In My Garden: Corn

I have tried to grow corn a number of times over the years without much success until this year. I have found there is a learning curve for each vegetable and it can take multiple tries for success. Most of the time my corn was small and the worms got more than I did. I have read different gardening books that said put vegetable oil on the silk or a rubber band on the end of the husk, along with other not-so-great advice. No, no, and no! The silk strands are pollinated from the tassel on top of the stalk, which lead to the corn kernels, and need to be free of any obstructions.

I plant the corn in mid-summer along the coast because our warm weather is usually late summer. Further inland, early summer would be better. I plant directly in the ground, in my 30” x 10’ raised beds, in three rows about 8” apart which is closer than most books say. I do that so that I get better pollination.

Each silk strand is one kernel of corn and, as I said above, is pollinated from the tassel on top of the stalk. I shake the tassels twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, so that the pollen falls to the silks, my self-pollinating ritual.

Then most important is that I spray the corn as soon as the silk starts to show with pyrethrum or spinosad (these are organic) once a week, preferrably in the mornings, until harvest. When the silk turns completely brown, then one week later the corn should be ready to harvest but check one cob first to make sure.

I also pick the corn one to two hours before cooking, because after only a few hours the sugars turn to starches, and it’s not as sweet as freshly picked corn. I have never tasted better corn and now am spoiled and can’t buy corn at the market anymore. Fresh is best!