Corn seedlings

I read in some book that you can start corn indoors from seed about 2 weeks from setting out. Has anybody every done it before? How well does it work? It sounds like a good idea (I'm really new, and dont really have any experiance) Thank you

Here is another post on the okra & corn seedling thread about corn seedlings.

Well, I'm trying it, because I dont really have the time for 100 days to maturity. I'm glad somone else has done it... The seeds have sprouted and seem pretty healthy, about 1" tall. I'll plant them out in about a week, and see how they do.

Talk to Tam (Tamyra Faye) She's growing corn too...she knows tons.

OK, how do I get to her? This is so cool, everyone knows so much, and I keep asking questions and annoying everyone.

don,t be in a real rush you have lots of time just let it dry a bit and shake them apart if you planted close. Pay no attention to my 100 day corn you probably planted something else it comes in several day lengths good luck I am waiting for the seed to dissappear to beat the crows. Ernie

Zeld I'll send her your way...but Ernie is a pro too so listen to him.

I planted in peat pellets to reduce possible large amounts of transplant shock, but I just realized how hard it will be to control wetness on those things... They are either sopping or dust. Thanks for getting Tamyra. Ernie, what kind of corn do you grow, and what kind do you think is best?

Hello and welcome to DG, zeldonian!

I'm going to guess that you're probably in a similar hardiness zone to mine, which is 5b/6a. You can get a rough idea of your zone by going to this link and typing in your zipcode:
http://www.arborday.org/treeinfo/zonelookup.cfm

I can't answer your questions about transplanting, but I did have good luck last year with direct sowing both Golden Jubilee (87 day) and Early Sunglow (63 day). I honestly only chose those because it was my first year of veggie gardening and they were available in the seed rack. :)

Donna

Thank you. It said zone 5b, but since Haines Falls is really only the town at the bottom of my mountain, it might be colder...

Zel no need for a peat pot program it can take it. I just wet in with B 1 or mg and call it good. Corn is not a pansy it is pretty tough and likes it warm when it goes in the ground. I like the ground to be 55 to 60 6 inches down. Usually I dont pre soak my seed unless I am late but when I do I soak for two hours and let dry a bit then plant with a light application of 16 16 16 to send it on its way. Pre soaking the seed will cause it to germinate faster. Side dress at about 30 days but not after as it will cause the stalk to shoot up and be suseptical to blowing over.

My favorite is the old time Golden Jubilee that canneries planted for years. We used to plant 600 acres of it for my FIL 35 plus years ago. There are a lot of good corns there to choose from. Ernie

Ther are lots of corn cultivars for the northern states and Canada. I agree that Sunglow is one of the best that I have tried. The early bi-color Quickie is also good. The polar series is the earliest, but doesn't have much taste in my opinion. All of these cultivars will do reasonbly well planted a month before last frost date. You can transplant anything if you can take the root ball with it.and that includes corn. The no transplant code came from the old days when all transplants were bare root, a no- no for corn . Now that potting soil is available, you can fill a small dixie cup( punch a hole in the bottom) with it pop in a corn seed, water and away you go. Works ok if you just want a few stalks of corn, but it is more work than its worth for a serious planter.

Thanks. Well, I'll use the transplants, but next year I'll direct seed it. It does take a long time to plant this way. I did not know it was so hardy. Everything I read said wait until after last frost date. Cool. Thanks everyone!

Well, ain't I a day late and a dollar short?!

Zeldonian~ I love corn, this is only my second year to grow it. eweed & farmerdill are my cornymentors LOL

Glad you got them started. Next year, consider choosing a shorter season variety. I planted one that is 60 days, and very sweet. I will plant a 100 day one too, they are worth the wait!

Araness, I am honored that you called me here :-)

Tamara

LOL...when I grow corn you'll be the first one I call.

I grew a 90 day variety, and a 75 day variety. I hope they mature.

If they are closer together than 200 ft., and you are concerned they may tassel at the same time (that is possible, because the larger eared one takes longer to MAKE the ear), you could try planting a double row of sunflowers between the two in order to help prevent cross pollination. Hopefully, you have also done as FarmerDill suggested, and planted the supersweet one upwind.

Good luck, and read a lot! You can search for threads involving corn so you know what to do when they come up. Last year I had a new question about corn every other day it seemed, and these great patient folks just kept answering them for me :-)

Bawls...I want corn...Ok Tam the puppy and I are movin in with you.

Saint

If your long corn is lagging maturing cut off the tops and it will mature quicker it is pretty much standard with the cannery people they top the corn with a tractor mounted mower. I just walk down my rows with a machette only takes a few minutes and it makes it easy to pick to I whack it much lower than the cannery people about a foot above the top ear. This also removes the blow down.Ernie

That will shorten its maturity time?

yes it will

At what stage of maturity do you do this, before or after tasselling? After pollination, I guess?

well after tasseling I do it very late in the season after the ears are fully formed but just not ripe yet.

thanks for the tip: the best way to make your corn better = eat it sooner!

I think we need this info on the other corn thread too, pleeeeeezzzzze :-)

LOL the water is Boiling when I head to the garden the ears are stripped there and brought to the house they are thrown in the pot and on my plate elapsed time about five minutes six if you count travel time lol how much sooner can it be. Ernie

After the 6 hours and 6 minutes it takes us to drive from Spokane to Ernie's place before he harvests the corn, it should only take 4-4.5 minutes from garden to plate 'cause he'll have helpers. ;)

And he thought the crows were bad. lolol

*HUGS* to Ernie,
Donna

Donna can you swing by and pick me up *G* Ohh wait I"ll just go mooch ahh I mean visit Tam.

Ha ha with a promise like that I am hurring to get Linda on the tiller to make more corn rows lol. Time this right and we can have fresh salmon,corn, grilled, Walla walla sweets, crab louies and who knows what else. Ernie

I'm there!

Actually, Ernie, I was referring to making it mature faster. I was amazed when my hundred day corn was ready two weeks early because of the rain. This year I will top them and make them ready early again.

Yep, I read in Ruth Stout's book that the only way to eat corn was to boil the water before you pick it. That's what I did, and it was great. Except, of course, for the ones I ate raw, standing in the patch! And I also always stripped them down and left the husks for mulch. Not the way you get them in the store, that is for sure.

Saint, if you come up here you can take the boys back with you!

ha ha I knew what you meant gotcha

Donna some crows did not make it this afternoon. This little guy was reunited with his mamma it could have the corn lol




This message was edited Jun 5, 2005 10:19 PM

how sweet of you to share with that sweet thing...

Awww, Ernie, you do have a tender heart despite what everyone says! Well, now that more of the crows are gone, anyway. ;)

Let's hope that this last planting of yours will be left undisturbed by ANYTHING except you at harvest time!

Donna

P.S. To accompany my corn from your garden, I'll be expecting cedar-planked salmon, cooked in a pit. *giggle*

zeldonian~
How's the corn coming up?

Anyone else got seedlings, in pots or in the ground?

Just curious
~Cornius