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Corn

Zea mays

Varieties

Ashworth Sweet Corn

Days to germination: 4-6
Germination temperature: 60-95°F
Planting: direct sow after threat of frost has passed. Succession sow until mid-summer.
Sow depth: 3/4"
Days to maturity: 75
Plant spacing: 12"
Row spacing: 24-36"
Light: full sun
Water: as needed during dry periods 
Harvesting: kernels should be swollen and exude a milky substance when broken

Pollination

The tassles at the top of the stalk are the male parts of the plant. The female portion of the plant is within the ear where the silk strands emerge from. Wind carries the male pollen from the tassles to the female silk strands and pollination occurs.

The Anatomy of Corn

Pollination is most successfull when 4 or more rows are planted per block, though we have done okay with 2. If pollination is poor you may have minimal yield, misshapen kernals, skewed kernel patterns on the cob, or other oddities.

Fertilization

Corn needs quite a lot of nitrogen, followed by phosphorous and potassium. We drench the seeds initially with a combination of either Lactic Acid Bacteria and Fermented Plant Juice or Lactic Acid Bacteria and Fish-Seaweed blend organic liquid fertilizer to give them a head start. Then we apply a foliar spray when the plants are about 6" tall. Interplanting with legumes is a great way to provide corn with the Nitrogen it needs to thrive. This is why soy crops are often followed by corn, as the soy fixes nitrogen into the soil which the corn can then take advantage of. Interplanting would achieve the same result, which is one of the reasons why "The Three Sisters" technique is so successful.

The Three Sisters: the Traditional Intercropping Agricultural Method

Pests and Disease

These are the pests and diseases we have encountered, but is not a comprehensive list of all possible disease or pest challenges you may face.

Birds strip the leaves on the cob and peck out individual kernels. We've have not tried to deter them, though we suspect a "scare crow" would be of value.
Corn ear worms are quite common, particularly with organic growing practices. We simply remove them by hand and cut any part of the damaged cob away.
Corn flea beetles are another one that we have run into when peeling back the ear. We spray them out with a high pressure hose and cut off any damaged areas that we can.
Corn smut is a pathogenic fungal disease that forms galls on the ear of the corn. It persists in the soil and easily multiplies. We cut and bag any affected ears or plants and remove them from the growing area. In the future we would probably rotate the crop from that area in order to limit reoccurance. It's worth noting that in Mexico the smut is used for culinary purposes and is considered a delicacy. We have not been so brave as to cook with it yet.

Corn Smut

Storage

After harvesting we store our ears in a plastic tupperware bin in the refrigerator, set to around 42°F. With leaves still in tact we found that the corn remained in satisfactory condition for a minimum of 5 days. We suspect they could go longer, but we did not test it. Once shucked we used the cobs either immediately or within 1-2 days. If shucked and not used immediately the cobs were placed in the same plastic container with lid in tact in the refrigerator.

Preservation

We blanch the cobs then either freeze them whole or cut the kernels from the cob and freeze them that way. They are placed in quart sized freezer bags, labeled, and placed in the freezer. We use everything we can through winter as we need an empty freezer for next season's bounty; generally it is advised to enjoy frozen foods within 8-12 months.

Blanching

Placed washed cobs in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and place in ice water until cool to the touch. Cut kernels from cob, or if freezing whole cob cut to desired size. Place in freezer bag labeled with name and date. When sealing the bag be sure to suck as much air as possible from the bag which will help prevent freezer burn. We suck the air from one corner with our mouths while quickly pulling the zipper closed at the same time. You can use a vacuum sealer, but this is a low cost method that requires no fancy gadgetry. Additionally, the freezer bags are easily cleaned and reused numerous times.

Canning

Corn is a low-acid food and must be pressure canned for safety and stability. See page 4-11 of the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning for guidance.

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning