Corn ?

[Jackman]

Can a sweet corn garden be too small? I think I could do 4 30 foot rows of corn , would that grow decent corn? I have heard something about cross pollination requires many stalks for good corn.

[SONNY]

It would work,--its best to have the patch as much of a block as possible to aid the pollen getting to the silks in good quantities to make nice full ears!
The most important thing is to keep the bugs from eating the silks off shorter than 3/4 inch from the end!---then you will only have bare cobs!!---If bugs are bad , sevin or MAX spray often as needed will help! (every bug known to man LOVES sweet corn!!) thanks; sonny

[Jackman]

Thanks Sonny, I"ll try a block shape maybe 8 rows 15 feet long might make it a block. Any suggestion on how far to space the corn?
I feel like I am talking to a pro here seeing as your from Illinois, was out there long time ago saw lots and lots of corn I really liked the wide open spaces you all have ......

[beaconlight]

I have always had success with 4 or 5 rows of the same variety 25 feet long and then another variety and then another. Each maturing at a different number of days gave me good corn over a longer season. Found plenty of nitrogen to be helpful.

[SONNY]

I plant our rows about 36 inches apart with the seed 10 inches between plants. Rows can range from 30 inches to 40 inches and work!---For the pollen to get down to the silks, you dont want the rows/plants too close together, as most sweetcorn varieties "sucker" (side stalks from the main stalk), this gets in the way of the pollen transfer.---also blocks light to the ears.
About 12,000 to 16,000 plants per acre is about thick enough.
Also the 36 inch rows will let you squeeze down them to harvest the ears and spray when necessary . --narrower rows makes it lots harder, plus all the extra leaves blocking the pollen transfer!---We always have good sweetcorn in our gardens every year by using this method! thanks; sonny

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

....... (every bug known to man LOVES sweet corn!!) thanks; sonny

Not nearly as much as our local raccoons do.

[Billy Fussell]

What works for me is this. My rows are 40" on center and about 125' long. The 40" space is what my cub is set for. I plant 6 rows of Merritt sweet corn. I then plant my cream peas and purple hull peas, I then plant 6 rows of Kandy Korn. The space between the different varieties of corn is enough to keep them from cross polinating. My planter plants pretty thick, so after the corn is up, I come back and thin to about 1' apart on the plants. I have had good luck doing it this way, if I can keep the coons and crows out of it.

Billy

[rickguns]

Seems to help by planting in a block to help with damage from heat and wind.

[SONNY]

Pollen travels for miles!----field corn buffers are a min. of 600 feet between varieties IF you need a somewhat true isolation, ---even then you will find different kernels mixed in! thanks ; sonny