 

[M5farm]

Sweet corn. Maybe not enough fert then?

space plants 10- 12" trip 13 when 3 leaves unfold the 34-0-0 sidedress twice during growing season. I have found that drip tape works best for corn in the garden
sweet corn will not produce the huge ears you see in the stores and the stalks will not be as tall or as thick as field corn. stick with a proven easy to grow seed variety like silver queen.

 

[Hook]

 

[M5farm]

That's Pitiful Hook. Again remind me in the spring and I will pick up some seed for you and mail it to ya.

 

[Hook]

Ain't it! A good friend has always had a huge garden, and does really well growing anything. Except corn. He hasn't got it figured out yet either. I gotta ask the corner farmer and see what he says too

 

[M.Magis]

I have that problem as well, most of the time. The key for me is weeds. If I can keep the weeds in check, it does fine. But more often than not they get away from me and my corn is a waste. I'd love to get some RR sweet corn, but I sure can't justify the cost. I'm hoping that eventually it'll be available in smaller amounts.

 

[skyhightree1]

I'm hoping that eventually it'll be available in smaller amounts.

I can't say it won't happen but I doubt it very seriously.

 

[Bigfoot]

Dang, turned out nubbins. What's the variety?

 

[Hook]

Golden beauty hybrid. According to the package

 

[Bigfoot]

Try some peaches and cream. I rabbit would have to pack a sack lunch to cross my place, and I get a good yield out of it.

 

[Hook]

Ill try that next spring, along with some soaker hoses that water the bases.

 

[bja105]

Its poor pollination, you planted just a little corn in rows, instead of lots of corn in blocks. That's my guess.

When the tassels and silks are visible, cut off a tassel and hand pollinate by brushing it against each ear's silks. Or plant a field of corn, and let the wind do it.

I found its easier to get my sweet corn from a neighbor who grows for a farm stand, then concentrate on what I can grow well at my scale.

 

[regolith]

I see that sort of corn every time we get an extended dry spell - wet years grow good corn. I only water weekly through the dries and it's obviously not enough.

Sometimes I wonder how anyone grows these things commercially when they're so hit and miss in the garden. All my brassicas are already trying to decide whether to bolt first or die under insect attack first, I won't get anything edible off them till the late autumn *if* any survive.