Here are a few easy tips on how to grow sweet corn in the garden.
After many years of growing sweet corn year-round, I have learned a lot about the plant.
When it comes down to growing sweet corn in the garden, I usually soak the seed in warm water for about 3–4 hours. Sometimes even up to 24 hours for faster germination.
Afterward, could I dig a shallow 2 inch trench and space sweet corn seeds about 6 inches apart from each other?
Usually, it is ideal to plant in rows 15 feet long with 4–6 rows side by side. A single row of sweet corn plants will get pollinated evenly, but one single row will produce next to nothing.
It is also ideal to plant several varieties of various maturing dates rather than all of them at one time.
It takes around 60–80 days until sweet corns are ready to harvest.
So to harvest sweet corn every month you should plant them at different time frames.
For example, I usually plant some that are ready to pick within 60 days, some at 88 days, and some that mature at around 95 days. (95 days of corn are varieties that can regrow.).
So, my working with this kind of method stretches out your time to eat sweet corn on a regular basis, rather than having all of one kind harvested at the same time.
Nevertheless, there is no greater feeling than knowing that sweet corn picked from your own garden only takes a few weeks to ripen and is cooked within 15 minutes.
It feels like a gift from heaven, with a satisfying taste that is superb.
How To Sow and Grow Sweet Corn
Sow sweet corn seeds about 1 inch deep and 4 to 6 inches apart in each row in the garden.
Each corn row should be spaced 30 to 36 inches apart from one another.
It is recommended that you choose to fertilize the sweet corn at planting time; sweet corn as a whole is meant to grow rapidly. If you are confident that the soil has enough adequate nutrients, this step can be skipped.
Water well at planting time and at least once per day with 1–2 inches of water.
How Often Should You Water Your Sweet Corn Plant?
A rule of thumb for watering sweet corn is to water at least every 7–10 days, or when there is no moisture visible and felt when a finger is placed about an inch inside of the soil beside the corn root.
It is ideal to water your corn plant until the soil becomes moist; however, be careful not to overwater or water excessively. Overwatering your sweet corn may result in leaf drop, wilting, or possibly death of the corn plant.
How Far Apart Should Sweet Corn Be Plant?
Sweet Corn needs to be planted at least 1.5 – 2.0 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart, and in rows about 30 inches apart.
Base on past experience, with growing sweet corn, I would recommend 6 – 8 rows minimum.
Nevertheless, you are growing sweet corn at home; plant them in a square or rectangular layout.
If you want to learn more about sweet corn, see our guide on how long does sweet corn takes to germinate.
